MTV‘s Dave Kendall, best known for creating and hosting 120 Minutes, passed away at age 68. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Fellow MTV host Matt Pinfield took to X to report the news. “Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Dave Kendall. Dave was one of the true believers.”
“Long before alternative music found its way into the mainstream, he was there every week on 120 Minutes, introducing people to bands that would go on to define an era. Dave Kendall didn’t just host a show. He gave a home to music that deserved to be heard.”
“He loved the music, respected the artists, and connected with fans in a way that always felt authentic. That’s a rare gift.” Matt Pinfield sent “love to everyone whose life [Dave Kendall] touched.”
Dave Kendall hosted 120 Minutes from 1988 to 1992. Dedicated to alternative music, the show spotlighted artists like Nirvana, Kate Bush, R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Morrissey, and more.
Most famously, 120 Minutes hosted the music video premiere of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit in 1991 … truly a cultural reset.
After 120 Minutes, Kendall went on to be a DJ and TV reporter/producer. He hosted Party 360 on Sirius Satellite Radio and most recently worked at the Bangkok Post.
In 2016, Dave Kendall told Consequence about the work that went into 120 Minutes and how it contributed to the alternative music genre. “By far the most important thing about 120 Minutes was that it acted as a distribution channel for organic musical produce. The only other outlet for non-mainstream music at the time was a few local college radio stations. US radio stations were not open to new ideas.”
