MTV Unplugged In New York

hehe

another big nostalgia record. So many songs on here that I'd never heard prior to this album and, when I hear the originals, think sound weird.

When I first started teaching, one of the students was a big Nirvana fan. It was only late 1994, early 95. She dressed up as one of the cheerleaders from "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and she wrote out the tracks to this album over one of her notebooks. I think about her occasionally, because now it's almost 30 years later. I wonder what she (and the rest of those students) are doing now, and if she still has that same infatuation with the band and their work. Almost thirty years later and this album really holds up. Kudos for the band picking more obscure pieces and not just "da hitz". The Meat Puppets songs are a little tough on Cobain to pull off but he does pretty well. Hearing acoustic versions of some of the louder songs like "Pennyroyal Tea" and "All Apologies" you really appreciate the craftsmanship of the song itself. That was what Unplugged was supposed to do, really. One thing I noticed about the public reviews for this album is it has a very split feeling. It's a 5 or a 1, not a lot of ones in between. I never thought of Nirvana as such a polarizing act, but there you go. Even so I am going to have to put it in the 5 camp. What an amazing feat, totally emphasizes what the Unplugged program should be.

Two years ago a friend and I were debating the best acoustic/unplugged song from the 90's. His pick was Nirvana's cover of Bowie on this album. Personally, I love their cover of Lake of Fire (in fact, all three Meat Puppets songs) but probably have to give the edge to The Man Who Sold the World. But my number one favorite from this time period was 10,000 Maniac's Because the Night. Still, this album is the best of all the 90's acoustic/unplugged albums (Alice in Chains being a close second for either their unplugged album or the acoustic Jar of Flies) and maybe one of the best live albums ever. Reminder: I generally hate live albums. What is so cool about this Nirvana album is they didn’t have studio versions of half of them. They just came out and played songs they adored, and crushed them in their simple reverence - I already mentioned two, but another beauty for its incredible raw emotion is Where did You Sleep Last Night. And the reimagined versions of their studio-recorded songs are incredible - you wouldn't know how good these guys are at their craft until you hear the deft work on songs like About a Girl, Polly, or All Apologies. If you thought these guys were one-trick ponies, this is your proof they were not. Mad respect.

Definitely a classic, but I can't call it a 5. I appreciate Nirvana for the way they changed music at the time, but I was never a huge fan of Kurt Cobain's whiney singing (and way too much feedback/sloppiness on their recorded albums - a non-issue here). It has a lot of great moments and I can appreciate it for its historical significance. Certainly worth hearing. Favorite tracks - Come As You Are (great version), The Man Who Sold the World (fantastic Bowie cover), Plateau, Lake of Fire. Least favorite: Pennyroyal Tea - can't stand his voice on this. But RIP. Respect.

Makes me forget where I am. 😴 Kinda bad

If you already heard the studio albums, there's really not much new here aside from some covers, which in a vaacum, aren't even that interesting. What makes this an truly great record is how personal and intimist it feels. It's like visiting an old friend an realizing how broken they truly are.

Inte min grej precis, men Lake of fire är bra

❤️‍🩹 Haunting

Great album.

I am a huge Nirvana fan and always have been since I heard the first lick of Smells like teen spirit. I always wonder about the people that got to see that show live knew how special it was going to be.

Recorded just months before Kurt Cobain's tragic death, this stripped-down and acoustic performance captures the band in a moment of intimacy and introspection. The album features a mix of Nirvana's biggest hits and lesser-known tracks, all reimagined in a more intimate and acoustic setting. From the rendition of "Something in the Way" to the haunting "Pennyroyal Tea" and the heartbreaking "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," each track on this album is delivered with emotion but feels more watered down compared to the actual album versions. MTV Unplugged in New York is where Nirvana transition from their signature grunge sound to a more stripped-down acoustic sound. The arrangements are simple and whilst it’s allowing the raw emotion of the lyrics to shine through, it leads to a lot of the performances to fall slightly flat. Saying that this album is not without some highlights, with the most unforgettable moment being Cobain's cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World." The song's melancholy lyrics and Cobain's haunting vocals give the track an added layer of poignancy, especially in light of Cobain's tragic death just a few months later. MTV Unplugged in New York is an album that showcases Nirvana at their most vulnerable and introspective. However the tuned down renditions leads to a lot of tracks losing their identity.

He sing about that he don’t have a gun. He lied. So 4/5

Fantastic album, changed how acoustic sets were handled for the rest of MTV's tenure in music

Wow

My second favorite Nirvana recording, behind Live at Reading 1992, and the best of the Unplugged series. The cover of Lead Belly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" gets me every time.

One of the greatest albums of all time... amazing start to finish!

This album was huge when it was released, and it really holds up. Definitely my favorite of the Unplugged performances, and it was a fitting way to celebrate Cobain after his death earlier that year (even if the celebration was bittersweet).

Of all bands & albums, this is one of two where I have to brace myself. It's so fucking emotional, I can barely stand it (the other is Blackstar by David Bowie). Stripped down & raw. Covers of old songs & original work. This is what beauty & pain sound like. I ADORE this album & love this band in a way I love no other. I'm going to keep this short because it still pains young me & I never got over what happened. I'll never forget the news I received that high school morning about Kurt's passing, all us kids sobbing & none of us being able to breathe. 5 sad depressing beautiful stars

I think everyone I knew at the time was listening to it, talking about it, owned a copy of it. The music on this album is timeless. It was nice to revisit it.

Kurt and co wrote some of the most iconic songs of the 90s, there's no doubt. While my love of this band has definitely faded over the years, I recognize their importance, and this album is a prime example of a band showing they're multidimensional. The Bowie cover and the ending track are seriously great. I remember seeing something on VH1 years ago about the audience's P-O-ed reaction at the end of the show where everyone was waiting for Smells Like Teen Spirit, and they didn't play it. Always thought that was funny.

Go ahead and unplug me too while you’re at it.

If there is one famous MTV unplugged it's this one, which is ironic considering they are technically plugged in. Technically we get Bowie two days in a row so I'm thrilled. Hard to think of a reason why this shouldn't be on this list. Hard to also think of something to say about this that hasn't already been said. I've only ever watched the Nirvana performance before, not listened to it solely as an album, so that was cool. Hearing Kurt's easy banter all these years later is def a bit heart-wrenching, clearly such a self-effacing down-to-earth charismatic person. Crazy to think that besides the covers, their own songs they chose to play were lesser known at the time. This band and this performance have such a legacy. I mean even that Batman movie last year used the hell out of Something in the Way. 5

Liked this a lot. It must have been sad hearing this right after he died. There’s a decent number of covers but I don’t mind that, especially in a live album.

A necessary release to show why Nirvana was a truly great band. Nevermind was massive, but MTV Unplugged showed a subtle side of Nirvana not many knew existed. First, they played very few of the hits. Second, there were many covers - but not well-known covers. The Meat Puppets, Leadbelly and a "lesser known" David Bowie song were transcendent. The vulnerability in Kurt Cobain's voice was palpable. There are hints of the tragedy that was to come, as well as a glimpse of a great band that was going in new directions.

