3 Grunge Unplugged Songs That Still Top Our Personal Charts

In the early to mid-1990s, if you were a popular music fan, there were two things you were definitely aware of: the grunge genre and the MTV Unplugged series. And when those two combined their powers like the folks from Captain Planet, magic happened. That’s just what we wanted to highlight below.

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We wanted to showcase three songs by famed grunge artists from the MTV Unplugged series that have since stood the test of time. Indeed, these are three grunge unplugged songs that still top our own personal charts.

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” by Nirvana from ‘MTV Unplugged In New York’ (1994)

The final song on Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged album, this track is actually a cover of Lead Belly’s famed tune, “In the Pines”. For whatever reason, Kurt Cobain and company decided to change the title for the 90s live LP. Lyrically, the song is devastating. Sad and morbid. But it’s Cobain’s performance of the song that is the real triumph. Near the end, he offers a great big, heavy-hearted sigh for the ages that we never tired of.

“Black” by Pearl Jam from ‘MTV Unplugged’ (2019)

While this album was recorded when the boys from Pearl Jam were still baby-faced, it was released years later in 2019 as part of Record Store Day that year. And while the LP is only seven songs total, there are many standouts. It’s great to see lead vocalist Eddie Vedder so young and passionate, and the rest of the crew all strumming and plucking acoustic instruments—it’s a time capsule from another era.

“Down In A Hole” by Alice In Chains from ‘Unplugged’ (1996)

While Nirvana’s is likely the best MTV Unplugged album, the offering from fellow grunge stars Alice in Chains is a close second. On it, we see the frailty and vulnerability of the band’s Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell. Staley’s voice is incredible, but he looks as thin and weak as a sheet of paper. It’s a stunning example of power and fragility that continues to stun audiences (and us) to this day.

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