The Best Episodes of MTV Unplugged

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9.3/10(2080 votes)
#1 - Nirvana
S4:E1312/14/1993
Seattle sensation Nirvana taped a performance for ""MTV Unplugged"" in New York City in November of 1993. Band members Kurt Cobain (lead vocals, guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass) and Dave Grohl (drums) performed an acoustic set featuring songs from the band's latest release In Utero, as well as material from earlier releases. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""Of all the emotions and images that linger from this broadcast, a few stand out. The most striking is a picture that will be forever etched in the collective memory of Unplugged. During the band's closing cover of Leadbelly's 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night,' Kurt was hushed, almost whispering, before he finally unleashed the full power of his voice. The entire evening had seemed to build to this moment, and when it came, Kurt sighed, almost to catch his breath, before he let out every last ounce of energy in one scream. Everything else stopped. Along with Michael Stipe's performance on R.E.M.'s 'Fall on Me,' it was one of the
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9.1/10(904 votes)
#2 - Alice In Chains
S7:E35/28/1996
Alice in Chains resurfaced on April 10, 1996 to perform their first concert in two and a half years for MTV Unplugged, a program featuring all-acoustic set lists. The show first aired on MTV on May 28, 1996 and was one of the band's final appearances with vocalist Layne Staley. The performance featured some of the band's highest charting singles, including "Down in a Hole", "Heaven Beside You", and "Would?", and introduced a new song, "The Killer Is Me". The show marked Alice in Chains' first appearance as a five-piece band, adding second guitarist Scott Olson. It is often hailed as one of the most memorable editions of MTV Unplugged. 1. "Nutshell" / 2. "Brother" / 3. "No Excuses" / 4. "Sludge Factory" / 5. "Down in a Hole" / 6. "Angry Chair" / 7. "Rooster" / 8. "Got Me Wrong" / 9. "Heaven Beside You" / 10. "Would?" / 11. "Frogs" / 12. "Over Now" / 13. "The Killer Is Me"
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9.0/10(288 votes)
#3 - Mariah Carey
S3:E45/20/1992
Singer/songwriter Mariah Carey, known for her phenomenal vocal range, burst onto the music scene in 1990 with her debut album Mariah Carey, and went on to win two Grammy awards in 1991 for best new artist and best female pop vocal performance. Carey performs ""Vision Of Love,"" ""Someday,"" ""Emotions,"" ""Make It Happen,"" ""If It's Over,"" and the Jackson 5 song ""I'll Be There."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""To accompany Mariah's incredibly powerful vocals, she recruited the Saturday Night Live horn section, the late David Cole (of C & C Music Factory) on keyboards as well as a full gospel choir. It was a night that helped us mature-spreading successfully into more and more vocal genres without sacrificing the intimacy that is the cornerstone of the program.""
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8.7/10(269 votes)
#4 - The Corrs
S10:E410/5/1999
The famous Irish band The Corrs play for MTV Unplugged at the Ardmore Studios Co. Wicklow in Ireland in 1999. They were supported by the Irish Film Orchestra. Recorded 10/8/1999 at the Ardmore Studios Co. Wicklow, Ireland
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8.8/10(39 votes)
#5 - Alanis Morissette
S10:E39/19/1999
Alanis Morissette didn't have any material to release at the end of 2001 so she accepted an offer of MTV to do this unplugged session. She immediately released the CD of this concert right before Christmas, so this album was very successful. Set List: 01. You Learn 02. Joining You 03. No Pressure Over Cappuccino 04. That i would be good 05. Head Over Feet 06. Princes Familiar 07. I was Hoping 08. Ironic 09. These R The Thoughts 10. King Of Pain 11. You Oughta Know 12.
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8.6/10(63 votes)
#6 - Neil Young
S4:E33/3/1993
MTV devotes an episode of its acoustic music series, "MTV Unplugged," to one of rock's most innovative and eclectic artists, Neil Young. The special captures Neil Young live in concert, equipped with acoustic guitar and harmonica stand, and supported by longtime partners Frank (Pancho) Sampedro on keyboards, and Ben Keith on also sax. Young's performance includes a medley from his Freedom album, the 1970 title track "After The Goldrush," and the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young classic, "Ohio," about the Kent State University killings.