There are some great versions of now classic songs on this. You can hear the angst in Cobain’s voice. The closing track (where did you…) is my favorite performance. I’d give this a 4.5 if I could.

One of the most legendary live albums of all time, and for good reason. Highlights for me were Dumb, Polly, and of course the legendary vocal performance on Where Did You Sleep Last Night. Honestly the end of that song gave me a chill while listening and knowing what would happen to Kurt Cobain so soon after. It’s tragic that we’ll never get to hear where Nirvana were going to go next sonicly, as their ambition is on full display here. Also, give that “About a Girl” has become a classic rock staple it’s funny to hear him introduce it as a song we wouldn’t know.

Nice

5 This album summarizes why Nirvana was so special. Beautiful grungey and acoustic arrangements accompanied by the greatest hits of one of the iconic rock bands in history

Easy 5 sterren.

This is a 5, no doubt about it! 8X multi-platinum! It made unplugged even more popular to me! All the chatter in the background between songs is classic. Adding Pat Smear & the Buck Owens guitar red, white, & blue) was awesome ! It seems like Kurt was even more irritated here and did not like being called a big/successful rock band. He was deceased before this was released so it was omen for things to come. RIP, Kurt! The phoenix out of the fire came were Dave Grohl & the Foo Fighter's, best rock band in the last 30 years! Nirvana lit the fire and I am forever grateful!

classic

Just wow. I'd forgotten how deliciously lugubrious these tunes sound unjuiced, especially the deep cuts (Something in the Way!). Worth a reprise periodically. RM

Meh. Mainly because it's live

It's just Nirvana live. I don't prefer recorded live music, so it's just like listening to Nirvana to me, but worse... 4.5

Best album ever

I'll never not like listening to this

Fucking incredible. If this live album isn't a 5/5, then no live album is a 5/5. One of the greatest live performances of all time and if you disagree, I WILL be in your walls. Notice how there's only two "big hits" on this ("Come As You Are" and "All Apologies") and the rest is pretty obscure songs from their discography and a bunch of non-mainstream covers. They even brought in the fucking Meat Puppets as guests. The album concludes with a cover of the traditional song "In The Pines" which probably ends up being one the best Nirvana songs. Kurt's performance could give goosebumps to a goldfish.

A great live album. Not a traditional unplugged listen as Nirvana used some amplification and effects during the show. Besides the timeless Come As You Are, Nirvana selected a lot of deep cuts and cover songs. I enjoyed listening from end to end, always thinking that the end had come for Kurt Cobain when this album was ultimately released. What a voice, what a talent, gone too soon, but it only added to the mystique and legend of this band. Song Highlights: Come As You Are, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Something In The Way, Plateau and Where Did You Sleep Last Night? A great listen.

Already knew about Nirvana, but hearing a lot of their songs live and some other songs covered in a somewhat acoustic sound is very nice. OMG the strings in some of the songs?? I love it. I think Where did you sleep last night was a great song with powerful vocals from Kurt to end this album.

Sorry, just not a Nirvana fan. Don't like his voice. Some good songs though.

Absolutely legendary. Favorite original: About a Girl, favorite cover: The Man Who Sold the World

Love Cobain's vocals. Heard most songs many times before. A little samie

Super album!

not huge into nirvana but good set

I'll preface by saying that I am not a fan of live albums. All the versions of their material Nirvana performed here are just as good as their studio counterparts or better. The cover of Lead Belly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" is chilling. This is an all time great live recording.

One of my favorite live sets ever

Wow they sure unplugged my mtv!

An easy 5-star.

Iconic album

2.5

The acoustic format really highlights Kurt Cobain's voice, which is so expressive and textured. Initially I was unconvinced that this album, which is really outside of their core discography, should have a place on the list. But when I think about it as a way to hear where the band might have gone had Kurt remained with us, it becomes much more potent.

The one thing this album does really well is showcase Kurt Cobain's songwriting ability by stripping things down. Practically Beatlesque when you take away the distortion. There is an interesting and eclectic selection of covers peppered in there, but it is Cobain's tunes that shine through (besides maybe that Leadbelly cover at the end). I love Nirvana and all, but I'm simply not a big fan of live albums, especially ones recorded so crisply and cleanly, with all the crowd noise and banter included. Secondly, although it is novel to hear their songs in this format, I have no great romantic feelings or aesthetic preferences towards acoustic instruments vs electric ones. In fact, I'd say it's just the opposite. When it comes down to it, I far prefer the original studio recorded versions of every single one of these songs.

Probably one of the better MTV Unplugged albums. Funny enough I didn't get into Nirvana much in the 90s as I was a bit young, so this album was actually the first Nirvana album I actually enjoyed, then I went back and listened to the "real Nirvana". I think my favorite songs are even Nirvana songs on here, the Bowie cover of "The Man Who Sold The World" was an entry point for me to listen to Bowie and is the standout track for me. There's a line in a Pitchfork about how Cobain shows through these covers that "this pain is as old as time" and was likely instrumental in showing the kids some other great music out there, as Cobain was a god at this point. I am glad there aren't a ton of "hits" on here either, and the strained/uncomfortable energy of the performance is perfect for Nirvana.

Very very good

Really enjoyed the acoustic take on their songs.

This was my second album by Nirvana on this generator, and in my opinion, this is one of their greatest albums! The MTV Unplugged series was great, and led to some awesome records (my favourite being "Alice in Chains Unplugged). The premise of the show was that a popular band was brought on to play an acoustic set in front of a small studio audience, giving the whole thing a real intimate feel to it. My favourite thing about this record is that most bands would focus on their hits, but Kurt Cobain decided to include a few hits, a bunch of Nirvana's B-Sides, and 6 cover songs. If that isn't the epidomy of grunge, I don't know what is! The covers on this album include songs by the Vaselines, Meat Puppets, Lead Belly, and, most notably, David Bowie. Nirvana's version of The Man Who Sold The World exploded on the scene after this album was released, and he did an excellent job covering it too, even though he can be heard saying "I'm probably going to fuck this up" before the song starts. The fact that this album was recorded in November of 1993, and Kurt Cobain committed suicide in April of 1994 makes this an even more special performance. In my mind, this was Nirvana at their peak! Overall, a record I am very familiar with, and one that will continue to be spun regularly by me. An easy 5 stars! Favourite songs: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Lake of Fire, The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, Come As You Are, Polly, All Apologies, About a Girl, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam Least favourite song: Something in the Way 5/5

Not much to say, classic for a reason. Perfect archetype of getting everything right in a stripped back performance. Beautifully mixed, the perfect blend of rawness and polish, everything about this album is perfect, but you already know that.

Great album. I don't know what else to say honestly. All of these songs are so well known. Kurt somehow sounds better on the live album vs Nevermind.

This is for me the greatest live album of all time. I've played it a zillion times and hope to play it a zillion more. Nirvana sums up the whole sentiment at the time. It's like a 'Greatest Hits' album keyed with a disturbing insight into Kurt's personality. It's not an act. The covers of Bowie first and then Ledbelly at the end are the highlights but that's no reflection on the band, their versions are just spot on and unique. 'Where did you sleep last night' stays with you long after the record has ended. It's one of the most disturbing songs I know and one of the greatest performances.

