Cobain’s presence is never more painfully beautiful than he is on "Unplugged," his vocals achingly perfect, surrounded by black candles and white lilies in a funeral-like setting that was famously his vision. As a result, we have the acoustic versions of songs such as “All Apologies," "Pennyroyal Tea" and “Come As You Are,” which arguably have survived as the more enduring versions.īut the true gift of Nirvana’s "MTV Unplugged" album is its presentation of Cobain at his peak, a showcase of his artistry that’d never been seen before, and due to his untimely death, would never be seen again. It’s a testament to how deeply and intimately Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl understood their material as a band that they were able to filter through their catalog of popular hits and fan favorites, cut the songs that didn’t fit the format and emerge with a track list of songs that would be transformed in the "Unplugged" setting.
'Nevermind' 25th anniversary: Ranking the songs on Nirvana's classic albumĮqually brilliant was the band’s choice to forego their biggest hits, instead choosing a divinely inspired mix of eight Nirvana songs and six covers, including the Vaselines’ “Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam," the traditional folk song "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" and, most memorably, David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World,” which is now as classic as the original. More: Here we are now: Nirvana's 'Nevermind' at 25 Instead of just making an album of de rigueur “Nirvana goes acoustic” tracks, the band reconfigured their sound to adapt to the setting, becoming a new band for the night, with the stripped-down instrumentals laying bare the material’s naked emotion. It is a genius recording, in so many ways, the first being the way the band adapted to the acoustic format of the "MTV Unplugged" series, which presented an immediate challenge for a set of musicians best known for their blistering noise. Yet 25 years later, Nirvana’s "MTV Unplugged" album isn’t just remarkable for its mythology. Cobain died of suicide in April 1994, and the album would be the band’s first release since his passing, released in December to a rapturous critical response, beckoning Grammy awards and millions of copies in sales. Sadly, "MTV Unplugged" would not be the beginning of a new chapter for Nirvana but the end of one.
Recorded 25 years ago in New York City on Nov. 18, 1993, Nirvana’s "MTV Unplugged In New York" album holds a different place in the band’s short-but-legendary discography, an album of transcendent folk rock that glimpsed what could’ve been the band’s next post-grunge era, had frontman Kurt Cobain survived long enough to see its musical leanings through.
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It’s been called the best TV episode of the ‘90s and the best live album of all time, hailed as a masterpiece from the decade’s defining band. Editor's note: As Nirvana drummer-turned-founding Foo Fighter Dave Grohl turns 50 Monday, USA TODAY looks back on one of his most iconic recordings: Nirvana's "MTV Unplugged In New York," which turned 25 on Nov. 18, 2018.
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