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8.6/10(51 votes)
#7 - The Cranberries
S6:E44/18/1995
Since their 1993 debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, the Irish quartet, the Cranberries, have been captivating audiences with their unique sound. The band is comprised of frontwoman/lyricist Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Feargal Lawler. For their debut performance on ""MTV Unplugged,"" The Cranberries performed material off their debut album and latest release No Need To Argue. Song selections included ""Dreaming My Dreams,"" ""Ode To My Family,"" ""Linger,"" Empty"" and ""Zombie."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""The strength of The Cranberries is firmly rooted in the power of Dolores O'Riordan's voice. It is an instrument that can be beautiful and whisper-soft at one moment and then suddenly have the piercing power of a bagpipe. Unplugged was therefore an excellent setting for the band and a very special opportunity to hear a voice with so much range in an intimate setting. A string section comprised of violins and guita
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8.9/10(23 votes)
#8 - Soda Stereo: Comfort and music to fly
S7:E89/25/1996
The recording was not made exactly under the MTV Unplugged standards because the band was 'Plugged', but includes a great Andrea Echeverri's performance in the track «En la Ciudad de la Furia» and also they used samplers in 2 tracks: 'Cementerio Club' from Luis Alberto Spinetta used on «Té para Tres» and 'Chrome Waves' from the English band Ride used on «Un Misil en mi Placard»
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8.7/10(27 votes)
#9 - Florence + the Machine
S23:E14/8/2012
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8.3/10(423 votes)
#10 - Eric Clapton
S3:E13/11/1992
Taped at the Bray Studios in Windsor, England in January of 1992, Clapton is accompanied by Nathan East (bass), Andy Fairweather-Low (guitar), Ray Cooper (percussion), Steve Ferrone (drums), Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles on backing vocals. Song selections include ""Tears In Heaven"" (from the motion picture release ""Rush""), ""Running On Faith,"" ""Before You Accuse Me,"" a song by early musical inspiration Bo Diddley, and a new version of ""Layla."" Clapton also performs some new never-before-recorded material, including ""Lonely Stranger,"" a song which he wrote in Los Angeles in 1991 during the recording of the soundtrack for ""Rush"" and after the death of his son Conor, and ""The Circus Left Town,"" which is about the last night Clapton spent with Conor at the circus. ""MTV Unplugged"" with Eric Clapton introduces a new element into the series where artists will talk about the songs they perform. Throughout the special, MTV airs liner note style interview clips in
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8.8/10(19 votes)
#11 - Roxette
S4:E12/13/1993
Roxette was the first non English speaking band, that was invited to play at MTV Unplugged. They recorded their show in Sweden early in 1993. They played at the Stockholm Circus. Set list: 01. The Look 02. Queen Of Rain 03. Hotblooded 04. I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You) 05. It Must Have Been Love 06. Fingertips 07. Heart Of Gold 08. Church Of Your Heart 09. Listen To Your Heart 10. Here Comes The Weekend 11. Joyride 12. So You Wanna Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star 13. Watercolours In The Rain [Originally Unaired] 14.
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8.3/10(108 votes)
#12 - Björk
S5:E1011/7/1994
The extrovert singer and songwriter from Iceland performs at MTV Unplugged in 1994. This session is peformed in NYC. Set list: 01. Human Behaviour 02. One Day 03. Come To Me 04. Big Time Sensuality 05. Aeroplane 06. Like Someone In Love 07. Crying 08. The Anchor Song 09. Violently Happy
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8.3/10(54 votes)
#13 - Paul McCartney
S2:E34/3/1991
""MTV Unplugged,"" the critically acclaimed acoustic music series, world premiered a one hour performance with the legendary Paul McCartney on Wednesday, April 3, 1991. The performance was simulcast via the Global Satellite Network. Taped on January 25, 1991 at the Limehouse Studios in London, McCartney, accompanied by Paul ""Wix"" Wickens on keyboards, Blair Cunningham on drums, Robbie McIntosh on guitar, Hamish Stuart on bass and Linda McCartney on keyboards, gets acoustic in front of an intimate studio audience. Song selections include such classic hits as ""We Can Work It Out,"" ""Blackbird,"" ""She's A Woman,"" ""Here There And Everywhere,"" ""I've Just Seen A Face,"" and two blues songs that inspired McCartney early in his career, ""Blue Moon Of Kentucky"" and ""Be-Bop-A-Lula."" McCartney also gives a rare performance of ""I Lost My Little Girl,"" the first song he ever wrote at the age of 14. The Beatles -- then called the Quarry Men -- performed the song until 1960 but never recorded it. An excerp
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8.4/10(20 votes)
#14 - Paramore
S11:E410/28/2009
With their last album, RIOT!, selling more than two million copies, it's hard to believe there is still ground to cover for the little band that could from Franklin, Tennessee. But a Grammy nomination and multiple sold-out world tours under their belt show that Paramore are running in the footsteps of their heroes like Jimmy Eat World and No Doubt. Add to that the honor of contributing two songs to the double-platinum selling Twilight soundtrack and you wouldn't be wrong to think there is little left for them to accomplish. Of course, that would be underestimating Paramore, which is not something we'd advise. Paramore shot their 'MTV Unplugged’ performance in late summer 2009 in New York City. Vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarists Josh Farro and Taylor York, drummer Zac Farro and bassist Jeremy Davis took to the stage armed with only acoustic guitars and a handful of songs designed to shock your heart into life. Although only a very lucky few were there to watch them tear through hits "That's What You Get," "Misery Business" and "Decode," as well as "Ignorance" and "Brick By Boring Brick" off of their latest album, Brand New Eyes, MTV.com has the entire performance here for everyone else to see. It is in the live setting where Paramore shine and their Unplugged performance proves that yet again.
