Best of MTV 120 Minutes 80s Time Capsule | Classic Music for Freaks, Geeks, Goths & Wayward Outcasts

Special “120 Minutes” Edition for Freaks, Geeks, Goths, Dweebies, Dorks, Nerds & other assorted outcasts who could not or simply would not ‘fit in’…for this unique (or not) class of 80s youth all grown up now (like me)…120 Minutes was the closest we’d get to ‘the man’ known as ‘MTV’…we’d give them a pass for playing all that lame shit as long as they gave us a few fringe shows like 120 Minutes, AMP & other ’alt’ favorites…can’t have our street cred elf’s with an all…it takes a long ass time to curate a selection of music to judge the rest of the world with or simply to sulk to…because having unique, hardly-known music to sulk & feel angst to is important when you are growing up in the 80s.

120 Minutes began its run in 1986, mostly voice narrated in the beginning by ‘whoever’ MTV picked that week but not really ‘officially hosted’ until later. Archives of full episodes are very rare but I was able to find a few & get the playlists of the rest & assemble a ‘Best Of 120 Minutes 1986-1989’ Edition.

Yes, Tonight I’m ‘only’ playing videos from MTV’s Alternative Music Series, “120 Minutes” that aired between 1986-1989, it’s first three years of broadcast…there are far more songs than I could possible squeeze in a 2-3 hour stream but I did my best to get most of the best or at least mostly broadly known ones.

Check out the playlist…all mixed & mashed up w/new HD transfers & improved audio…and I’m tellin’ ya…you are gonna ‘want’ that cowbell!…the drama in these here lyrics & some much needed levity will be added in between the layers of goth-punk angst

Pre-Show
DEVO | Disco Dancer | 1988
Lipps Inc | Funkytown | 1980
Tom Tom Club | Genius of Love | 1981

The Best of “MTV’s 120 Minutes”
Intro Channel Flipping
YUGO!
120 Minutes Launches
Kevin introduces Gabe

(Tracklist - Remember these ‘aired’ between 86-89…not always the same as release dates)

Boys Don’t Cry | I Wanna Be A Cowboy | 1985
Depeche Mode | Personal Jesus | 1989
Siouxsie and the Banshees | Peek-A-Boo | 1988
Love & Rockets | So Alive | 1989
The Cure | Fascination Street |1989
Killing Joke | Eighties | 1983
Public Image Limited | Public Image | 1978
The Timelords | Doctorin’ the TARDIS | 1988
Heaven 17 | Let Me Go | 1982
New Order | Confusion | 1983
Bomb the Bass | Beat Dis | 1987
MARRS | Pump That Bass (Get Your Ass to MAHZ Ahnold Mix) | 1987 (2025)
Nine Inch Nails | Down In It | 1989
New Order | Bizarre Love Triangle | 1986
Depeche Mode | Just Can’t Get Enough | 1981
Violent Femmes | Gone Daddy Gone | 1983
The Vapors | Turning Japanese | 1980
Sparks | So Important | 1988

The Cult | She Sells Sanctuary | 1985
Jane’s Addiction | Mountain Song | 1988
Soundgarden | Loud Love | 1989
Suicidal Tendencies | Institutionalized | 1983
Big Audio Dynamite | E=MC2
Love & Rockets | No New Tale To Tell | 1987
The Jesus & Mary Chain | Just Like Honey | 1985
Joy Division | Atmosphere | 1980
Love & Rockets | Ball of Confusion | 1986\
The Pixies | Monkey Gone To Heaven | 1989
The Ramones | I Wanna Be Sedated | 1978
They Might Be Giants | Don’t Let’s Start | 1987
R.E.M. | Stand | 1989
Squeeze | Hourglass | 1987
The B-52s | Channel Z | 1989
The Pixies | Here Comes Your Man | 1989
The Clash | Rock the Casbah | 1982
Big Audio Dynamite | The Bottom Line (More Cowbell Gabriel & Bruce Mix) 1985/2025
The Smiths | How Soon is Now? | 1985
Echo & The Bunnymen | Killing Moon | 1984
Depeche Mode | Never Let Me Down | 1987
New Order | Temptation | 1982

Bonus Track | The Last Song Ever To Play On 120 Minutes…Closes The Show

This is mostly about taking a break from the madness w/a bit of classic TV from the late 80s. Take a trip back with me to 1987 when Max Headroom was beginning to air on one of the three major networks...yep...3 channels we had to choose from without the 'miracle of Cable TV'...not only did you have to be 'lucky enough' to live in the Suburbs to get MTV...you'd still have to call your local cable company & demand "I WANT MY MTV!"

Honestly, MTV didn't suck back then. It was pretty great actually. Get this...when you tuned in, they made the bold programming decision to play music videos 24 hours a day...or at least something resembling 'music'...mixed with 'video'...instead of The Real World Survivor Amazing Race marathons....before they destroyed modern television with Reality TV, they actually played music videos & I will tonight as well...and I'll throw in some SNL skits, classic commercials (long distance rates were a bitch back then)...and other interesting things from the 80s that might surprise the kids to learn

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