It’s difficult to overstate the importance MTV had on the music industry throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. The channel was ground zero for discovering new artists and music, while keeping viewers plugged into the latest entertainment news and trends. Long before social media and streaming put everything at our fingertips, MTV was a cultural hub and an essential destination for music fans eager to consume all things pop culture.
MTV Unplugged debuted in 1989 and was inspired by Jon Bon Jovi and Ritchie Sambora‘s acoustic performances of “Livin on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. It wasn’t long before the show became a catalyst for creating defining moments in many an artist’s career. Eric Clapton, Nirvana and Tony Bennett are among the artists who won Grammy Awards for their Unplugged albums, while iconic performances by Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Kiss and others became essential chapters in rock history. Here are the greatest rock and roll MTV Unplugged episodes of the 90s, ranked.
10
Neil Young ‘Unplugged’ (1993)
Neil Young‘s 1993 MTV Unplugged captures the legend performing everything from intimate solo songs to rocking out with an eight-piece band, featuring Nils Lofgren on guitar, accordion, autoharp and backing vocals. Long before MTV existed, Young regularly performed solo acoustic and piano sets as part of his concerts. The singer/songwriter used MTV Unplugged to dig deep into his two decades of material, seamlessly moving between the acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica and pump organ.
Interestingly, Neil Young recorded his first MTV Unplugged in December 1992 in New York City. The session was troubled by false starts and Young’s overall dissatisfaction with the performance. In February 1993, Young reconvened with MTV in Los Angeles to shoot his Unplugged as we know today. Standouts include “The Needle and the Damage Done,” “Harvest Moon,” “Long May You Run” and a stirring reinvention of “Like a Hurricane,” featuring Young on the pump organ.
9
Kiss ‘Unplugged’ (1995)
Kiss are best known for their over-the-top production, iconic make-up and loud rock and roll anthems, but the band’s 1995 Unplugged proved there was more beneath the spectacle. At the time, Kiss consisted of founding members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons with guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Eric Singer. The group dug deep into their catalog, choosing songs that translated particularly well to the acoustic setting, including “Comin’ Home,” “Plaster Caster,” “Goin’ Blind,” “Rock Bottom,” and “I Still Love You.”
The landmark performance featured all four original members of Kiss reuniting onstage for the first time since 1979. Peter Criss and the late Ace Frehley joined Stanley and Simmons on stage for a cover of The Rolling Stones track “2000 Man,” featuring Frehley on guitar and vocals, while Criss stepped into the spotlight for a memorable rendition of “Beth.” Kulick and Singer returned to the stage for the last two tracks “Nothin’ To Lose” and the band’s anthemic hit “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
8
Paul McCartney ‘Unplugged’ (1990)
Paul McCartney‘s 1991 MTV Unplugged performance aired well before the show became an institution and stands as one of its earliest landmark episodes. Macca used the intimate setting to go back to his rock and roll roots, covering Gene Vincent‘s “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” Bill Monroe‘s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” Elvis Presley‘s “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” Tommy Tucker‘s “Hi-Heel Sneakers,” and moving behind the drum kit for a rendition of Bill Withers‘ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” with Hamish Stuart taking over lead vocals,
McCartney also revisited The Beatles, performing classics including “Here There and Everywhere,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “She’s a Woman,” “And I Love Her,” “We Can Work It Out,” and “Blackbird.” He reached even further into his past with “I Lost My Little Girl,” the first song he wrote at just 14 years old. McCartney’s Unplugged is a classic that saw the legend dig deep into the musical past, stripping down Beatles songs down to their songwriting foundations, resurrecting deep cuts and revisiting the rock and roll and blues music that influenced him as a young artist.
7
Aerosmith ‘MTV Unplugged’ (1990)
Aerosmith’s MTV Unplugged was recorded in 1990 and captures the band at the beginning of its remarkably successful second act. After scoring massive success in the 70s with a one-of-a-kind swagger and attitude, Aerosmith fell victim to the excesses of the rock and roll lifestyle. The band dusted itself off and returned with 1987’s Permanent Vacation and followed it with 1989’s Pump, both of which spawned huge hits for the Boston-based rockers including “Angel,” “Dude Looks Like a Lady,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” Love in an Elevator,” and “What It Takes.”
The group stripped away its raucous hard-rock sound, exposing their bluesy and early-rock influences at the heart of songs like “Hangman Jury,” “Monkey on My Back,” “Train Kept A Rollin’,” “Toys in the Attic.” Aerosmith steered clear of all their recent hits, instead focusing on deep cuts and inspired covers, including The Doors‘ “Love Me Two Times,” and Howlin’ Wolf‘s “Smokestack Lightning.” The group’s stripped down rendition of its breakthrough hit “Dream On” is a highlight of the set.
6
Stone Temple Pilots ‘MTV Unplugged’ (1993)
Stone Temple Pilots delivered one of the most underrated MTV Unplugged performances of the 90s. Recorded in late 1993 but aired in 1994, just months prior to the release of the group’s second album, Purple, the intimate set captures inspired performances from late frontman Scott Weiland, guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz. Stripping away the band’s heavy distorted guitars showcased STP’s musical depth, revealing the sophisticated arrangements, melodic hooks and subtle textures beneath its hard rock exterior.
STP’s MTV Unplugged highlights the musically rich arrangements that lie beneath the band’s distorted guitars on incredible versions of “Sex Type Thing,” “Creep,” and “Wicked Garden.” The band’s inspired rendition of “Plush” and their debut live performance of “Big Empty,” are two of the show’s defining moments, showcasing the group’s impressive range and musicianship. For good measure, the quartet also covered David Bowie‘s “Andy Warhol,” which was originally released on Hunky Dory in 1971. STP’s MTV Unplugged was never issued as a stand-alone release but does appear on the deluxe reissue of their debut album Core. The performance captures the San Diego rockers on the precipice of becoming one of the biggest rock acts in the early 90s, while proving there was far more to their sound than heavy guitars and grunge attitude.