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8.1/10(52 votes)
#15 - R.E.M. (1)
S2:E54/24/1991
R.E.M., the band touted by Rolling Stone Magazine as ""America's Best Rock and Roll Band,"" spent several hours in New York's Chelsea Studios on April 10, 1991 to tape a one hour acoustic performance for ""MTV Unplugged."" Original bands members Michael Stipe (vocals), Peter Buck (guitar/keyboards), Mike Mills (bass) and Bill Berry (drums), along with Peter Holsapple (guitar/accordion), perform a memorable acoustic medley of hits past and present. Song selections include ""Fall On Me"" (which Stipe tells the studio audience is his personal favorite), ""The End Of The World As We Know It,"" ""Losing My Religion"" and many more. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book... ""'This may well be my favorite song in the R.E.M. catalogue.' With those words from Michael Stipe, the band offered up a heart-wrenching version of 'Fall on Me' that produced one of Unplugged's most transcendent moments. As he delivered the lines 'Buy the sky/and sell the sky/and bleed the sky/and tell the sky/don't fall on me,' St
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8.2/10(22 votes)
#16 - Duran Duran
S4:E1212/13/1993
Duran Duran Recorded 11/17/93 at Sony Music Studios - New York City Duran, Duran, the premiere band of the video generation, make an appearance on ""MTV Unplugged."" Taped in New York City in November of 1993, band memers Simon Le Bon (lead vocals), Nick Rhodes (keyboards), John Taylor (bass) and Warren Cuccurullo (guitar) perform selections off their ninth album, simply titled Duran Duran. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""The band was extremely excited about the details of this show. If anyone doubts this, consider the orange set and the gold angels. The group had asked for the two heavenly creatures, but the request turned out to be almost impossible to fulfill. Finally, after we had all but given up on the concept, a studio worker announced that he'd just been across the street to a new space, designed as a party venue. 'They've got a couple of angels over there,' he said, 'but they're pretty nice. I don't think they'd rent them. Besides, they're white.' Minutes later we we
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8.1/10(37 votes)
#17 - Erykah Badu
S8:E811/18/1997
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8.2/10(19 votes)
#18 - Lauryn Hill
S12:E57/21/2001
Performing at MTV Studios in Times Square, NYC, Lauryn Hill unveiled her much-anticipated new material 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.
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8.0/10(70 votes)
#19 - Stone Temple Pilots
S5:E12/2/1994
Stone Temple Pilots, the hard rock sensation based south of Los Angeles, taped a performance for MTV Unplugged in New York City in November of 1993. Band members Weiland (vocals), Robert DeLeo (bass), Dean DeLeo (guitars) and Eric Kretz (drums) perform a rockin' acoustic set featuring tracks off their debut album Core. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...'Easily our most surreal set....'They had these stools, which is such a typical thing,' says Weiland. 'Everyone always brings out stools to do their acoustic thing. I said, 'Man, I ain't gonna sit on a stool. It's not my gig. It's stupid. Bring us some chairs to sit in. How about a rocking chair?' Set List: 1. "Crackerman" / 2. "Creep" / 3. "Andy Warhol" (written by David Bowie) / 4. "Plush" / 5. "Big Empty" / 6. "Sin" / 7. "Wicked Garden" / 8. "Sex Type Thing"
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8.0/10(35 votes)
#20 - The Cure
S2:E13/3/1991
In its first European recording of ""MTV Unplugged,"" the highly-acclaimed acoustic music series, MTV presents an acoustic performance of one of Britain's premier alternative rock bands: The Cure. ""MTV Unplugged"" with The Cure world premiered March 3, 1991. Shot in a small, intimate studio in London, band members Robert Smith (vocals/guitar), Porl Thompson (guitar), Simon Gallup (bass), Boris Williams (drums) and Perry Bamonte (keyboard) perform acoustic renditions of hit songs past and present. Song selections include ""Let's Go To Bed,"" ""Just Like Heaven,"" ""Caterpillar,"" ""The Blood,"" ""Boys Don't Cry"" and ""The Walk."" This marks the first episode of the series to be simulcast on the Westwood One Radio Networks. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""With their gloom-rock vibe and singer Robert Smith's terminally black eyes and wardrobe, The Cure would seem to be the band least likely to embrace the fun side of Unplugged. Perhaps for this very reason, this show was one of Unplugged's mo
