''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on
MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing
acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. From 2000 to 2009, it aired less frequently and was usually billed as ''MTV Unplugged No. 2.0''. Since 2009, ''MTV Unplugged'' specials have aired occasionally, sometimes through online or
subscription only. Episodes and specials have tended to showcase one artist or group, playing a combination of their hit songs and covers.
Many of the artists who appeared on the show in the 1990s released their ''Unplugged'' session as an album, and some of these albums were commercial and critical hits.
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
's ''
Unplugged'' (1992) sold 26 million copies worldwide and became the best-selling live album of all time. Albums such as
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
's ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' (1992),
Nirvana's ''
MTV Unplugged in New York'' (1994) and
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
' ''
Unplugged'' (1996) became notable hits of the program. Other ''Unplugged'' albums that went platinum include
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
's ''
Unplugged...and Seated'' (1993),
10,000 Maniacs' ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' (1993),
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...
's ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' (1994),
Page and Plant's ''
No Quarter
No quarter, during War, military conflict or piracy, implies that combatants would not be taken Prisoner of war, prisoner, but executed. Since the Hague Convention of 1899, it is considered a war crime; it is also prohibited in customary interna ...
'' (1994),
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
's ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' (1999),
Lauryn Hill's ''
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0'' (2001),
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
' ''
Unplugged'' (2005) and
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
's ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' (2006). Some of these albums produced successful singles as well, including Mariah Carey's No. 1 hit cover of "
I'll Be There".
The show received the
George Foster Peabody Award and three
Primetime Emmy nominations, in its original form.
A limited-run reboot of ''MTV Unplugged'' came in 2009, featuring six acts, which won the
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for Best New Approach.
As of 2021, several episodes are available to watch on
Paramount+
Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access in the United States and 10 All Access in Australia) is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, stream ...
.
Unplugged
The term "unplugged" has come to refer to music that would usually be played on electrified instruments (such as an electric guitar or synthesizer) but is rendered instead on instruments that can be played without electricity, for example acoustic guitar or traditional piano, although a microphone is still used. In most cases, the bass (or bass guitar) is amplified, and a
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...
is sometimes used.
MTV launched ''MTV Unplugged'' in 1989.
The show featured musicians performing unplugged versions of their electric repertoire. Many of these performances were subsequently released as albums, often featuring the title ''Unplugged''. It was believed that the show was inspired by a
1989 MTV Video Music Awards acoustic performance by
Jon Bon Jovi
John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (born March 2, 1962), known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and Lead vocalist, frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was fo ...
and
Richie Sambora; however, the show was already in production. Although the
showrunners have admitted that prior to the influence of that performance, the show was initially meant to be only for "young, up-and-coming artists" rather than the "big, stadium, electric-arena-type acts".
Launch of ''Unplugged''
The MTV show titled ''Unplugged'', drawing on this phenomenon, was created by producers
Robert Small and Jim Burns.
Songwriter
Jules Shear hosted the first 13 episodes. The pilot and first seven episodes were produced by
Bruce Leddy, after which Associate Producer
Alex Coletti took over for the remainder of the series, producing the show through 2001.
After the first 13 episodes, the role of host was eliminated.
The show was produced by
Viacom and RSE Inc and was most frequently directed by Milton Lage and
Beth McCarthy.
The first episode of ''MTV Unplugged'' was taped on October 31, 1989, and aired about a month later on November 26.
Selected list of artists
1989–1992
*The series first aired November 26, 1989, featuring
Squeeze,
Syd Straw and
Elliot Easton. The first 13 episodes were hosted by American singer-songwriter
Jules Shear and featured
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
,
Sinéad O'Connor,
Poison
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
,
Joe Satriani
Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". ''AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American rock music, rock guitarist, composer, and songwriter. Early in hi ...
and
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray Vaughan (also known as SRV; October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (band), Double Trouble. Although his ma ...
among others.
*
Joe Walsh appeared on the show in 1989 with
Dr. John. According to the book ''I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution'' by Rob Tannenbaum and Craig Marks, Walsh wanted to perform the Eagles classic "
Desperado", but Joel Gallen received a three-page fax from
Don Henley denying permission to use the song. MTV invited Henley to perform on the show, but Henley wanted to have a show featuring only himself. At that point, MTV was sharing the time between different artists. Dr. John was not originally scheduled to be part of the episode. With only Walsh booked, producers went next door where a VH1 morning show was being taped with Dr. John, and asked if he would be willing to join Walsh on ''Unplugged''. Henley performed his solo episode in 1990.
