About
MTV's acclaimed music series showcases today's top artists and rising stars in the industry performing acoustic versions of their songs.
Seasons
Season 1
1989-1990
Season 2
1991
Season 3
1992
Season 4
1993
Season 5
1994
Season 6
1995
Season 7
1996
Season 8
1997
Season 9
1998
Season 10
1999
Season 11
2000
Season 12
2001
Season 13
2002
Season 14
2003
Season 15
2004
Season 16
2005
Season 17
2006
Season 18
2007
Season 19
2008
Season 20
2009
Season 21
2010
Season 22
2011
Season 23
2012
Season 24
2013
Season 25
2014
Season 26
2015
Season 27
2016
Season 28
2017
Season 29
2018
Season 30
2019
At Home
In 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, MTV rebranded the show to MTV Unplugged at Home, as part of the network's #AloneTogether campaign, a social media initiative created to encourage the practice of social distancing among young people "in the hope of 'flattening the curve'" of the outbreak. It became an online series instead, with episodes released on MTV's YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, and featured a mix of local and international artists performing from their respective homes around the world.
Season 32
2021
Season 33
2022
Season 34
2023
Season 35
2024
Episodes
Season 1
Squeeze with Syd Straw and Elliot Easton
The season premiere of ""MTV Unplugged"" features performances by British rockers Squeeze, solo artist Syd Straw, and Elliot Easton from The Cars. Musical highlights include Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford of Squeeze performing a rendition of their classic hit ""Pulling Mussels From The Shell,"" as well as a song from their new album Frank, ""She Doesn't Have To Shave."" The show is hosted by singer/songwriter Jules Shear. (The first episode of the season is an encore presentation of the pilot which aired November 26, 1989.) An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""October 1989....Our coming-out party almost didn't come off at all. For rehearsals, Chris Difford and Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze showed up with electric guitars. We thought the title of the show said it all, but it turned out we needed to be a little more explicit in our instructions: Unplugged wasn't exactly part of the American vernacular at this point. But after we scrambled around town for a pair of acoustic guitars, the two w
The Smithereens and Graham Parker
New Jersey guitar band the Smithereens, and veteran British artist Graham Parker, are featured in this edition of ""MTV Unplugged."" Smithereens band members Jim Babjak (guitar/vocals), Dennis Diken (drums/vocals), Pat DiNizio (vocals/guitars/harmonica) and Mike Mesaros (bass/vocals) perform a medley of hits spanning their ten year career, including ""Only A Memory,"" ""A Girl Like You,"" ""Behind The Wall Of Sleep,"" and ""Blood And Roses,"" all penned by DiNizio. Parker's selections include ""Slash And Burn"" from his new album Human Touch. The Smithreens and Graham Parker team up with host Jules Shear to perform a medley which includes the old Sam Cooke song ""Cupid."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""Highlights included Graham Parker singing lead on The Smithereens' 'Behind The Wall Of Sleep' and The Band, Jules, and Graham all playing a Sam Cooke medley of 'Cupid' and 'Chain Gang' after rehearsing in the make-up room. It is impossible to repeat the early vibe of these shows. So simple,
10,000 Maniacs with Michael Penn
Natalie Merchant, lyricist/singer of the acclaimed New York folk-rock band 10,000 Maniacs, performs ""What's The Matter Here?"" and ""Dustbowl."" Solo artist Michael Penn performs ""No Myth"" and the upbeat ""Brave New World"" off his new release March. Merchant and Penn join together for a rendition of ""City Of Angels,"" from the Maniacs' 1987 platinum release In My Tribe. An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""This program ushered in what was to be an ongoing Unplugged battle. Butting heads in this drama were the keyboard and the precise definition of what Unplugged means. In this discussion, Michael Penn's partner, Patrick Warren, wanted to play a mellotron, an antiquated instrument that, despite needing to be plugged in, runs on analogue tapes. Instead, he acquiesced and played the piano and xylophone."" Set List: What's the Matter Here? [Maniacs] Dust Bowl [Merchant/Gustafson/Buck] No Myth [Michael Penn] Brave New World [Michael Penn] Gun Shy [Maniacs] City of Angels [Ma
The Alarm with Nuclear Valdez
