''Dial MTV'' is a daily music video countdown program on

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

, with videos determined by viewers calling a 1-800 telephone number. It premiered on February 17, 1986 and ran until June 1991. Much like ''

Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (commonly abbreviated as ''TRL'') is an American television program that premiered on MTV on September 14, 1998. The early version of ''TRL'' featured popular music videos played during its countdown and was also used as ...

'', ''Dial MTV'' played the most requested videos of the day, as requested by viewers who dialed in (hence, the name) to vote for their favorite video. The show generally aired Monday through Friday for 30 minutes to one hour. The scheduling and length fluctuated over the years. By 1989 the top twelve videos were shown daily. The show had several different hosts, including Martha Quinn in 1986. The best known host in the US was

Adam Curry Adam Clark Curry (born September 3, 1964) is an American podcaster, announcer, Internet entrepreneur and media personality, known for his stint as a VJ on MTV and being one of the first celebrities to personally create and administer Web sites ...

. On

MTV Europe MTV Global (formerly MTV Europe) is the international version of the American TV channel MTV as 24-hour music video and entertainment pay television network officially launched on 1 August 1987 as part of the worldwide MTV network. Initia ...

, the show was hosted by

Rebecca de Ruvo Rebecca Anna de Ruvo is a Swedish TV presenter, actress, artist and model who is best known as host of the then new MTV Europe during the early 1990s. De Ruvo became known as the first Swedish VJ on MTV. Career Rebecca De Ruvo started in 1981 as ...

. Hard rock power ballads and even heavy metal songs often fared very well, even better than their concurrent performance on the Billboard Top 40 chart. "

Home Sweet Home Home Sweet Home may refer to: Film * ''Home, Sweet Home'' (1914 film), a film about the life of John Howard Payne * ''Home Sweet Home'' (1917 film), a British silent film * ''Home Sweet Home'' (1926 film), a silent film drama * ''Home, Swe ...

" by

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...

held the #1 position for over 90 days in 1986, causing MTV to invoke the "Crüe Rule", terminating a video's eligibility 30 days after its premiere. However by 1988, the rules were loosened and

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...

's "

Pour Some Sugar On Me "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is a song by the English rock band Def Leppard from their 1987 album ''Hysteria''. It reached number two on the US US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart on 23 July 1988. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is considered the band's signatu ...

" held the top spot for over 10 weeks that summer. The program's request phone number, 1-800-DIAL-MTV (1-800-342-5688) remained in use for years after the program's cancellation as part of future live MTV programming, including MTV's Most Wanted, its direct replacement in June 1991, which ran until 1996, and ''

''.

References

MTV original programming MTV weekday shows American music chart television shows 1986 American television series debuts 1996 American television series endings 1980s American music television series 1990s American music television series American English-language television shows {{US-nonfiction-tv-prog-stub