*
The Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
performed their ''MTV Unplugged'' session in their London studios on January 24, 1991. Their playlist featured classic songs such as "
The Walk", "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep", "
Just Like Heaven" and a new song, "
A Letter to Elise", which would be released on their next album.
*
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
's 1991
appearance was later released on the ''
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)'' album. Show producer
Alex Coletti went on to say that had McCartney not released it, the concept would have never gained the cult status that it went on to enjoy.
*On March 5, 1991,
Sting performed a set mostly centered around songs by
The Police or from his album ''
The Soul Cages''. Sting enjoyed the experience to the extent that the following month he did a similar set in his home town of Newcastle at the tiny Buddle Arts Centre.
*On April 10, 1991, ''Unplugged'' aired its first ever acoustic rap show. The special kicked off with individual performances by
LL Cool J along with
MC Lyte
Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a ...
(''Cappucino''),
De La Soul (''Ring Ring Ring''), and
A Tribe Called Quest ("
Can I Kick It?") and a five piece back-up band, Pop's Cool Love. The highlight of the show was LL Cool J's energetic renditions of "
Jingling Baby" and "
Mama Said Knock You Out".
*In 1992,
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
performed a cover version of
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...
's hit "
I'll Be There" along with backup singer
Trey Lorenz. That live version was released as a single and went to No. 1 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, as well as in Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands, and became a hit elsewhere. Due to high demand, the performance was released as an EP, ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'', which eventually sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The performance was released in video form as well, achieving success particularly in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
*In 1992,
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
recorded an ''Unplugged'' performance at Bray Studios in London. He rearranged many of his classic songs for the acoustic context, and the resulting ''
Unplugged'' album went on to become the best selling ''Unplugged'' album in the US and worldwide with sales of 10 million in the US and 26 million worldwide. Clapton earned six
Grammy Awards for the album, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year ("
Tears in Heaven"), Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.
[Billboard 6 Mar 1993](_blank)
'' Billboard'' Retrieved January 28, 2011
*While MTV has filmed over 101 ''Unplugged'' performances, fewer than 30 of them have been released as albums.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...
's March 1992 set was not released until 2009 as a DVD for their reissue of their debut album, ''
Ten''. This has been referred to as a breakout moment for the band during a time where the Seattle grunge scene was in high demand. Intense performances of the songs "Black" and "Porch" highlight this show with the latter featuring lead singer Eddie Vedder writing PRO CHOICE on his arm with a
Sharpie.
* On April 27, 1992, Seattle-based heavy metal band
Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche () is an American progressive metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one Extended play, EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record ...
filmed their ''Unplugged'' performance, playing such songs as "
Silent Lucidity", "The Lady Wore Black", "I Will Remember", "The Killing Words", and a cover of "
Scarborough Fair".
* On July 3, 1992,
Annie Lennox played an ''Unplugged'' show at the
Montreux Jazz Festival. Nine of the twelve songs performed were released as part of the single series "
Cold. Colder. Coldest." Each CD featured the studio version of Lennox's "Cold" as well as three songs from the ''MTV Unplugged'' show. ''Cold'' consisting of songs from ''
Diva'', ''Colder'' songs Lennox has recorded with the
Eurythmics and ''Coldest'' cover versions of songs originally by
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner was an American musical duo consisting of husband-and-wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocalists, the Ikettes. ...
,
The Detroit Emeralds and
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
.
1993–1994
*On January 9, 1993, Swedish duo
Roxette
Roxette is a Swedish pop rock duo originally consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, both of whom were already established musicians in Sweden prior to the band's formation. Fredriksson had released a number of successful solo albums, ...
recorded the show at Stockholm Circus. During the show, they covered songs from other artists such as
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
,
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
and
The Byrds
The Byrds () were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) being the so ...
.
*In February 1993, Neil Young performed two shows on ''MTV Unplugged''. He was not happy with the first show so he came back the next night and gave a performance that was considered to be much better than the first; said performance was released a few months later.