An awesome Monday record from the generator! This collection of songs feels intimate and raw while still reaping the benefits of some electric amplifications and sounds. It was heavy and yet also light. A great mix of originals and covers. Will for sure be coming back to this one 5/5

Nirvana was not a good band. I will die on this hill.

5.0

great raw album that really captures how much just a guy with a guitar can convey

On the upper end of 4 stars for sure. Not something I ever would have listened to, but the rawness of this album makes it really enjoyable. Started off slow but was all good songs for the rest.

Ah, this. Was absolutely everywhere and I didn't buy it for some reason. But I did listen to it A LOT. And it's all wrapped up in the memories of watching it at the time. Kurt's mohair jumper. Dave looking all prim in a pony tail, and those brush drumstick things because he couldn't physically hit the drums lightly enough with anything else. Who are these fellas, the what puppets? It's basically perfect. Was also into Bowie but it took me years to dive into his earlier back catalogue, so Man Who Sold the World joins the list of songs I heard the cover of first. For many years this was the definitive version for me. Only just twigged it's not actually unplugged, that's an electric guitar! Obviously. Kurt really loves The Vaselines, that's 3 covers now. Where did you sleep last night is chilling.

awesome

Unplugged is simply the best way to appreciate the songwriting of Kurt and the vulnerability of his artist. His vocal range and his chord progressions, this album brings their best songs to life.

Nirvana did a fantastic job here making an album that sounds as if they are old pros in the folk rock genre.

Incredible. Probably one of if not the best live albums of all time.

epic

One of the best albums ever

I guess I was completely unconnected to pop culture in these years, since I didn't know this existed. I really was in for a something special. Although I read that this was filled with deep cuts, they were some of my favorite Nirvana songs and so well done. The covers also were wonderfully chosen and performed. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"...what a performance. Wow.

I've always been a fan of this album, although not a huge Nirvana in general. I love the way Nirvana sounds in this setting. It did not disappoint as I listened today!

This is hard to listen to. I felt sad and tense the whole time knowing what's around the corner. I was also embarrassed for the audience whose yeahs and whoos feel inappropriate, insufficiently reverent given the performance's now understood weight. The album is undeniably poignant and historic but I doubt I will ever seek it out again.

I wasn’t a big Nirvana fan back in the day for reasons I still cannot explain, but even so by now I was familiar with this album. It’s impressive how effortlessly Nirvana made it seem to change their style to Unplugged and how good the songs sound in this format. Great album!

The final track is worth the top mark on its own, it's stunning. This album reignited my appreciation for Nirvana when it waned a little following my Nevermind obsession period. The Unplugged sessions were such a great idea and produced some amazing musical moments. This is always a great listen, it can't really be faulted.

- Only ever listened to Nirvana years ago and I wasn't too into it - I get them now, this is excellent - Mad that a live album of covers and random album tracks can be so good - Probably 2nd only to Stop Making Sense for best live album I've heard - Fav songs: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, The Man Who Sold the World, Plateau

Clásico.

Always going to be good. Never listened to in full. Have heard single songs. Great album

My all time favorite unplugged album

Superb album that gets a lot of play in our house. The idea to take lesser known Nirvana songs and covers of other bands instead of doing acoustic versions of their hits is great. This is one of Nirvanas top performances and the raw emotion in Kurt Cobains singing really shows.

favorite tracks - the man who sold the world, about a girl, come as you are, jesus doesnt want me for a sunbeam, dumb, plateau, lake of fire, all apologies, where did you sleep last night least favorite tracks - oh me fun album for a nirvana normie like me. new angle on a bunch of hits i recognized

I am indifferent to Nirvana. I don't hate or love them. I really enjoyed this album. Somehow the acoustic framing made it just sound so much more raw and authentic in a way I can't describe. Kurt's voice is fantastic and it is clear how good of a musician he is here. For some reason that just never comes through to me on the other albums.

My first cd and it still sounds good

"MTV Unplugged in New York" is a live album by American rock band Nirvana. I think this is also the first album I've had from the so-called 90's grunge-era bands although I would not put this album or performance in the grunge category; it's well beyond that. The performance was recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York in 1993 and was directed by Beth McCarthy. Nirvana was not a big fan of the Unplugged series since they felt it was arena bands playing their hits acoustically, so they picked lesser known songs and fairly obscure covers. Good move as some of these song versions are the ones you think of when hear the song's name. The core band was also joined by guitarist Pat Smear, violinist Lori Goldston and the Kirkwood brothers of the Meat Puppets. The album was released seven months after Cobain's death and as an eerie side note, Cobain asked the stage to be decorated with stargazer lillies, black candles and a chandelier. The producer asked him "Like a funeral?" Cobain said "Exactly like a funeral." The album went on to win the 1996 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance. The album begins with a song off their first album "Bleach" and "About a Girl." This is one of those songs that I think of this as the definitive version. Right away you hear the strain in Cobain's voice which he would use to great effect later on. Nirvana covers the Vaselines' "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam." Novoselic on accordion. Grohl on bass. The song builds and is my favorite performed song on the album. I went out and bought the Vaselines' album after hearing this. That's a pretty good album too but didn't make the challenge cut. Damn! I think their cover of David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" is heads and tails better than the original. I remember going back, listening to the orginal and thinking "they did this with that song?" Cobain goes electric and Novoselic's bass is the star as it's brought to the forefront. "Something in the Way" was not included in the aired MTV performance, a shame as it's one of the front runners for best song on the album. A haunting performance with the violin and tuned-down acoustic guitar. Cobain's voice gives me chills every time I hear this. Of the three Meat Puppet covers, "Lake of Fire" is my favorite. Cobain voice strains. The Kirkwood Brothers' guitars are excellent. A pretty bad-ass song from them on their second fabulous album "The Meat Puppets II." And then Nirvana kills it on "All Apologies," another defining-song version. The bass, the soft drums, Cobain's breaking voice. Yeah, probably their best original song on the album. And the album appropriately ends withe Lead Belly cover "Where Did You Sleep Last Night." The song just builds. Cobain is steady and then just lets loose as he screams the verses and sounds just exasperated at the end. Woah! I remember at the time the only reason I watched MTV was for "Beavis and Butthead" and some of the Unplugged performances. I'd have to put this at the top of those performances. I also liked R.E.M., Soul Asylum and Alice in Chains. Their use of somewhat unusual covers in a live acoustic performance was very influencial; one of my favorite radio shows, Sirius XMU's sessions, has their performing artists end with a cover and usually it's the best song of the performance. Anyway, both a great album and performance to watch as well.

4.75

Nivrana doing nirvana things for an hour.

Love it

Classic

classic.

In this famous live album, Nirvana offers stripped down version of their most famous hits and a series of covers from Meat Puppets' II, as well as a cover by the Vaselines and David Bowie. These songs are simple in instrumentation, consisting of not much more than acoustics, Cobain's vocals, distant drumming, and the occassional cello. The sound is rustic and jangly. When you take away all the intense grungy distortion, these songs become much more personal and emotional, with a greater focus on the memorable songwriting and Cobain's intense mumbly voice. It's really nice to hear the diversity in styles from the covers, especially how they adopted the cowpunk of the Meat Puppets. As far detached it is from country, you can still hear the influences, which work incredibly well with their dark melodic structures. The same can be said for the intense blues cover closer.

