5 Unforgettable and Underrated ‘MTV Unplugged’ Performances

When one thinks of the MTV Unplugged series, one often thinks of Nirvana, Eric Clapton, and Pearl Jam. Each of those sets was groundbreaking, and their resulting live albums are still mainstays in rock music record collections today. But what about the underrated MTV Unplugged sets that don’t get as much love? Let’s look at just a few such performances. One of these entries might just be controversial, too.

1. Oasis

Oasis performed their MTV Unplugged set in 1996. Or, at least, Noel Gallagher did. Liam Gallagher refused to join the band during their performance at the Royal Festival Hall in London, leaving Noel to try and salvage the set. Despite the palpable negative energy from Liam, who heckled the remaining band members from the balcony, Noel did an amazing job.

2. Maxwell

Maxwell has an impressive voice, and the lucky audience at his 1997 MTV Unplugged performance got to experience that voice at its very best. Maxwell was one of the few artists to be offered an Unplugged deal with just one album under his belt. Naturally, his style of neo-soul translated well in this acoustic, stripped-down setting.

3. George Michael

I really don’t understand why more people don’t talk about this performance. George Michael’s 1996 Unplugged set was recorded at Three Mills Studios in London and was an absolutely stunning thing to witness. Michael was in his best musical shape from beginning to end, and the inclusion of a choir and string quartet was incredibly smart. “Father Figure” sounds totally different during this set, and I mean that in a good way.

4. R.E.M.

R.E.M. is one of the very few bands to boast two different MTV Unplugged sets. In 1991 and 2001, Michael Stipe and the band delivered two gorgeous performances. Honestly, I can’t choose between them for this entry. Though, their 1991 set was a real crowd-pleaser, and Stipe’s voice was in its prime back in the 90s.

5. Lauryn Hill

This is going to be a controversial entry, I can feel it already. Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged set in 2001 is probably the most divisive performance in the series’ history. And while I initially agreed with the masses that this set was bad, it has since grown on me quite a bit.

A lot of people did not enjoy Lauryn Hill’s set, and many claimed that it was self-indulgent and should not have included so many new songs. On the contrary, I love this set because of how cathartic it clearly was for the former Fugees crooner. And that rendition of “Oh Jerusalem”? Absolutely gutting.

Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect

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