After eight years off the air, MTV Unplugged has returned to TV. Shawn Mendez and Bleachers were the first two acts to pull out their acoustic guitars this September, and there are many more to look forward to.
From 1989-2009, MTV Unplugged gave artists a chance to show their true colors. No electronic production, no pre-recorded backup, just an artist telling their story.
That led to some of the most iconic moments in music history. In 1993, Nirvana gave its most intimate performance ever. Cobain was born to be a rock star, there’s no doubt about that, but he was also an individual who dealt with a lot of pain in his life. The emotion behind his art came through so clearly on the platform of a stripped down show.
Metallica, R.E.M., Elvis Costello, Oasis, Hootie & the Blowfish, Sheryl Crow, The Cure, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and 10,000 Maniacs are a few of the names to take the stage in the early days. Everybody who was anybody was featured on the show; Unplugged was part of the culture back then.
It died down after the 90s, airing less frequently. But when it was on, it was still great; I have All Time Low’s 2009 Unplugged set on vinyl, and I’m obsessed with it. I love when pop punk bands go acoustic, and it’s evident that Nirvana’s ’93 Unplugged set paved the way for such transitions.
The return of Unplugged can only mean good things for the modern industry. In the age of Spotify, when record stores are closing and nobody pays for music anymore, it’s comforting to know that something from the good old days has the grounds to make a comeback.
At the end of the day, music isn’t about how much air play the overly-auto-tuned trash on the radio gets. Artists aren’t at their best with their “greatest hits” anymore.
Unplugged offers the sort of shows that connect the audience to the performer. There’s something so special about seeing a star sit there with an acoustic guitar and just sing a song they wrote. The sentiment behind the art isn’t disguised anymore, and we can see that they’ve suffered heartbreak and disappointment too. It’s raw, it’s genuine, and it’s memorable.
For what seems like the first time, artists are shown in a human light. For a moment, they aren’t untouchable icons with perfectly produced, glammed up shows anymore; they’re just people who are just as confused as the rest of us.
Halle Weber is a sophomore studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you like the return of these intimate acoustic sets? Let Halle know by tweeting at her @HalleWeber13.