*On April 20, 1993,
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by H ...
recorded an episode at Sony Music Studios in New York City. They recorded a 17-song set which included many of their hits and an encore cover of "
We Gotta Get Out of This Place" originally recorded by Eric Burdon and the Animals. The set was broadcast edited in the US while Australia received a longer 9-song set. The full set was released on DVD in 2017. "One Country" was attempted in their session but was not finished and not released.
*On April 21, 1993,
Soul Asylum performed their set two months before the release of "Runaway Train" music video.
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
was the special guest who sang "To Sir With Love" in a duet with
Dave Pirner, who was introduced to actress
Winona Ryder
Winona Laura Horowitz (born ), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s, she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder's L ...
backstage and they dated for the next three years.
*
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
performed a session with
Ronnie Wood on February 5, 1993, at
Universal Studios, Los Angeles. Selections from this recording aired in May and were released on the album ''
Unplugged...and Seated''.
*On November 17, 1993, British rock group
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled ...
filmed their acoustic performance after a brief hiatus from their world tour due to lead singer
Simon Le Bon's vocal straining after 11 months on the road. They played many of their classic hits as well as their 1990 single "
Serious".
*
Nirvana's performance on ''Unplugged'' was one of the last televised performances by
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...
, recorded on November 18, 1993, about five months before Cobain's death. Nirvana's set list consisted of some of their lesser known originals, and covers of songs by the
Meat Puppets,
Lead Belly,
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
and
The Vaselines. The only real "hits" played during this performance were "
Come as You Are", "
Polly" and "
All Apologies". This contrasts with other ''Unplugged'' performances, where artists largely perform their hit singles and other original material. Nirvana's performance was released a year later as ''
MTV Unplugged in New York'', about seven months after Cobain's death. It sold over 5 million copies and won Best Alternative Music Performance at the
38th Grammy Awards in 1996. It was also released on DVD in 2007.
*In 1993,
Stone Temple Pilots filmed a 26-minute episode of ''MTV Unplugged'', where they debuted the song "
Big Empty" prior to the release of their 1994 album ''
Purple''. Other songs included "
Creep", "
Plush", and a unique acoustic rendition of "
Wicked Garden". This performance was never released as an official standalone album release, although it does appear on the deluxe reissue of ''
Core''.
*
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
's 1993 performance included a twist in where most of his set was performed with amplified instruments. The show was released later on album and video as ''
In Concert/MTV Plugged''.
*
10,000 Maniacs performed their last televised concert with vocalist
Natalie Merchant in 1993. The performance was released as the album ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
''. Their cover of the
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album '' Horses'' made her an influential member of the New York City-based punk rock movement. Smith has fu ...
/Bruce Springsteen song "
Because the Night" was released as a single.
David Byrne
David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads.
Byrne has ...
was a guest vocalist.
*
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
recorded an ''Unplugged'' concert in 1994 over two nights that was combined into one show.
*The
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
' 1994 acoustic reunion concert was broadcast on MTV as a one-off special called ''Hell Freezes Over''. Nevertheless, the show, which was produced by the ''Unplugged'' team, is generally regarded as part of the ''MTV Unplugged'' series. The concert was released on CD (with four new studio tracks), VHS, and DVD, as ''
Hell Freezes Over''.
*On September 29, 1994,
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs performed the first Latin/Spanish show at the MTV Miami studios. The playlist included covers of
The Clash
The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...
's "
The Guns of Brixton" and reggae artist
Keith & Tex's "Stop That Train".
* On October 14, 1994 (recorded in August 1994), the long-awaited reunion between
Jimmy Page
James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin.
Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...
and
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...
occurred on a 90-minute "UnLedded" project, recorded in
Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
,
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, and
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, which rated highly on network television. It was not a reunion of
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
, however, as former bassist and keyboardist
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regard ...
was not present. In fact, Jones was not even told about the reunion by his former bandmates. In addition to acoustic numbers, the album features a reworking of Led Zeppelin classics, along with four Middle Eastern- and Moroccan-influenced songs: "City Don't Cry," "Yallah" (or "The Truth Explodes"), "Wonderful One," and "Wah Wah". The resulting album, ''
No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded'', was certified Platinum in the US and elsewhere.
* In 1994,
Lenny Kravitz performed with his band on ''MTV Unplugged'' along with an orchestra.
*On October 21, 1994,
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
''Unplugged'' aired. Because of his diminishing popularity in the US it only aired in Europe.
