[5] For the first ten years of 120 Minutes, viewers could see artists as varied as Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, Nina Hagen, The Cramps, X, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Bronski Beat, New Order, Cocteau Twins, The Replacements, The Verve, James, Slowdive, Weezer, Robyn Hitchcock, The Stone Roses, Oasis, 10,000 Maniacs, Blur, Butthole Surfers, Radiohead, KMFDM, Kate Bush, Ramones, Sonic Youth, XTC, Morrissey, The Smashing Pumpkins, Kitchens of Distinction, Sarah McLachlan, They Might Be Giants, Dinosaur Jr., Rage Against the Machine, Hüsker Dü, The Offspring, Sparklehorse, and Bad Religion.

[6] Nirvana's music video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" received a world premiere on 120 Minutes,[7] but soon proved so popular that the channel began to air it during its regular daytime rotation.

In the final episode, the then host Jim Shearer shared the screen with the show's creator Dave Kendall, as well as Matt Pinfield.

The revived program initially aired on a monthly basis, but returned to a weekly format in late November 2011.

In the revival, viewers could see artists as varied as Beady Eye, The Kills, Mumford & Sons, Alabama Shakes, Death Cab for Cutie, Lupe Fiasco and Grouplove.

This version of the show, however, has no host and highlights more well established alternative artists of the 1980s and 1990s; mostly replaying videos that originally aired on MTV.

Artists included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Echo & the Bunnymen, Julian Cope, R.E.M., Sinéad O'Connor, Ministry, Depeche Mode, Sonic Youth, and Violent Femmes.