How to Contribute to or Correct The 120 Minutes Archive

The 120 Minutes Archive is built from volunteer submissions, so you can help by sending in missing episode playlists or corrections to existing entries. The archive's own update notes say it recently cleared a backlog and added more than 50 new playlists from MTV's 120 Minutes (1987–2000), and that further submissions for corrections and missing episodes are being processed. The About page is where the project lists its goals, FAQ, press, and contact info — that is the entry point for getting in touch about a contribution.

What the archive is and why contributions matter

The site describes itself as the independent, critically acclaimed, definitive library of music video nostalgia, run by altmusictv. Since 2003 it has aimed to rediscover and share the legacy of MTV's 120 Minutes, the classic U.S. TV show that presented alternative music videos, artist interviews, and live performances.

According to the site, the archive was assembled from scratch with hundreds of volunteer contributors and now covers:

• Playlists and music videos for 1,058 episodes
• The various iterations of 120 Minutes on MTV and MTV2 from 1986 to 2013
• Subterranean, its successor, from 2003 to 2011

Because the collection was reconstructed rather than handed over complete, gaps and errors are expected — which is exactly why missing playlists and corrections are useful.

Ways you can contribute

1. Submit a missing episode playlist

If you have a tracklist for an episode that isn't in the archive, that is the most direct contribution. The site's October 2026 update notes that a backlog of archive submissions was cleared and more than 50 new episode playlists from 1987–2000 were added, labeled as New while browsing. That shows the pipeline works: submissions get reviewed, then published and tagged.

A practical checklist before you submit:

• Confirm the episode isn't already listed (check by year and by the New labels).
• Note the series and era — original MTV run, MTV2 run, or Subterranean — since the archive spans multiple iterations.
• Include the episode's air date or as much identifying detail as you have.
• Provide the playlist in the order the videos aired, if you know it.

2. Send corrections

The site says it has received "even more new submissions for corrections and missing episodes" and is working on adding them. Corrections can cover things like a misattributed artist, a wrong video title, an incorrect date, or a playlist entry that doesn't match the broadcast. When reporting a correction, point to the specific episode and entry so it can be verified against other sources.

3. Use the contact route on the About page

The About section is described as containing "the goals of this project, FAQ, press we've received, and contact info." That contact info is the channel for both types of submissions. Start there rather than assuming a separate submission form exists — the site's own description points to the About page for contact.

What to expect after you submit

Based on the archive's own reporting, submissions are queued and processed in batches rather than published instantly. The recent cycle cleared a backlog and released 50+ playlists, and a further round of corrections and missing episodes is still in progress. So treat a contribution as something that may take time to appear, and expect it to be reviewed before it goes live.

Other ways to stay involved

Beyond submissions, the site points to a few related activities:

• Spotify playlist — the archive regularly updates 120 minutes into the future, a handpicked, independently curated playlist of new dark wave, synth, and electronic music for 2026, which you can save to your library.
• Support the Archive — the site has a support section for those who want to help sustain the project.
• Reading and watching — the archive hosts features such as the history of the original series (1986–2003), an exit interview with Dave Kendall and Matt Pinfield, the 2003 series finale video, and a Jim Shearer Q&A.

A note on the archive's current state

The October 2026 update also reports that Dave Kendall, creator and host of 120 Minutes in the late '80s and early '90s, has died, with the news first announced by Matt Pinfield on July 14. That context matters for contributors: the archive is actively documenting a show whose key figures are part of its history, which makes accurate episode records and firsthand recollections more valuable, not less.

If your goal is simply to contribute, the shortest path is: check whether the episode or error is already known, gather the most precise details you can, and send it through the contact info listed on the About page.