Beautiful songs played with beautiful emotion. Hard to beat that. Favorite Nirvana song on here is About A Girl, favorite cover is The Man Who Sold the World

One of the few albums I listened to as a teenager that I am happy to listen to now. It is beautiful, tense, and full of raw emotion. Cobain's voice is superb, seeming both delicate and powerful at the same time. It's got to be one of the best live albums. 5/5

Now this is a live album that deserves to be on this list. Most of the live albums I've had so far are "Band plays their popular songs but live!" and I've heard they employ tricks like stitching together the best takes from multiple tour dates or adding studio overdubs. This album captures a single live performance that adds to Nirvana's sound and legacy. The cover songs feel like a homage to Nirvana's influences rather than "let's play this other band's song in our style!" Cobain sings with raw emotion and there is a haunting feeling that he's performing at his own funeral.

I like Nirvana. This is his unplugged in New York. Nice.

Jossun kanssa nauhoitettiin tämä levy Lappeenrannan kirjastossa (nimenomaan tämä live-levy) kasetille vuonna 1996. Heikin kanssa kolme vuotta aiemmin kuunneltiin mökin aitassa Nirvanaa viikko putkeen. Eila avasi aitan oven ja katsoi meitä kauhuissaan: "Mitä masennusmusiikkia tämä on!" Äitini ompeli mulle mustan hameen, joka päällä menin kouluun, kun kuulin uutiset. Nyt Jossu on kuollut, Eila on kuollut, Cobain on kuollut ja Heikki on kadonnut. Mitenköhän minun käy?

Great set list and great live concert

i went into this album thinking that i didn’t like nirvana. i came out of this album only liking one song, which was a david bowie cover. just not my thing

I like 64% of the album. A lot of the songs I already knew, and hearing them with the audience was nice. 3/5

Nirvana has been a band that I've heard and know some of their songs but never dwelled on. Got some songs I'm adding to the liked list. Interesting what the live will bring. Damn these intros are memorable as hell.

Heard it before?: No but I’ve heard pretty much every song on here from their original studio albums Enjoy it?: Yes, some obviously very talented musicians and good song writing but it really lacks in life depth I feel and just has a calmness I don’t really wanted when I listen to Nirvana Favourite live song: Track 9 - Something In The Way

MTV Unplugged In New York is revered for a whole bunch of reasons that aren't really about the music. Don't get me wrong, some of it is really good, some of it less so, but this is just a middling live acoustic album if it wasn't for everything else around Cobain, and maybe that's the point, I dunno. Just sits in the middle for me, 3/5,

I don't generally like live albums, and a grungey rock band doing a gig without the ability to go loud on the instruments didn't exactly fill me with excitement. But, this is really, really good. Hearing some of these songs stripped back shows the underlying talent there without the protective layer of being loud and full of energy. The album also manages to capture (in a way that most live albums don't) actually being there, and some of the character of the band. 4/5.

Really great collection of songs and you get some jokes from Cobain.

I don't think I've ever sat and listened to this all the way through. This was great!

One of my favorite albums of all time. It was very well executed and Nirvana choosing to do other peoples tunes over their hits at the time was an excellent choice. Hard to pick favorites but I really enjoy this version of “Man Who Sold the World” more than Bowie’s. The use of cello at the time was something different and unexpected in the pop focused world, definitely influenced people to experiment with more variation in bands afterwards. Love this album.

Grungers gone folk singer/songwriter, and the result was strikingly good since day 1. Not perfect in any technical sense, but packed full of great songs and iconic renditions of each. Originals and covers alike in just a solid program. I know people for whom this album is simply too sad to ever listen to again after Cobain’s passing, but it represents more than the sum of its parts, and stands as a bitter-sweet high mark of a generation. Not a stinker in the bunch.

I really enjoyed this album. I haven't heard nirvana for a while, and it still feels like my tase in music.

LEGENDARY

Bring back MTV unplugged

Giga Album.

Did not appreciate the raw vocals very much.

Nirvana playing fan favorites and tracks off their next album, with some fun covers, all done on a sliding spectrum of "unplugged".

You know a band are really on top of their game when a whole bunch of live acoustic versions sound better than the originals. I'd say that's true of 'About a Girl', but definitely 'All Apologies' which to me is the definitive version. Chuck in some absolutely brilliant covers, and you have one of the best live albums ever. I love how it's a celebration of lesser-known songs, and they play so well. There's so much feeling in a lot of these songs. 'Where did you sleep last night' is utterly mesmerising and imbued with so much pain and emotion. It's like his very soul has been laid bare.

I adore this record. First bought it when I was 15.

Mtv had a plan in the 90s to make "hard" sounding bands more "accessible". While not a bad album, it's a little boring.

Need to leave room for Nevermind, so giving it a 4. I'd not heard the whole album before - just seen clips here and there. It's very good

This is the best Nirvana album.

Best Song: Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The perfect, explosive end to the album. It feels like the entire album's quiet pressure culminated in this one loud, painful song. Worst Song: Polly. I've always thought this song sounded too much like Nirvana intentionally trying to go a more skate-pop route. Overall: This is the perfect example of how a live album can elevate the material well above the studio versions. The stripped down instrumentals, Kurt's seeming reticence to even be there, the personal asides the musicians make between songs. All while channeling Nirvana's often impotent-feeling rage into something quieter and more concentrated than their noisier studio stuff. If not for a sleepy section in the latter half, it would be an easy 5.

Amazing. Crazy its live and acoustic

This album is damn near perfect. Song selection, arrangements, execution. Wow. 5 stars

Saying this as someone that lived in the time of Kurt Cobain, I know I'm in the minority when I say that Nirvana wasn't that great and their impact on music would be less if he didn't do what he did. But this album, this show is one of the best things to come out that genre. Included is one of my all-time favorite songs All Apologies and my favorite version as well. I remember the ruckus that ensued when the band teased the 'casual fans' in the audience with the opening chords of Smells Like Teen Spirit and when into another song. 4/5.

Nirvana? Good. Nirvana live? Good. Nirvana live album? ehhhhhhh. I don't get the appeal

eu amoiii

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Arguably Nirvana's best album. Jesus doesn't want me is excellent, and a cover? Polly is good too. Nirvana has a lot of good music that doesn't get radio play.

Oft gehörter, rechtmäßiger Klassiker einer geringfügig zu oft über den grünen Klee gelobten Band, der in der zweiten Hälfte nochmals an Qualität zulegt. On a Plain ist geradezu eine Wiederentdeckung.

If the songs are good and the soul and feel are there it will work acoustically. It does and very well indeed. Sad, but as with Ian Curtis’s death, a phoenix rises from the flames.

When Nirvana was hitting their peak in the early 90s I didn't pay much attention, I knew only Teen Spirit from endless MTV play of the video, hadnt really picked up on grunge generally. Cobain's rock star drug addict travails seemed like a tired cliché, I was indifferent, even callous over the news of his death. Seeing this live set changed my mind: the emphasis on unusual covers, and Cobain's delivery - tentative at first, but with growing confidence and conviction. Capped with maybe the definitive version of All Apologies and stunning rendition of (what in its original would have been) Black Girl. Less than half a year later he was gone.

