There’s a chapter in I Want My MTV : The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Rob Tannenbaum & Craig Marks called The Island of Misfit Toys devoted to alternative music programming on MTV, particularly 120 Minutes, that describes the show as a “lifeline.” I grew up on and admire album rock radio but for someone who comes from a rural region of Eastern NC where we didn’t get cable until 1989 and there was no college radio to speak of, programs like 120 Minutes were indeed a lifeline. On nights where I didn’t stay up to watch it I programmed the VCR to record it. It played a vital part in exposing me to lots of music I’d only read about.
2 Likes