* In 1994, a compilation album was released called ''
The Unplugged Collection, Volume One''.
* On September 1, 1994, at the
Fountain Studios in London,
Icelandic artist
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...
recorded her ''MTV Unplugged'' special. She was accompanied by the band that played on her
Debut tour, plus other musicians such as
Corky Hale,
Oliver Lake and
Evelyn Glennie. Her performance aired on November 7, 1994. It was released on DVD in 2002 in the ''
MTV Unplugged / Live'' video, and in audio form, originally as part of her ''
Live Box'' compilation and then separately as ''
Debut Live'' in 2004.
1995–1999
* On February 14, 1995,
Hole
A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid Body (physics), body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in m ...
recorded a live acoustic performance in front of an audience at the
Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City. Along with a string ensemble,
Courtney Love,
Eric Erlandson,
Patty Schemel and
Melissa Auf der Maur
Melissa Gaboriau Auf der Maur (; born March 17, 1972) is a Canadian musician.
Auf der Maur began performing in 1993 after forming the indie rock band Tinker (band), Tinker while she was a student at Concordia University. She was recruited ...
played 13 songs, a mix of hits off ''Live Through This'', new material, covers by
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled ...
and
Donovan
Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter and record producer. He emerged from the British folk scene in early 1965 and subsequently scored multiple international hit singles ...
, and the unreleased
Nirvana track "
You Know You're Right." The show first aired on April 18, 1995.
* On February 14, 1995,
the Cranberries recorded a nine song-set accompanied by Electra Strings quartet, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
The performance aired on April 18, 1995.
* On February 15, 1995,
Live performed a nine-song set of their own material and a cover of
Vic Chesnutt's "Supernatural".
* On May 4, 1995, Argentine musician
Charly Garcia appeared at the MTV studios, bringing together his "Cassandra Lange" band for his third live album. Garcia included some of his classics and the result was issued as a live album, after Garcia re-recorded some of the material.
*On August 9, 1995,
Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
performed on an episode that would lead to the reunion of the original members.
Paul Stanley and
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; ; born August 25, 1949) also known by his stage persona "The Demon", is an Israeli-born American musician. He was the bassist and co-lead singer of the hard rock band Kiss (band), Kiss, which he co-founded wit ...
invited former members
Peter Criss and
Ace Frehley to participate in the show. Fan reaction was so positive that the following year the original Kiss lineup officially reunited, together for the first time since 1979. The recording of the episode was released as the album ''
Kiss Unplugged''.
*On August 10, 1995,
Chris Isaak performed a set on an episode, including his hit song "
Wicked Game".
*On September 14, 1995, Chilean band
Los Tres held an ''MTV Unplugged'' performance in
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. It was attended by Antonio Restucci and Cuti Aste, two Chilean musician friends of the band. This was the first unplugged album of a Chilean group for MTV and (according to MTV technicians) is the only truly unplugged concert that has been performed at some distance from each instrument as only the dynamic range of analog microphones were used. The resulting album, ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'', went quadruple platinum and was the most popular album in Chile in 1995. The recording was made just a few months after the death of Chilean musician Roberto Parra, an important inspiration for the band. Because of this, the group dedicated the concert and album to the memory of "Uncle Robert" and played two
cuecas, "El arrepentido" and "La vida que yo he pasado", as well as the popular foxtrot "Quien es la que viene alli". The latter song became a success of great proportions, possibly the most important in the career of the band. The new song on the album, "traje desastre", was also touted as a single from the album, and featured a video directed by Chilean film director German Bobe. The album contains 15 songs, of which 12 are their own compositions and three of Roberto Parra.
*On March 12, 1996,
Soda Stereo was invited to Miami to record a session for ''MTV Unplugged''. After a few refusals by the band, they convinced the network to accept an offer where the band would play plugged in, but with modifications such as orchestration including new arrangements of some of their classic songs. The result was an eclectic mix of music, some electric, some acoustic, but all bearing Gustavo Cerati's signature style. A highlight of the album was a soaring rendition of "
En la Ciudad de la Furia," where the chorus was sung by
Andrea Echeverri of the Colombian rock band
Aterciopelados. The recording of the performance was partially released on the album ''
Comfort y Música Para Volar'' (''Comfort and Music to Fly By'') and in its entirety on a new version of ''Comfort'' in 2007. The album contained four new tracks from the recording sessions as well as an interactive CD-ROM with pictures and videos from the show.