The Nirvana songs are good of course, but the really excellent tracks are the covers.

31/Oct/22: This is one of the albums I can’t be objective about; is one of my top 2 Unplugged records (the other being Soda Stereo’s “Comfort y Música Para Volar”) and just a fantastic live album in general. I never really appreciated the choice to leave out their biggest hits and instead go for lesser known songs and a selection of covers, but today it really hit me: some of these covers are among my favorite Nirvana songs in general, namely “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, “Lake of Fire” and “The Man Who Sold the World”. Listening to Nirvana today also made me feel… nostalgic for what could have been, the evolution we never got to hear both from Nirvana and specifically from Cobain. I would give an organ to hear a solo project, or collaborations with artist outside of the grunge sphere… but alas, here we are. Very thankful to get the chance to revisit this old favorite for sure.

Really nice laid back live recording.

Brilliant, a most for any rock fan

Great live album. Unplugged, strips all the music down to its bare bones. Every song sounds raw, it's great. The cover of "the man who sold the world" is such a great performance.

Beautiful. Perfect. So good. Every song. Such an odd performance for Nirvana but also so perfect for them.

"We're so loud and incoherent, boy this oughta bug your parents!"

meh

An all time classic performance

Berst aCOUSTIC

I very rarely care for live albums with audience interactions and this was not one of the few where I would. And I can't help but think that the reviews of this are more of a wishes for Nirvana to actually produce a studio album with this semi acoustic sound and the nostalgia for it. Combining with the fact that the covers, especially the Bowie one, were the best songs, I just can't hold this to the same standard as "regular" albums on this list.

Rock songs played on acoustic guitars often reveal how boring the songs are. The opposite is true with Nirvana's Unplugged. They were masters of their craft and the vital essence of those songs sound just as good on acoustic guitars as they do on the albums.

The band who saved the world.

Thought it's make me real angsty but was more nostalgic

An intense essential album. I'm not going to give it a 5 because it's a compilation of sorts. A dour drug recovering Cobain sounds totally on the edge. Interestingly choice of covers. Not totally acoustic as Cobain was uneasy. Strong and haunting

hm a live album. I'm sure their acoustics are fine, but I'll pass on this.

It's a live album, but one of those live albums with a legendary reputation (perhaps because Kurt Cobain isn't (a)live no more). It's acoustic versions of Nirvana songs, plus some interesting covers, like the legendary "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (or In The Pines). Enough tracks I saved on here to overcome my aversion to live albums, but still - some of these I'd rather just hear in studio/album format. It was solid experience though, MTV's unplugged session albums are generally pretty solid. Favorite tracks: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, About a Girl, Jesus Doesn't Want Me, Dumb, Oh Me. Album art: Just a picture of the performance. Live album covers tend to be some of the worst. But the frame and Nirvana logo make this a bit more lively and bearable. 3.5/5

I've come to really like Nirvana in the past few years. I enjoy every single song off of this album, and I knew right away it'd be getting a 5. My favourite songs are probably About A Girl, The Man Who Sold the World, and Lake of Fire, but it's really hard to choose.

Comme attendu, Mathis livre une prestation exceptionnelle sur cet album. Les grilles d'accords sont parfaitement dessinées sur les feuilles A4, le métronome ajusté à un tempo assez lent pour que je puisse apprendre à jouer les boucles d'accords sans me décourager… L'école de musique peut vraiment être fier de son professionnalisme.

Un album absolument excellent de la part de Mathis. Pendant toute la durée de l'album, ce dernier s'attelera à corriger les innombrables fautes d'accord de robheritière, et ce sans jamais perdre sa bonne humeur. Un trésor de patience.

Was not a fan before, and still wasn’t a fan after, guessing I will never be. 😂

One thing I love about live albums is getting to hear the artists' commentary/feedback/jests, and that's especially true on this LP. Rolling off the distortion both shows the melodic power of Kurt's songwriting, as well as gives him a chance to step out from behind his usual tortured vocals and be a person. Deconstructs a good deal of the general Nirvana criticisms and manages to be a powerful music statement and artifact of an artist gone too soon.

A most disarming collection of then-lesser known material and deep cuts; a brilliant subversion of a format that was at its peak, Unplugged in New York stands as Nirvana's final statement prior to the death of Kurt Cobain as they go about highlighting bands and artists integral to their sound and forgoing the hits for paths less paved, leaving a tantalizing glimpse into what could have been had they continued on.

was good i rate it a 3/5

I love Nirvana, but this album just doesn't do it for me. It's just missing the energy of their studio albums ,let alone one of their conventional live albums. I don't think it really improves any of the songs, and to me it feels like it's a greatest hits album for people who don't really like grunge or Nirvana. If you want a great unplugged from a grunge band go listen to Alice n Chains Unplugged.

Some of the instrumentals were nice. But overall I found this terribly boring.

First album where I will add songs from it to my actual playlist, every track was great and it was fun from start to finish.

an great live album 7/10

Got the unplugged ball rolling. Love how raw and unedited it is. Will probably never voluntarily listen to it again.

I had never listened to the whole album before. I only knew what was on MTV at the time or the radio. Gave me a new appreciation for Nirvana.

Solid Album

Mtw chilled out in new york

Good vibes :) it’s enough to make me overlook that this unplugged album is very much plugged in

Bättre än annan grunge på listan.

Perfect

A good live album with some great covers. Cobaine was taken too soon from us, and I would have loved to see what Nirvana could have become.

Very good live album with funny interlude parts. I was surprised In how most of songs were covers

Grunge bands always had the best MTV Unplugged performances and this one is the crown jewel. Excellent and raw. Great mix of covers, too. 9/10.

Leur petit côté bonbon. J’aime le fait qu’ils aient l’air pas trop préparés. On ne peut pas dire que cet album n’est pas important et on peut lui donner le crédit d’avoir fait découvrir des influences aux fans. C’est un peu tout croche par contre.

Un classique pour moi où la nostalgie pardonne beaucoup de choses. Si j'essaie d'être un peu rationnel, c'est un live et habituellement je n'aime pas les lives. Ici ce qui fait une différence est qu'on revisite les pièces d'une autre façon. On touche aussi à l'authenticité du groupe. La performance n'est pas sans failles et il y a plusieurs problèmes de sonos dans cet enregistrement, mais j'aime beaucoup la place mise aux influences. Et on a quand même la version la plus populaire de About a girl sur cet album. Le plus grand succès des MTV Unplugged.

I’m not a fan of Cobains voice, it sounds like nails being drawn down a blackboard. Live and acoustic however, it sounds much better, this is most probably the only Nirvana album that I have got any reasonable enjoyment out of listening to.

Just great.

Perfect album. Excited to reminisce. Could listen to this album over and over again, and would give it 10 stars if I could.

Always bending up angular versions of their own and other’s tracks, this is a classic. I probably know these versions better than the studio versions

Still a great album.

Included Bowie, the man who sold the world..

