It’s intimate, informal and Unplugged.
MTV’s genius idea to strip down stage performances and leave artists with minimal instrumental assistance started back in 1989/1990 and showcased some of the biggest names in the industry.
The roster of artists featured proved that real talent didn’t need vocoder illusions and ‘smoke and mirror’ theatrics to put on a great show.
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Genuinely gifted artists can create their own spotlight.
Elton John, Poison and Paul McCartney – featured in the infant years of the program – all took their turns on an MTV Unplugged stage to entertain small crowds of fans with some of their most popular tunes.
In ’91, MTV featured LL Cool J, MC Lyte, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest for their ‘Yo! Unplugged Rap’ episode. And in ’93 featured Jodeci, Mary J Blige and Heavy D for their ‘Uptown Unplugged’ segment.
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Just recently, Florence and The Machine’s debut on the Unplugged stage aired to critical acclaim. Front woman Florence’s soulful voice blazed through over ten tracks while her band delivered acoustic versions of “Dog Days Are Over” and Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness.”
Needless to say, Florence and The Machine owned the stage.
However, she and her band weren’t the first to shut it down.
So we here at GlobalGrind took a walk down memory lane and racked up 12 of the best artists to hit the MTV Unplugged stage.
Take a look.
12. Florence and The Machine – “Dog Days Are Over”
11. The Script – “Breakeven”
10. Trey Songz – “Panty Droppa/Neighbors Know My Name”
9. Adele – “Hometown Glory”
8. Mary J Blige – “Real Love” (Uptown Unplugged)
7. Alicia Keys – “If I Aint Got You”
6. Katy Perry – “Kissed A Girl”
5. Paramore – “Misery Business”
4. B.o.B – Airplanes
3. Lauryn Hill – “Peace Of Mind”
2. Lil Wayne – “Nightmares Of The Bottom”
1. Jay-Z – “Izzo”
Source: MTV