*

On April 10, 1996,
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AiC) is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1987. Since 2006, the band's lineup has comprised vocalist/guitarists Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney. Voca ...
gave their first performance in three years and one of their last concerts as a group for nine years. During the show, lead singer
Layne Staley looked visibly weak due to his ongoing drug addictions, but was able to deliver a strong performance.
*
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment[Liam Gallagher
William John Paul Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis and fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2010 to 2014, before starting a succes ...]
pulled out at the last minute, citing a sore throat. The band performed despite this, with songwriter and guitarist
Noel Gallagher handling the vocals, earning much critical praise. Liam watched the performance and heckled the group from a balcony. Their performance of "Round Are Way" later appeared on the 20th anniversary edition of their album ''
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?''
*In 1996, pop artist
George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...
gave an ''Unplugged'' performance for a crowd of 200-300 people. He performed a few select tracks from his album ''Older'' and a few from his earlier recordings (including one from his Wham! days). He also did a cover of "
I Can't Make You Love Me". The performance was critically acclaimed and was the last performance his mother saw, as she died the following year.
* In 1997, neo-soul singer
Maxwell
Maxwell may refer to:
People
* Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist
* Justice Maxwell (disambiguation)
* Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...
performed
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...
's "
This Woman's Work" and
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN (stylized as NIИ), is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent col ...
' "
Closer" on the show to high acclaim.
*On September 26, 1997,
Bryan Adams
Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million album, records and Single (music), si ...
performed on ''Unplugged'' at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and released an album of the performance. Adams was joined by Irish piper
Davy Spillane and
Michael Kamen (who wrote orchestrations for many of the songs and brought students from the
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...
to play them). Three new songs were included: "
Back To You", "When You Love Someone" and "A Little Love". The song "If Ya Wanna Be Bad – Ya Gotta Be Good" made its debut on the album. The record sold over 5 million units worldwide.
*On March 10, 1998, Mexican rock group
Maná recorded their ''MTV Unplugged'' performance at MTV's Miami studios. The concert was released on CD and DVD on June 22, 1999 in the Americas and Spain. It includes exclusive covers of the
José Alfredo Jiménez song "
Te Solte La Rienda", the
Rubén Blades song "Desapariciones", and "
Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez" by
Juan Gabriel. The recording received a nomination for a
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album.
* In 1997, Argentine musician
Luis Alberto Spinetta performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' with his band Los Socios del Desierto (with some invited musicians like Juan "Mono" Fontana on keyboard). This performance was atypical as Spinetta performed longer that an hour, playing seven new songs and mostly ignoring his past hits. This was released as ''Estrelicia MTV Unplugged'' later that year.
*On September 8, 1999, Canadian singer-songwriter
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, she became a cultural phenomenon during the mid 199 ...
performed on ''MTV Unplugged'', later released in November as ''
Alanis Unplugged''. Twelve tracks were included on the album, but Morissette performed several others, including "Baba", "Thank U" (both from 1998's ''
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie'') and "Your House" (the hidden track on 1995's ''
Jagged Little Pill''). In addition to material from Morissette's first two US albums, ''MTV Unplugged'' featured performances of "No Pressure over Cappuccino" and "Princes Familiar", two previously unreleased songs from her tours, a cover of
The Police song "King of Pain", and "These R the Thoughts", a previously released B-side.
*Performed In August 1999 in New York City and released in February 2000, Colombian singer-songwriter
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
's ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' release was particularly successful in introducing Shakira into the English-speaking world; it charted at number one in the ''Billboard'' Latin Charts and became the first Latin ''Unplugged'' album to win a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
.
*In October 1999,
Irish band
The Corrs performed live on ''MTV Unplugged'' (recorded in
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
). The concert was recorded and published
an album in November 1999.
2000–2009
Since 2000, the ''Unplugged'' format has been revived on a number of occasions for specials.
*In 2001, Spanish singer
Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro, better known as Alejandro Sanz (; born 18 December 1968), is a Spanish musician, singer and composer. He has won 22 Latin Grammy Awards and four Grammy Awards. He has received the Latin Grammy for Latin Grammy Award ...
performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' and released an album of the performance on November 20, 2001.
