MTV Unplugged, which is your favorite?

Really wish more people knew about this performance. Very different from almost anything else in his too-brief history.

Unfortunately it was from the real early days of UNPLUGGED before the concept really took off.

It's on a SRV DVD release now, luckily.

 

Surprised Dylan hasn't got much love here.

For me it's the beginning of his second golden period, with some great performances of rarely played songs.

(Although I can't stand the looped crowd noise in Knockin on Heavens Door on the cd, luckily it's not on the DVD.)

 

Aerosmith was pretty good.

 

Rod Stewart and one of the Faces is got to be one of my faves!

 

Raymond Davies

 

I voted for Nirvana, but another favourite of mine is by the German Hip Hop band "Die Fantastischen Vier". Great performance and great sound.

 

Good call on the SRV and Dylan. I had forgotten about those.

 

Poor old Bryan Adams. It wasn't that bad.

 

Annie Lennox
And Rod Stewart

 

I wish Tony Bennett was on the list, he'd get my vote.

 

I wish there had been more consistency between the UK and US shows on MTV. For instance, Bjork and George Michael weren't shown over here.

For fans of the Unplugged series, there was an excellent book on the history of the show and an episode-by-episode capsule summary. It included lots of photos and the entire setlists (not just those broadcast). I picked up the book back in the mid-90s at Tower Records but gave it away to a friend years ago.

 

McCartney and Maxwell!

 

Nirvana was historically important, is steps above all the others. My 2nd favorite would be Alice In Chains.

 

SRV for me. Nirvana was awesome, Tony Bennett was quite good too.

I liked SRV because it wasn't even a full band-just him and his guitar with nowhere to hide.

 

Of the four that I have (Nirvana, AIC, Neil Young and Kiss), AIC has been in my CD player far more than the others so it gets my vote. Honorable mention goes to Nirvana.

 

Nirvana! But St. Paul, 10,000 Maniacs, and Alice in Chains all had amazing performances.

 

Yep, my choice, too. Made a mixed tape with the cover of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" taken off VHS, played it to death.

The Sting one was pretty good, too, iirc.

 

Rem Fall on Me Unplugged 1991

 

The Sting set is fantastic, the best live version of Every Breath You Take.

 

Alice in Chains
Nirvana
Paul McCartney

 

I loved the KISS, Duran Duran, AIC, and STP. The KISS episode was great because you really got see how good the music held up without the stage show. Not listed but the Unplugged performance was great as well! Michael Schenker was with them on that performance!

 

There were a few good ones, but Nirvana just took it to another level.

 

also not on your list, but gotta go with Die Fantastichen Vier.

honorable mention to Midnight Oil

 

I love the point/counterpoint vocals he trades with backup singer Vinx in the outro of the song.

 

As a teenager - the Nirvana Unplugged show knocked me out and still does. Culturally it had an enormous effect. The covers they brought to the table became standards to my generation after that. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" arguably introduced more people to Leadbelly than any other artist has. It was our "way in" to old time music.

Alice In Chains - Layne's last stand? Despite his frailty, his voice cuts through. The Little Willie John of Grunge, to me.