Poignant

The only nirvana record I bought on vinyl. Consistently overrated band but this album is 👌

Yea this is a banger

I know each song, the way it is represented in this album. But I will never pick this album up to listen to it on my own. Very average.

classic

iconisch optreden en heerlijke nummers. dit verdient een 5

suena como escopetazo

Meh. Grunge schmunge

This is probably one of the all time best live albums. They manage not only make theyre songs sound great but also the covers they sound like they could be they're own. Highlights are something in the way, cover of David bowies the man who sold the world and lead belly's where did you sleep last night.

One of my all time favorite albums!

3/5 Pretty good. Some stuff was a bit of a miss but overall it was good.

Recognized more songs than I expected. I liked the mellower feel of acoustic versions

fascinating, but not up to the level of Live in Reading or the originals. Having the variety is nice.

Piece of music history and I have many fond memories of listening to this on my CD Walkman as an edgy teen. Kurt’s performance is the essence of raw. The closing Leadbelly track with the cello… my god.

Excellent though the last song is heartbreaking.

Classic songs in a classic performance. I'm not as big into Nirvana as I was years ago, so perhaps that's why I'm not head over heels here. Still, a performance for the ages.

Légendaire album! Est-ce un 5? Le concert, dans son intégralité, est une superbe rendition du répertoire de Nirvana tout en prenant le spectateur à contre pied avec une instrumentalisation acoustique. Il contient également de superbe cover comme celle de David Bowie. Conclusion: super concert, mais, n’étant pas le plus grand fan de Nirvana en general, je ne peux dépasser le 4,5.

Incredible album, intemporal grunge classics seen from a chill acoustic perspective, these guys really were geniuses

a favorite!!!!

Fenomenal album. I love how genuine it is.

This thing is such a fantastic listen. It basically is a live ‘Greatest Hits’ performance, with a few of the hits replaced with covers which are awesome. Will be coming back to this lots. 8/10

Best not listen to when already depressed. Although a good album, Nirvana and MTV were unhappy with the performance.

Don’t love nirvanas sound live, studio albums are much better

In '94, I was a junior in High School and heavily into the grunge scene. Nirvana was a staple of grunge and some may argue the innovators of the movement that "killed the hairbands!" I really loved the ambiance and intimate setting of this acoustic set, and it set a precedence for the other MTV Unplugged acts to bring their best!

I'll follow most of the site in this case because this is one of my favorite albums of all time. Impossible to rate with less than 5.

Amazing.

It is a really unique unplugged show from Nirvana with catharsis at the end. That Lead Belly cover always gives me goosebumbs. I fckn love it.

A revolutionary live album

Great from end to end - it’s a masterpiece of an album - a great Nirvana record, one of the best live albums ever recorded - highly influential and very listenable. It’s also very formative musically for me on a personal level.

Top Start

A moment in time.

Yup

Been a long time since i've listened to this. It really is a classic. Hard to fault

Unplugged was a great series and I remember the buildup of this show and wasn't actually sure what to expect. I mean Nirvana acoustic? Needless to say I was blown away by this performance then and I think even more so now. Being a fan at time I knew they had talent but I didn't realize how much until this album. The arrangement, the song selection and Kurt's emotions pouring into the songs, I still get goosebumps listening to Where Did You Sleep Last Night.

Excellent. Nirvana playing fantastic acoustic versions of their non-hits and indie covers was nothing I expected at the time. Vaselines “…Sunbeam” and Meat Puppets “Lake of Fire” are standouts.

I had this on tape in my first car. I have no idea how many times I listened to this on road trips or on the way to college. This is the first unplugged I remember being more then the some of its parts. More than an excuse for some famous band to play a greatest hits show. I loved all the weird covers and deep cuts they chose to play instead. This is a great album.

This one was an instant 5 for me. Sure we can talk about how it's strange that one of their best known albums is a live album that is probably the antithesis of what Nirvana was live, but it doesn't matter. The album is beautiful and haunting. It includes some of my favorite versions of their original songs (Pennyroyal Tea for sure) and the covers are all great. This might be my favorite live album of all time.

The more I listen to modern unplugged music the more I Ievel up and appreciate this genuine of pure live masterpiece of an album.

I know I'm in huge minority, but was never a big Nirvana fan. However, this album was very good and definitely would not turn off when/if came on. Song #2 sounded a lot like Killing Jokes song, Eighties. Favorites, All apologies, where did you sleep last night and Lake of fire. Songs that surprised me and enjoyed, Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam and Plateau. Overall, very good album and fully understand the historical significance of this album and this band. 4.5 out of 5. The .5 is for Dave Grohl being part of the band.

What is there to say about this album that hasn’t been said? It’s a 10/10 iconic live album that stands up with the greats. A good handful of these songs are the definitive versions like About A Girl. I don’t care for Lake of Fire but that about all I don’t like.

5 "This is off our first record. Most people don't own it." This was destined to be a 5 for me the second it came up on this list. For me, this is Nirvana's finest hour and the album of theirs I return to the most. The band was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform a set on MTV Unplugged, then refused to play their hits, opting instead to play deeper cuts and covers... and just fucking killed it. They even used their time on-stage to share the spotlight and promote lesser-known band Meat Puppets, and the album benefits so much from it. I have a hard time imagining this album would be as highly praised if they had just stuck to the hits like MTV wanted, but Nirvana went out and performed the show they wanted to perform, and the result is a piece of musical history. All of the songs on this album sound amazing live, and Kurt sounds just as raw and real as he does on the studio albums (if not moreso). All of the originals complement the studio recordings nicely, and in some instances even outperform them by miles (looking at you About a Girl and Pennyroyal Tea). The highlights have to be the covers though, which Nirvana truly made their own and have even become the definitive versions of the songs for many (myself included)... and to do that with a David fucking Bowie song?? What other artist could do that?? Their cover of Where Did You Sleep Last Night though has to be one of the greatest closers to an album I've ever heard, and I will never not get goosebumps when the music cuts out and Kurt screams out the final verse like he thought it was the last show of his lifetime (the actual would be four months later). I could go on much longer about this album, but I'll wrap this up by saying, for me, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime album from a once-in-a-lifetime band. While not my favorite record of all-time, I'm not sure there are going to be a ton of records on this list that beat it. Favorite songs: Yes

Such a great album. Very familiar with it already, but always an enjoyable listen. Of all Nirvana’s albums, this is the one I return to most frequently.

Classic

Ik ben geen fan van live registraties, maar de MTV unplugged series heeft toch wel wat leuke dingen voortgebracht. Ook deze registratie van Nirvana is goed om aan te horen. ***

About A Girl - 8/10 Come As You Are - 10/10 Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam - 10/10 The Man Who Sold The World - 9/10 Pennyroyal Tea - 10/10 Dumb - 9/10 Polly - 9/10 On A Plain - 9/10 Something in the Way - 8/10 Plateau - 8/10 Oh, Me - 10/10 Lake of Fire - 9/10 All Apologies - 10/10 Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - 10/10

A modern classic. 5 stars.

Crazy good album, just unreal

overrated

Not much going for this. A live set on a TV show. No great shakes. But an event happens and it gets elevated to some crazy status the performance does not merit. The unplugged moniker is simply for the franchise, it is merely the band pared down. Some songs work most do not.