*In 2001,
Hikaru Utada
, also known mononymously as Utada, is a Japanese and American singer, songwriter, and producer. She is considered to be one of the most influential and best-selling musical artists in Japan. She is best known by international audiences for w ...
became the youngest singer and the third Japanese (the first and second being
Chage and Aska) to be featured on ''MTV Unplugged''.
*
Lauryn Hill unveiled her much-anticipated new material on a 2002 ''MTV Unplugged'' special and later released it on the album ''
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0''. It had been three years since the release of Hill's ''
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill''. Hill appeared with her hair cut off and performed in a stripped-down, minimalist style. Her set included her playing an acoustic guitar, spoken word segments, and occasionally breaking down in tears.
*American rock band
Staind performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' on July 16, 2001, and released a DVD of the performance including songs not included in the original MTV broadcast.
Cold
Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjectivity, subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute t ...
guitarist
Terry Balsamo also appears as a guest performer. The DVD was certified Gold in 2003, selling over 500,000 copies. The performance has yet to be released on CD, digital markets, or streaming platforms.
*Chilean rock band
La Ley performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' in 2001, and released an album of the performance, which went on to win a Grammy award. This is the band's best selling album. After the album's success, La Ley was finally able to internationalize themselves and they make their way to foreign countries such as the United States. The album contains older songs from previous albums plus three new songs.
*
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
recorded a performance of ''Unplugged'' on November 18, 2001, with
The Roots serving as his backing band. The subsequent
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
sold over 600,000 copies and made it to No. 20 on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart.
*
Dashboard Confessional recorded an ''Unplugged'' show in New York in 2002, and became the first band without a platinum record to do so. The band released the show as ''
MTV Unplugged 2.0'' on CD and DVD.
*''MTV Unplugged'' was first introduced in Italy on June 16, 2005, with Italian singer
Giorgia's own successful ''Unplugged'' experiment.
*
Queens of the Stone Age participated in their first ''Unplugged'' special in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
in June 2005 and performed a number of tracks from their album ''
Lullabies to Paralyze''.
*
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
' ''Unplugged'' special aired on MTV on September 23, 2005. It was the first ''Unplugged'' in nearly three years, and special guests for Keys' performance included
Mos Def
Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...
,
Common
Common may refer to:
As an Irish surname, it is anglicised from Irish Gaelic surname Ó Comáin.
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Com ...
,
Damian Marley and
Maroon 5's
Adam Levine. The show was released on CD and DVD in October 2005. The album debuted at No. 1 (see ''
Unplugged'').
*On August 17, 2006, Puerto Rican singer
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' and released the album of the performance on November 7, 2006 as ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
''. The album reached number 1 of the ''Billboard'' Latin Charts, selling more than 2 million copies worldwide and winning several awards, including two
Latin Grammy.
*On December 9, 2006,
Korn performed on ''Unplugged'' with guests
Amy Lee,
Robert Smith, and
Simon Gallup (the former of
Evanescence
Evanescence is an American Rock music, rock band founded in 1994 by singer and keyboardist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody in Little Rock, Arkansas. After releasing independent extended play, EPs and a Origin (Evanescence demo album), demo ...
and the latter duo of
The Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...
) on some of their well-known songs, along with others. The performance was released on a CD entitled ''
MTV Unplugged: Korn'' on March 6, 2007, where it debuted on the U.S.
''Billboard'' 200 at #9.
*In 2009,
Nagase Tomoya (from the rock/pop band
Tokio) performed on ''MTV Unplugged'' as the sixth Japanese performer to hold a performance on the program after artists such as
Chage and Aska and
Hikaru Utada
, also known mononymously as Utada, is a Japanese and American singer, songwriter, and producer. She is considered to be one of the most influential and best-selling musical artists in Japan. She is best known by international audiences for w ...
.
*During the summer of 2009, MTV.com officially revived the ''Unplugged'' franchise with a six episode season produced and directed by Matthew C. Mills of Spacestation. This particular season won an Emmy Award for Best New Approach, was nominated for another Emmy (Sound Recording), and was a Webby Award Honoree. Artists in this incarnation were
Adele,
Silversun Pickups,
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Towson, Maryland, in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson ...
,
Paramore,
Vampire Weekend and
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
. Both Katy Perry and All Time Low released albums of their performances. The shows debuted on unplugged.mtv.com while single song excerpts appear on MTV and Palladia/MTV Live in video rotation. Adele ''Unplugged'' premiered on Palladia June 26 and
Silversun Pickups August 1.
