MTV 120 Minutes... Year End Countdowns (1988 & 1990)

[Woops]

I actually like some early '90's alternative, though just want to focus when alternative was really alternative. (especially that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was ranked #1 for 1991)

Before  it dominated the Top 40 and MTV...

(unfortunately Top 20 for 1989 wasn't listed)


Top 20 Videos of 1988
20. Carolyn's Fingers - Cocteau Twins
19. Sometime To Return - Soul Asylum
18. Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
17. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Swans
16. Kidney Bingos - Wire
15. All Night Long - Peter Murphy
14. Orange Crush - R.E.M.
13. Just Play Music - Big Audio Dynamite
12. Inside Out - The Mighty Lemon Drops
11. Only A Memory - The Smithereens
10. Mandinka - Sinead O'Connor
9. No New Tale To Tell - Love And Rockets
8. Eye Of Fatima, Part 1 - Camper Van Beethoven
7. Suedehead - Morrissey
6. Balloon Man - Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
5. Birth, School, Work, Death - The Godfathers
4. Coldsweat - The Sugarcubes
3. Under The Milky Way - The Church
2. Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie & The Banshees
1. Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil

 
Top 20 Alternative Videos of 1990
20. Happy Mondays "Step On"
19. Iggy Pop "Candy"
18. The House of Love "I Don't Know Why I Love You"
17. The Stone Roses "Fool's Gold"
16. The Pixies "Dig For Fire/Allison"
15. Cocteau Twins "Iceblink Luck"
14. The Jesus and Mary Chain "Head On"
13. Nine Inch Nails "Head Like A Hole"
12. World Party "Way Down Now"
11. The Soup Dragons "I'm Free"
10. Concrete Blonde "Joey"
9. The Cure "Never Enough"
8. Midnight Oil "Blue Sky Mine"
7. The Charlatans U-K "The Only One I Know"
6. The Sundays "Here's Where The Story Ends"
5. Sonic Youth "Cool Thing"
4. Sinead O'Connor "Nothing Compares 2 U"
3. Peter Murphy "Cut You Up"
2. Jane's Addiction "Been Caught Stealing"
1. Depeche Mode "Enjoy The Silence"

The Cure "Never Enough", Love & Rockets "No New Tale To Tell"  


MTV site, with performances & select episodes/videos


"120 Minutes" tribute site, with original setlists & playlists from it's original run

[Woops]

Videos that appeared on the MTV's Top 100 year end countdown:

(posted lists on the "MTV Top 100" threads)

1988... 1

1990... 5

1991... 3

1992... 6

1993... 9

According to the 120 minutes site, the lists were discontinued around 1994/1995. Though was pretty much given  more exposure on Top 40 radio & MTV since 1992.

The show  ran on MTV from 1986 to 2001, which was moved to MTV2 that lasted until 2003.

Though currently, VH1 Classics air a block of alternative/new wave videos under "120 Minutes"...

[Woops]

Alternative/new wave videos ranked from MTV's 1989 Top 100 year end countdown:

Not counting U2 since they were mainstream and have noticed they weren't ranked on 120 Minutes' year end lists.

Noticed a few Fine Young Cannibals songs on the 120 Minutes playlist, though their two known hits sound "pop" in contrast to most of the other songs from bands like Love & Rockets, The Cure, Pixies,  They Might Be Giants, etc.


61. Veronica - Elvis Costello
59. Don’t Look Back - Fine Young Cannibals
51. What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
50. Love Song - The Cure
44. So Alive - Love & Rockets
33. Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals (not sure, though maybe)
23. Love Shack - B-52’s (maybe, though more polished compared to their earlier songs)
11. Sowing The Seeds Of Love - Tears For Fears (not sure since they were popular in 1985)
7. Stand - REM
3. She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals (not sure)

"Stand", "Love Shack", "So Alive" 

"She Drives Me Crazy" is an OK song.



Honestly, I don't even watch VH1 Classic's 120 Minutes block though listen to the "First Wave" satellite radio station that comes with the satellite tv package every now & then. "First Wave" play songs from Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, INXS, The Go-Go's,  The Cure, etc. outside of thier known  and/or overplayed hits.