They were really good

The show on MTV probably had a huge impact at the time, introducing watchers to the Meat Puppets, Bowie, and Lead Belly. I wish the Meat Puppets would've got more mileage out of it.

Possibly Nirvana's best album. Certainly up there with Nevermind. Shows a softer side to their sound and it works so well. Part of me wonders if Kurt's music may have evolved in this direction had he lived into his 30s or 40s. The whole thing captures a band at the peak of their powers before Kurt's decline really set in. It's a stunning achievement.

Classic and arguably the best Nirvana album. Kurt's vocals shine on tracks like Something in the Way and the acoustic arrangement of Lake of Fire brings another level to the song.

This is how legends are made. Not a Nirvana fan, but this concert is amazing.

Usually love Unplugged for what it is, but I dunno what it was about this one that didn't excite me. I know Nirvana is a "thing" but Kurt's vocals sounded a little put-on and less genuine. Everything else was pretty average.

Too plugged for an album titled Unplugged. The songs are great but I've never liked how the guitars sound on this one. They're just... too crappy. Cobain's vocal at the end of Where Did You Sleep Last Night is so good though.

Truth is I've never enjoyed Kurt Cobain's vocals and am not particularly impressed with his lyrics most of the time. Considering that, I liked the moments of grace in some of the tracks here, like Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam where he sounds like a folksinger. In a way Nirvana is a victim of their own iconic status. I think I'd forgotten how interesting some of their compositions are (About A Girl, Pennyroyal Tea), and a live album is a good way to remember that. And hearing a famous band do covers of other people's famous songs is always kind of cool.

Tight

This album shows both the strength and weakness of Nirvana. Weakness, not about their musicianship, but in general because they were obviously lacking strong original material for the whole gig, and therefore included several covers. Strength, because the covers they included actually is given their own edge, in becomes relevant. Their version of the man who sold the Earth is epic. Bonus as well is the joint forces with the Meat Puppets. Not a bad album

A stunning live album and a personal favorite. Their original songs sound amazing - totally transformed and rich with emotion. And their choices of cover songs are impeccable. ("Where Did You Sleep Last Night" -- what a closer!) I love imitating the way Kurt Cobain sings "Fourth of Juu-lyyy!" on "Lake of Fire."

This is a truly untouchable live album. It's so raw and perfect in it's imperfections.

This is the fastest yet that I've said "yea that's a 5" after seeing the album title/cover pop up on this list. When I was young I loved Nirvana but I had this rebellious thing where I just couldn't fully embrace something that everyone else did; like famous bands (I would gravitate towards the other 90s grunge acts like STP, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam), and even the best sports teams (Mets > Yankees cmon now). I think a lot of if not most people have that when they are younger and I'll admit it took me way too long to get over that and love Nirvana but I did, and I do now. Nirvana is just so timeless, and this album is my favorite by them. Who knew that stripped down they would be so good? Usually raw and gritty vocals are enhanced by a shield of distortion behind them. It's scary for a singer to take their perfected vocal timbre and completely change the setting around it and hope it still works. Sometimes I even feel uncomfortable singing using someone else's acoustic guitar; there's certain chords and dynamics that I know I can hide behind on my own guitars when I need it! I read that Kurt was really nervous and also suffering from drug withdrawal and while the drug withdrawal seems obvious now, I have always found it interesting and sad that he was also nervous. A titan of music who is one of the most famous musicians of all time... and he was nervous. The feedback on "The Man Who Sold The World" at 01:55 is one of my favorite moments of music ever. Ugh it's like it was placed there on purpose. The first note of the solo at 02:46 that is the wrong note? Ugh I love it. It's so easy to listen to this album. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" "The Man Who Sold The World" "All Apologies" are all top ~100 songs for me, and "where did you sleep last night" is probably a top 15 or 20. A side effect that this album has had along with some of the other legendary unplugged records is that I think about the people who were present for these shows and the whole event behind the recorded album. They were filmed in New York. If I was ~10 or 12 years older I would have tried to go. The side effect though is that they make me think "what other shows are happening right now that are going to be seen as legendary performances?" Glastonbury always tends to have a lineup that is jam-packed. I've seen some smaller gigs that were amazing for me, but I figure were just the right mixtures of performance + buzzed + a little high + my back feeling OK... all of which are personal variables and not universal. I'm not sure if I've gone to a legendary performance yet. I have so many great memories with this album and I hope that it is as timeless as I think it is.

Not crazy about live albums but Nirvana crushed it here. Plenty of hits on this one

Set the standard against which all unplugged albums are measured

It's sad listening to this album knowing what happens just a short few months. What a beautiful look into their world and his love for different music.

Listened Before? Y This is an amazing classic. Nirvana was a great band, and this is their best, least chaotic, and most well-arranged performance IMO. The cameos from the Meat Puppets and the songs they covered are a major highlight. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: The Man Who Sold the World, Plateu

Bloody marvelous

Lovely album to listen to for a Monday morning. Personal highlights are The Man Who Sold the World and Where did you sleep last night

Solid, it doesn't get much better than this.

Brilliant! 4.5/5 Standouts: About a Girl, Come as You Are, Dumb, Polly, Something in the Way, All Apologies, The Man Who Sold the World, All three Meat Puppet Songs (especially Oh Me), Where did you Sleep Last Night. And all the rest are above average too! I am so glad this album exists.... RIP Kurt.

I remember this all so clearly. I watched it in full the first time MTV aired it, and saw it in bits and pieces many times since then. I bought the album when it was released and listened to it quite often. In this performance, I hear hints and shadows from where I believe many others also feel Kurt Cobain might've gone musically and artistically had he lived and gotten clean. I honestly believe he is on the same generationally-rare songwriting plane as, say, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and others of that ilk. I can't tell if this is my mind's shaping of the memory or if it truly happened this way, but my memory of the experience of watching this for the first time is that I was mesmerized by it all, fascinated at times, totally engaged with it and that I also couldn't shake a feeling of sadness. No, I'm not at all claiming I had a sense of Kurt Cobain's impending death or anything like that. It was just how I experienced the entire thing.

8.5/10 F.t.: Where did you sleep last night

I have this on vinyl-I’ve seen it so many times- I still love it.

A different side of the band, they put their hearts into reconstructing these songs in an interesting way and highlighting the music they wanted to, rather than just their hits.

couple of OK songs, but overall not something I'll come back to

A look into the absolute rawness and absolute genius of Nirvana. This set contains songs that are so unbelievably vulnerable, and filled with so much passion - particularly for an acoustic set (even if the guitar was run through an amp). Their covers are just as good - if not better than their originals in this set, who can look past their cover of Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World. This performance will go down as one of the greatest live sets of all time, especially as to how soon after this performance we lost Kurt. Best: The Man Who Sold The World Worst: Oh Me 4.5 Stars

Underwhelming, lacking the excitement of their real albums, and it certainly didnt show off kerbain's vocal talents.

Really enjoyed this. Hearing them dick about between tracks was fun.

Truly an eerie and haunting media-shifting moment

What should have been a cheesy event somehow turned into a raw and emotional string of performances that immortalized Nirvana. The covers here prove to be just as timeless as the original music from Nirvana. Kurt's influences and own mind laid bare--along with his heart.