2010–2019
* An ''MTV Unplugged'' performance featuring German rapper
Sido was recorded on January 28, 2010 in Berlin.
* MTV revived the show on March 10, 2010 with
Adam Lambert
Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his dynamic vocal performances that combine his theatrical training with modern and classic genres. Lambert rose to fame in 2009 after ...
.
*In 2010, American musician
B.o.B recorded an ''Unplugged'' performance.
*In October 2010, Mexican rock band
Panda recorded their ''MTV Unplugged'' performance in Mexico City. It aired on November 23, 2010.
*In March 2011,
K-os performed an ''MTV Unplugged'' in Toronto that was recorded for a future album and DVD.
*On March 4, 2011, an ''MTV Unplugged'' performance featuring
Lykke Li debuted on MTV.com.
*In May 2011,
Los Tigres del Norte ''MTV Unplugged'' was aired on
MTV Tr3s. They became the first
Regional Mexican
Regional Mexican music refers collectively to the regional subgenres of the country music of Mexico and its derivatives from the Southwestern United States. Each subgenre is representative of a certain region and its popularity also varies by ...
group to ever record an ''Unplugged''.
*On May 13, 2011,
Thirty Seconds to Mars recorded an ''Unplugged'' performance at Sony Music Studios in New York City. The band's set list consisted of songs extracted from their third studio album, ''
This Is War'' (2009) and cover versions of songs by
U2 and
The Police. The performance was later released as a four-track
extended play
An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
with a video accompaniment package. The ''Unplugged'' version of "
Hurricane
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...
" won the MTV Award for Best Live Performance.
*On June 12, 2011,
Lil Wayne performed acoustic versions of his catalog, being the first rapper to have a televised ''Unplugged'' since 2001, when Jay-Z recorded with The Roots. The special was labeled ''MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged'', premiering on MTV2, MTV and MTV.com.
*In April 2012,
Florence and the Machine starred in an ''MTV Unplugged'' special.
* In May 2012,
9mm Parabellum Bullet performed at Billboard Live in Tokyo. A DVD was released with unbroadcasted songs.
*

In September 2013,
Scorpions performed and taped three nights in Athens, Greece for a future ''MTV Unplugged'' episode.
* On January 28, 2014, American actress and recording artist
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
performed an ''Unplugged'' show in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. The show aired the next day on MTV. Cyrus performed several songs from her album ''
Bangerz''. She also performed a duet with
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
, performing a mash-up of "
We Can't Stop" and "
Don't Tell Me".
*On November 7, 2014, German reggae artist
Gentleman
''Gentleman'' (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man; abbreviated ''gent.'') is a term for a chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire ...
released his album ''MTV Unplugged'' which included 28 songs featuring Ky-Mani Marley, Milky Chance, Shaggy, Christopher Martin and more. This was the first time ''MTV Unplugged'' had a reggae artist after 25 years.
*In 2015,
Revolverheld recorded an ''MTV Unplugged'' album with guests Annett Louisan, Rea Garvey, Heinz Strunk, Das Bo, Marta Jandova, Mark Forster, Johannes Oerding, and Michael Van Diek.
*In 2015,
Cro recorded the album ''
:de:MTV Unplugged: Cro'' with songs from his albums ''
Melodie'' and ''
Raop''. He was the youngest artist to record a ''MTV Unplugged'' album.
*''MTV Unplugged'' is a live album by the English alternative rock band Placebo. It was released on 27 November 2015 and was recorded on 19 August 2015 at
The London Studios.
*In 2016, former MTV president Sean Atkins announced the show would return reimagined to the flagship network. In 2017, MTV announced the program would return on September 8, with
Shawn Mendes performing in the season premiere.
*In 2017, Norwegian band
a-ha
A-ha (often stylised as ''a''-h''a''; ) is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals), the band ros ...
recorded the ''
MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice'' album and DVD/Blu-ray. The album and DVD/Blu-ray were released on 6 October 2017. It was recorded live at the Harbour Hall at Ocean Sound Recordings in
Giske,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
on 22 and 23 June 2017. MTV had first approached a-ha 10 years earlier, but the band had put it off several times. The performance includes a selection of guest artists, including
Lissie,
Alison Moyet,
Ian McCulloch and
Ingrid Helene Håvik.