[Woops]

Actually watched the e series finale of "120 Minutes".


Videos shown:

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit  (Dave's pick)

Overrated and found Dave Kendall's comment about Nirvana & the popularity of grunge ironic since many of the bands were "cookie cutter cliches" (ie distorted guitars, flannel or worn out t-shirts, Doc Martins,  etc)


Also most tend to associate alternative with grunge despite that not every band sound like Soundgarden & Pearl Jam. Not to mention MTV pushed alternative to the mainstream and gave pop & hard rock the shaft in the early '90's.

Dave:  You know, when Nirvana came out, they really turned alternative music into a brand. I mean, that's when alternative music became a brand; crossed into the mainstream. The various forms of music that had been played by 120 Minutes prior to then really gelled into this angry rock sound. And prior to that, I think, there were so many different types of music on 120 Minutes, you had some of the goth bands, and you had the jangle-rock of R.E.M., you had sort of novelty bands like They Might Be Giants. There wasn't any single form of music that alternative represented. Just more of an attitude that we want to do something different, we don't wanna do the cookie cutter clichés —

Jim:  Right.

Dave:  — and the pop mainstream. But with Nirvana, you know, that sound of grunge began to represent alternative and started to make real money.

Jim:  I think the great thing about those two bands was that they appealed to the people who took their music seriously and then to the kids who are walking around the mall, like, they love them too, so that's kinda connected both worlds together. And this is like the video that probably did it. From 1991's Nevermind, here is Nirvana with "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Nine Inch Nails - Head Like A Hole  (Dave's pick)

Trent Reznor tangles in video tape. So that's what happned to the videos on MTV?  


Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealing  (Dave's pick)

Classic funny video with people doinf random things at a supermarket from a dragqueen shoplifting to a stripper dancing at the produce isle. Though the only song from the band I like...

Blur - The Universal  (Matt's pick)

meh

The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony  (Matt's pick)

OK song, though the video sums up the (stereo)typical snobbish image associated with hipsters  

R.E.M. - Driver 8  (Dave's pick)


It's funny that it's considered the "anti video" where most mainstream pop videos were more creative. It looks like somebody  just filmed random trains around the  railroad. Basically a snorefest.
 

"Driver 8," was remarkable because it was also kind of an anti-video. You know, it wasn't like the pop stars doing their thrusting motions on stage. It's just very kind of passive, quiet, ethereal. And R.E.M., of course, went on to be absolutely a mega-band.

Pixies - Here Comes Your Man  (Dave's pick)

meh, bland band and video reminds me of those bits on a late night talkshow where the host's head is shown distorted.


Sisters of Mercy - This Corrosion  (Dave's pick)

Funny that many emo bands actually dressed like that in the past decade. Oddly enough, the female guitarist looks reminds me of Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue with the hair, overload of make-up,  & tight leather. Catchy beat, but can't stand the singer.

Porno for Pyros - Tahitian Moon  (Matt's pick)

Only familiar with "Pets" and the song doesn't catches my interest.


Radiohead - Just  (Matt's pick)

Radiohead is extremely overrated. Boring, bland, and forgettable. Heck, people passed out from boredom at the end of the video.  


Supergrass - Alright  (Matt's pick)

Band riding around on a bed. Fun concept, but the song doesn't click.


Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus  (Dave's pick)

Catchy song, though don't care for video.

Massive Attack - Safe From Harm  (Dave's pick)

meh

Oasis - Supersonic  (Matt's pick)

Only performance from the show featured? Could've chosen something better...


Descendents - I'm The One  (Matt's pick)

Catchy, though sounds like any pop punk from Green Day to The Offspring. Even if The Descendants were around before.


Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kiss Them For Me  (Dave's pick)

Well, at least it's not Semisonic "Closing Time".  Catchy, though not a favorite.

[Woops]

REM recently broke-up, which honestly had no idea were even still around.

Few songs were OK such as "Stand", "Radio Free Europe", "Losing My Religion", and "Everybody Hurts" though not really into the band.


Never understood what the acronym stood for either...

[Out of the Blue]

I thought they had broken up years ago.