Miami-based quartet Nuclear Valdez, and Welsh rockers the Alarm are featured in this edition of ""MTV Unplugged."" Alarm band members Mike Peters (vocals/guitar), Dave Sharp (guitar), and Eddie MacDonald (bass/vocals) perform ""Change,"" and ""One Step Closer To Home,"" which the band dedicates to ""all the people of Eastern Europe."" Nuclear Valdez showcase their rich Latin Heritage with renditions of ""Summer"" and the Phil Lynott song ""Don't Believe A Word."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""One of our greatest regrets is that this show did not turn out as it should have. The day before the taping, Alarm singer Mike Peters was called back to London for a family emergency. Because the show must go on, guitarist Dave Sharp-accompanied only by the group's drummer, Nigel Twist-filled in admirably. If the Alarm hadn't been such a terrific, underappreciated band, this would have merely been a show that got away."" Set List: Change [Sharp/Twist] My Land, Your Land [Sharp/Twist] One St
Joe Walsh and Dr. John
""MTV Unplugged"" presents former James Gang member Joe Walsh accompanied by R&B great Dr. John. Recorded at the National Video Center in New York City, Walsh performs such hits as ""Desperado"" and ""Rosewood Bitters."" All involved come together for renditions of ""Cinnamon Girl"" and ""Let The Good Times Roll."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""This show was originally billed as 'Joe Walsh and Friends,' but Walsh arrived at the studio with only a bass player named Rick Rosas. We explained that 'Friends' is actually a plural word and that, notwithstanding Rick's musical proficiency, we had been expecting the 'Friends' to be somewhat recognizable to our television audience. Then we discovered that Dr. John was taping a television show in the same building, So we cornered the good doctor in the men's bathroom, and 'Joe Walsh and Friends' became 'Joe Walsh and Dr. John.'"" Set List: Desperado [Walsh] Rosewood Bitters [Walsh and Rosas] Repetition, Repetition, Repetition [Shear] (wr
Stevie Ray Vaughan with Joe Satriani
""MTV Unplugged"" devotes an episode to the work of two guitar virtuosos: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Satriani. Satriani showcases his expressive guitar work with renditions of ""The Feeling"" and ""I Believe."" Vaughan performs memorable versions of ""Rude Mood"" and ""Pride And Joy."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""During 'Pride and Joy' Stevie Ray Vaughan provided two classic still lifes that deserve to be displayed in the Unplugged gallery. In the first - after he sang the line 'You mess with her you see a man get mean' - he made a fist to display an enormous ring on his finger. The audience exploded. The second was at the song's end. After he sang the last line he smiled the kind of smile that only someone who has just experienced perfection can project. Plans to end the show with Joe and Stevie playing together were scrapped because Stevie had to leave early. The chilling aspect of this was that Jules excused his absence by saying, 'Stevie's gotta go catch an airplane; he's outta
Michelle Shocked with Indigo Girls
""MTV Unplugged"" presents Atlanta-based singers/songwriters/guitarists Amy Ray And Emily Saliers -- collectively known as the Indigo Girls -- and solo artist Michelle Shocked. Shocked performs ""Jamboree Queen,"" ""On The Greener Side,"" and ""The Water Is Wide."" The Indigo Girls perform ""World Falls,"" and ""Closer To Fine,"" from their self-titled LP. Shocked joins host Jules Shear to revive the Jimmy Rodgers song ""T For Texas."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""These two artists embody what we were attempting to accomplish with the early shows: guitar, voice, song. Nothing more, nothing less. During this adolescent stage of Unplugged, Jules used to warm up the crowd with an old Jimmie Rodgers song, 'T for Texas.' For this program, he actually broke it out for the camera. At one point during the song - a duet with Michelle Shocked - Jules sang a note for 18 seconds (You try it). Everyone - Michelle included - stared dumbfounded. Finally, Michelle was so flabbergasted that she broke in
Sinead O'Connor with The Church
Australian band The Church and Irish solo artist Sinead O'Connor are featured in this edition of ""MTV Unplugged."" The Church band members Steve Killbey (bass/vocals), Peter Koppes (guitar/vocals) and Mary Willson-Piper (guitar/vocals) perform a collection of songs, including ""Under The Milky Way,"" the band's first Top 40 hit, as well as ""Metropolis"" from their new album Gold Afternoon Fix. Sinead performs acappella versions of ""Black Boys On Mopeds"" and ""I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got."" An excerpt from the MTV Unplugged book...""The other moments still resonate. The first is one of the most arresting moments in the Unplugged catalogue: Jules and Mary Willson-Piper of The Church came together for a tremendous rendition of the Beatles' 'Rain' (conceived the previous night as they stood waiting for a cab in a downpour) that reminded us of the purity that drove these shows in the first place. The second was the shock of discovering that Sinead O'Connor actually has a self-deprecating sens
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