Nirvana gonna nirvan

Definitive unplugged

My favorite live album. One of the best.

I actually watched this set on Youtube about a week before this app suggested the album. Despite a very casual vibe to the band's banter and a few remarks from Cobain on whether he will mess up certain songs, it's a remarkably tight set. The acoustic (or near-acoustic) format, while far from the grunge sound of the original recordings, still retains the angst, rage, and introspective qualities. Cameos by the Meat Puppets and support from The Germs's Pat Smear, and a few covers, notably David Bowie and the powerful Leadbelly closer, make it far more than a greatest hits collection.

Rating: 10/10

I listened to this a lot during the early days of my first proper adult relationship. It took me back to some really lovely memories. Thank you MTV unplugged, this is a great recording.

There's some really fine moments on this - it just suffers from being too much of the same sound. The green cardigan look is a classic which I tried to replicate as a Darwin teenager, not advisable in 33 degrees.

The final run of Meat Puppets tracks into All Apologies into Where Did you sleep... is still phenomenal. Find this more of a what could have been listen than the Nirvana albums proper

A really fragile thing, genuinely a good listen. Would get an extra 1/2 star for having The Vaselines if half stars were allowed in this hellscape dictatorship.

ok i like nirvana but this was just awful. at many songs his voice became completely unbearable and it just sounded so terrible. the songs just do not sound good this version. of course i was familiar with many songs by they sounded so different in a bad way

I'm sure I will never get the appeal of this band. Really of Kurt Cobain. I never have come close to connecting with the jarring amelodic chord changes, the not-interesting and bad/sloppy guitar playing, and... the distractingly awful vocals. And that was for the studio-produced albums where you can polish up a turd so to speak, so having put it in an acoustic format.... ugh. The first few songs are fine in a "ehh..." kind of way then when Kurt Cobain starts wailing...I cannot. His voice makes me want to hurt myself. I remember watching this on MTV when it was first televised, trying even then to tap into something. In the "competition" during the birth of grunge (admittedly silly, all that) gimme Pearl Jam every damn time. I do not like. 2/10 1 star.

It's okay, don't really care for live albums or the unplugged format.

A classic

One of my favorites!

An enthralling live performance, and the deep tracks and covers really help make it a unique experience. Something about stripping it all down like this really lays bare Cobain's emotions and songwriting. It is clear why this album is so highly regarded.

Probably the best live album, with maybe some exception for Johnny Cash, but really something special, so intimate.

I never grew up with Nirvana so I can't say that I'm super familiar with their songs aside from the singles. I think their MTV Unplugged is a great way to get into their deeper cuts. Without knowing the context of this performance, it is a very good performance of cool covers and lesser known songs. Knowing this to be Cobain's last performance makes it a bit more haunting and elevates the song choices and visuals. Otherwise, I'm not gonna pretend that I feel sad listening to it, or that knowing the context changes the listening experience. It's powerful due to its circumstances, which is completely fine.

"Where Did You Sleep Last Night" was really raw. The whole album was very raw in general. Not bad but not something I can see myself listening to a lot.

Nirvana é definitivamente uma banda histórica mas esse álbum não é o melhor nem o mais bem produzido deles

Just soo damn good

A classic, but overplayed. The David Bowie cover is my favorite.

I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed this album

Great album, enjoyable for the hits arranged for an acoustic session as well as some new gems (to me) like the Bowie cover. There were some strong nostalgia vibes here though; listening to it today outside of the 90's MTV Unplugged mania of the time it's a little less vital. Still good, but not sure I'll be going back to it a lot or anything.

Amazing experience, loved every second of it

Come As You Are is heightened by it being acoustic. The Man Who Sold The World takes on a whole new meaning when Kurt sings it. Something In The Way is a good cut. Never knew Lake Of Fire was a cover, specifically this version coming from a live album.

Awesome album, watching this on tv was what first inspired me to start listening to grunge

cool

Un petit attachement sentimental à cet album. Je le répète souvent, mais habituellement je n’aime pas les albums live. Ici on comprends que c’était un événement unique qui revisite les pièces déjà connues d’une autre façon. Le choix des chansons en plus de l’ajout de reprises est bien fait. Ce n’est pas un enregistrement parfait, il y a plusieurs feedbacks et la voix de Kurt en arrache par moment, mais ce dernier point ne parait pas trop pour les habitués et ceux qui aiment ce timbre, comme moi. Ça reste donc un classique qu’il faut effectivement avoir entendu.

Pretty great album. Lots of spirit and the unplugged versions wer an interesting change of pace, I still prefer the electrified version of their hits though

this was great tbh, i really want to get more into nirvana and this was a good intro

listened to again something so real and raw about these performances

I think I’m not super keen on Nirvana. Definitely familiar with and feel fine about several songs, but overall they’re just not my jam (or ham, as I first typed 😜). 🤷‍♀️

An awesome unplugged grunge show only to be rivaled by Alice In Chains. Loved the covers they did.

A classic, but not my favorite of all time.

For the first time, I think, I listened to this while trying to separate it from the context, the contrast with their studio records, and take it standing alone. The performance itself is just okay, pretty ragged at times (and I'm not just talking about the IDGAF of grunge in general; the guy's in bad shape). I suspect the knowledge of Cobain's fate, coming shortly after this show and before it was released, colors all interpretation and I'm no different. There are some brilliant ones in here. (All Apologies, Lake of Fire, WDYSLN). It’s mostly great. But I disagree with the "greatest live albums of all time" designation. {prior rate}

Always a pleasure

If I'm being honest, this is the only Nirvana record that I ever could listen to front-back without stopping. I love how subversive Kurt and the rest of the band was about the performance (not selecting the hits that MTV surely wanted them to play). It's also a great opportunity to hear Kurt's voice and how sweet and delicate it could be. I didn't know that before I heard this record. I love that they paid tribute to other bands they loved with a few covers. The Bowie cover is great. Standouts for me are "about a Girl" (especially the guitar lead), "Pennyroyal Tea," "Something in the Way," and "All Apologies." Great to see/hear Pat Smear's guitar playing included. And, Dave's turtle neck sweater is a real period piece.

I've said my piece about live albums being on this list. Would I have loved to be at this show? Yes. But, it's still a performance of songs that were part of other albums. I disagree with it being on the list in principle. Which is too bad, because it's actually my favorite Nirvana "album" out of all of them. I'd give it a 4, but - again - under protest.

Hier is alles ooit al eens over gezegd natuurlijk...

Geen woorden voor. Allesbepalend geweest voor wie ik nu ben als muzikant.

Ik heb 'm nu niet eens gedraaid, en dat heb ik eigenlijk al 15 jaar niet meer gedaan. Echt véél te vaak gehoord en is me zelfs een beetje gaat tegenstaan. Essentieel onderdeel van het Nirvana oeuvre, maar ik skip 'm. 3 sterren voor de vorm.

Goed te doen hoor, maar in mijn optiek erg overgewaardeerd.

Such a cool album

Prefer this to their studio / ‘plugged’ recordings. Nice version of Man Who. But find the angst of their own songs a bit hard to listen to. I guess you had to be there but they don’t really speak to me. Also not a fan of Cobain’s voice.