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7.9/10(26 votes)
#21 - Sportfreunde Stiller
S20:E25/21/2009
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8.0/10(11 votes)
#22 - Winger with Slaughter
S2:E23/24/1991
MTV presents an edition of ""MTV Unplugged,"" the acoustic music series, with hard rockers Slaughter and Winger. The program was taped in New York City on March 5, 1991 in an intimate studio setting. Winger band members Kip Winger (vocals/bass), Reb Beach (guitar/vocals), Paul Taylor (guitar/piano) and Rod Morgenstern (drummer) perform acoustic renditions of ""Headed For A Heartbreak,"" ""Loosin' Up,"" and ""Can't Get Enough."" Slaughter band members Mark Slaughter (vocals), Dana Strum (bass), Blas Elias (drummer) and Tim Kelly (lead guitar) get acoustic with their hit ""Fly To The Angels,"" which they dedicate to the soldiers who died in the Gulf, and the Beatles' song ""Revolution."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""Winger and Slaughter were the last in a string of metal bands that decided to use the Unplugged venue to explore their sensitive sides. In what was fast becoming a tradition, they followed in the footsteps of Ratt, Vixen, and Poison by turning off the amps and bringing on th
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7.9/10(20 votes)
#23 - The Allman Brothers Band
S1:E1812/9/1990
Touted as one of the most influential and successful American rock groups of the 1970s, The Allman Brothers Band recently regrouped and turned out their first new album in nine years: Seven Turns. In this special edition of ""MTV Unplugged,"" original band members Gregg Allman on keyboards, Dickey Betts on guitar, and drummers Butch Truck and Jaimoe, are joined by new members, guitarist Warren Haynes, bassist Allen Woody, and Johnny Neel on keyboards and blues harp. Song selections performed include: ""Midnight Rider,"" Gregg Allman's '74 solo hit and ""Low Down Dirty Mean"" and ""Seven Turns"" off the band's new release Seven Turns. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book....""Working on this show was not for the faint of heart. By 10:00 A.M. every band member was chain-smoking. It turns out you don't get to be an Allman Brother by belonging to the excercycle set."" Set List: Seven Turns Midnight Rider Low Down Dirty Mean Melissa C'mon in My Kitchen (written by Robert Johnson) Feat
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7.9/10(19 votes)
#24 - Queensrￃﾃￂ﾿che
S3:E67/22/1992
""MTV Unplugged"" taped an acoustic performance with Seattle power rockers Queenryche in Los Angeles in April of 1992. Queensryche band members Geoff Tate (vocals/keyboards), Chris DeGarmo (guitar/backing vocals), Michael Wilson (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass/backing vocals) and Scott Rockenfield (drums) perform a medley of hits, including ""I Will Remember,"" ""The Killing Words,"" ""Della Brown,"" ""Scarborough Fair,"" and ""The Lady Wore Black."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""In a moment of strange synchronicity, Queensryche became the second Seattle-area band in three shows to cover 'Rockin' in the Free World.' Stranger still, Neil Young himself bypassed the song when he eventually recorded his own Unplugged. The most lasting memory of this taping is of the ease with which the band worked. Their relationship with both their vocal fans and the entire staff at MTV was both sincere and professional, even after technical problems forced them to run through four takes of 'Silent Lucidity
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8.0/10(9 votes)
#25 - Jay-Z
S11:E112/8/2000
Following the success of Blueprint, Jay-Z took a break from the studio productions of Timbaland and Just Blaze and stepped into acoustic surroundings for a taped edition of MTV's long-running Unplugged series. With the talents of the Roots as his backing band, Jay-Z fails to miss a step and feels just as comfortable in the unplugged arena as he does with drum machines and a mixing desk in front of him. The skills of Roots drummer Ahmir Thompson emulate even the slightest nuance from the originally programmed electronic beats, and Jay-Z fails to take this for granted, gently shifting from one song to the next in medley form with ease. With a strong track listing spanning his entire career of chart-topping hits, this album is the perfect introduction to Jay-Z's prolific catalog and a fun listen for the most dedicated of fans. ~ Rob Theakston
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