Dial MTV was a television series on MTV that played music videos. It premiered February 17, 1986. Much like Total Request Live, Dial MTV played the top five or top ten most requested videos of the day, as requested by viewers who dialed in to vote for their favorite video. The countdown started with the fifth or tenth most requested video and ended with the most requested. The show generally aired Monday through Friday for 30 minutes to one hour. The scheduling and length fluctuated over the years.
The show had several different hosts. The best known one in the US was Adam Curry, who was also a VJ on MTV's Headbangers Ball from 1987-1989. On MTV Europe, the show was hosted by Rebecca de Ruvo. The video to be #1 longest was 'Home Sweet Home' by Mötley Crüe, lasting over three months until MTV invoked the unwritten "Crue Rule", dropping videos from eligibility on their request line after thirty days.