*On September 15, 2017,
Bleachers recorded 11 tracks for ''MTV Unplugged''. The album was released on November 11, 2017, and features additional vocals from
Carly Rae Jepsen and
Lorde.
*In April 2018, a ''SaMTV Unplugged'' was recorded on the ship MS ''Bleichen'' in Hamburg Harbor by German rapper
Samy Deluxe.
*In 2018, MTV produced ''MTV Unplugged Melbourne'', featuring weekly episodes filmed in Australia with local Australian artists including
Courtney Barnett,
Amy Shark,
The Rubens and
Gang of Youths to name a few.
*In 2017, Scottish rock band
Biffy Clyro
Biffy Clyro are a Scottish Rock music, rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, composed of Simon Neil (lead vocals, guitar) and twin brothers James Johnston (Scottish musician), James (bass, backing vocals) and Ben Johnston (Scottish musician), Be ...
recorded an ''MTV Unplugged'' performance in London that aired in 2018.
*In 2019, ''MTV Unplugged'' recorded a special show in
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
featuring
Polish artist
Brodka. The show was recorded on February 19, 2019.
*In 2019, ''MTV Unplugged'' returned to the UK with an August 2019 performance by
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis and fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2010 to 2014, before starting a succes ...
at
Hull City Hall
Hull City Hall is a civic building located in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Located in Queen Victoria Square in the city centre, it is a Grade II* listed building.
History
The hall, which was designed by Hull's City ar ...
; it aired in September 2019. The performance was also later released on CD, vinyl and digital download on June 12, 2020 as ''
MTV Unplugged (Live at Hull City Hall)''.
2020–present
*In 2020, during the
COVID-19 global pandemic, MTV launched ''MTV Unplugged at Home''; the series featured 14 online episodes.
*On February 23, 2021, MTV released a performance by
BTS
BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
, the first South Korean band to appear on ''Unplugged''.
*On July 2, 2021,
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...
and
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
gave a performance in front of an intimate studio audience in New York City. The recorded performance aired on ''MTV Unplugged'' on December 16, 2021.
*In 2021, British band
Bastille recorded an ''MTV Unplugged'' performance in
Porchester Hall.
*On June 9, 2022, American alternative rock duo
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, who both left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up h ...
performed new versions of several songs (both old and new) on ''MTV Unplugged''.
*In 2022, Polish band
Lady Pank recorded an ''MTV Unplugged'' performance in Warsaw, which was released as a CD, vinyl, and video on the ''
Player
Player may refer to:
Role or adjective
* Player (game), a participant in a game or sport
** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games
** Athlete, a player in sports
** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who i ...
'' streaming platform.
Performances using the "Unplugged" format
The rock band
Tesla performed an all-acoustic live set on July 2, 1990 that was released under the title ''
Five Man Acoustical Jam'' in November of that year, following the format established the previous year by ''MTV Unplugged''.
MTV's sister channel
VH1 airs ''
VH1 Storytellers'', interspersing mostly acoustic performances with the artists discussing the history, meaning and memories of the songs.
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...
performed unplugged in 2007 on
CMT.
The Police,
Mary J. Blige,
Kenny Chesney and
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in 1997 with fellow guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-liv ...
were scheduled to perform.
The
fourth season of ''
Canadian Idol'' featured an ''Unplugged'' night which was held at
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
's
Masonic Temple. This episode of ''Canadian Idol'' was a tribute to MTV in two ways: a direct tribute to the ''Unplugged'' format, and to celebrate the recent licensing of the new
MTV Canada which was located in the Masonic Hall until 2012.
On July 30, 2020,
Code Orange performed a livestreamed acoustic set on
Twitch spoofing ''MTV Unplugged'' under the title of "MUDTV Mudbanger's Ball" during the COVID-19 pandemic. The band described it as "conceptually akin to classic ''MTV Unplugged'' performances, but with nightmarish digital twists and turns." The performance was later remastered and released on September 4, 2020, as their album ''
Under the Skin''.
[ Retrieved September 17, 2020.]
References
External links
*
TV.com ''MTV Unplugged'' episode listing
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1989 American television series debuts
1980s American music television series
1990s American music television series
2000s American music television series
2010s American music television series
Rock music television series
Pop music television series
Peabody Award–winning television programs