MTV Unplugged yielded many iconic performances, but few are as celebrated as Nirvana’s.
Recorded in November 1993 and released on this day in 1994, Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York came out seven months after the shocking death of Kurt Cobain. It would debut at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart and go on to win a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.
While the band’s own material (specifically “All Apologies”) received new life from the Unplugged treatment, it’s Nirvana’s cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” that is the set’s surprise highlight.
It takes guts to cover Bowie, but Nirvana is among the few who actually succeeded.
Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock reporter. The first man she ever loved was Jack Daniels. True story.