5
Pearl Jam ‘MTV Unplugged’ (1992)
Pearl Jam’s MTV Unplugged was recorded in 1992 at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. Instead of completely revamping their material for an acoustic setting, the Seattle rockers attacked the format with the same raw energy and intensity as their electric concerts. The inspiring and memorable performance captures the band in the midst of its meteoric rise, just months following the release of their breakthrough album Ten.
The band tore through a set of songs culled from Ten including “Even Flow,” “Oceans,” “Alive,” “Jeremy,” “Porch,” and a stirring rendition of “Black.” Pearl Jam also famously covered Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in a Free World,” and performed “State of Love and Trust,” which appeared on the Singles soundtrack. Pearl Jam brought the house down during this energetic and poignant performance that showcases the intensity, passion and spontaneity that made them one of the most exciting live acts of the early 90s.
4
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant ‘Unledded’ (1994)
While most artists strip down performances for MTV Unplugged, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant did the exact opposite, inviting a large ensemble of Middle Eastern and North African musicians to breathe new life into Led Zeppelin‘s catalog. Appropriately dubbed “Unledded,” the ambitious episode was filmed on location in Morocco, Wales and London. In addition to radically reimagining an incredilble selection of Zeppelin classics, Page and Plant debuted four new Moroccan-influenced songs, including “City Don’t Cry,” “Wah Wah,” and “Wonderful One.”
Highlights include “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” “The Battle of Evermore,” “Four Sticks,” “Gallows Pole,” “Thank You,” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” “Kashmir,” is beautifully augmented by Middle Eastern instrumentation and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Following the success of the special and its subsequent Platinum-selling album, No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded, Page & Plant embarked on a massive world tour in 1995 and 1996. Their musical partnership continued with the 1998 studio album Walking into Clarksdale.
3
Alice in Chains ‘MTV Unplugged’ (1995)
Alice in Chains’ MTV Unplugged was recorded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Majestic Theater in New York City in April 1996. Following the release of the band’s self-titled album in 1995, they did not tour, largely due to frontman Layne Staley‘s struggles with heroin addiction. What makes this Unplugged particularly significant is that it marked the band’s first full concert in roughly two and a half years. Alice in Chains would perform only four more full shows with Staley, who survived a drug overdose shortly after their final concert and subsequently retreated from the public eye. He died in 2002.
AIC had previously released two EPs of largely acoustic music, Sap and Jar of Flies, both of which lent themselves perfectly to the stripped-down format. Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley’s beautiful yet eerie vocal harmonies are showcased throughout the historic performance, while the band even teased Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” after “No Excuses.” The resulting album debuted at number three on the Billboard Album chart and went on to sell over two million copies in the US alone. It features outstanding renditions of “Nutshell,” “Sludge Factory,” “Down in a Hole,” “Rooster,” “Would,” and “Angry Chair.” Alice in Chains’ Unplugged reveals the intricate musical architecture beneath the band’s heavy guitars and showcases its extraordinary songwriting and musicianship.
2
Eric Clapton ‘Unplugged’ (1992)
Eric Clapton’s 1992 acoustic performance was recorded at Bray Film Studios in Windsor, England in front of an intimate crowd of roughly 300 people. The concert helped turn Unplugged into an institution and produced the best-selling live album of all-time, with more than 26 million copies sold worldwide. Clapton’s music was perfectly suited for the acoustic format, blending blues standards, original material and brilliantly reinvented classics into a timeless performance.
Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album won six Grammy Awards in 1993, including Album of the Year, Record and Song of the Year for “Tears in Heaven,” Best Rock Song for “Layla.” Clapton’s slow, bluesy reinvention of the Derek and the Dominos hit “Layla” became a huge hit and proved the guitarist didn’t need an electric guitar to show off his deft finger work, expressive blues phrasing, and dynamic touch. The performance also features incredible renditions of “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” “Running on Faith,” and “Old Love.” Clapton’s Martin acoustic guitar used in this performance raised just under 800-thousand dollars at a 2004 auction.
1
Nirvana ‘MTV Unplugged in New York’ (1993)
Nirvana delivered a memorable and iconic set at Sony Music Studios in New York City back in 1993. Instead of delivering the expected acoustic greatest hits set, the band leaned into deep cuts and lesser known covers of David Bowie, Meat Puppets and Lead Belly songs. Six out of 14 songs were covers and the band steered clear of many of its biggest hits. Their haunting rendition of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World,” turned a new generation of listeners to the classic song and became one of the defining performances of the Unplugged era.
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The lineup consisted of Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl, who were joined by touring guitarist Pat Smear, now Grohl’s bandmate in the Foo Fighters, and cellist Lori Goldston. The group brought out Curt and Cris Kirkwood of Meat Puppets to cover three of their tunes: “Plateau,” “Oh, Me,” and “Lake of Fire.” Cobain died in April 1994, less than five months after this performance. MTV repeatedly re-aired the Unplugged concert after his death, giving the somber performance an entirely different emotional weight. MTV Unplugged in New York was released in November 1994, debuted at number one on the Billboard Album chart and went on to win the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance. The album remains a haunting document, capturing Nirvana at its most vulnerable and adventurous point in the band’s brief history.
Nirvana: Unplugged In New York
- Release Date
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December 16, 1993
- Runtime
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66 minutes
- Director
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Beth McCarthy-Miller
- Producers
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Joel Stillerman
