MTV Is Resurrecting “Unplugged” Because We’re Reliving the ’90s All Over Again
It’s official: The ’90s are back and they’re here to stay! Not only did Hulu recently unveil a new ‘90s-packed lineup to fulfill all of our TGIF glory days, but MTV is now bringing back two super nostalgic shows of its own: TRL and — get this! — MTV Unplugged.
The show, which debuted in 1989 (we know, we know, that *technically* means it’s an ’80s baby) and ran through to 1999, before MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 took over from 2000 to 2009, featured stripped down, live acoustic performances from the biggest acts in music (think Nirvana, Lauryn Hill, and Dashboard Confessional) and a bit of storytelling besides.
While much of the original concept will return for the reboot (’cause why mess with a good thing?!), there will be one major difference: The venue will change each episode to reflect a location that has a special connection to the artist. Nice!
Kicking things off on September 8 will be 19-year-old Shawn Mendes (his new single, “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” is currently No. 1 on Top 40 radio), who is scheduled to perform at Ace Hotel in LA.
Teasing the performance, the young Canadian pop star told Variety, “People come to my shows not really knowing what to expect, and they leave experiencing a real rock-pop concert… to be able to film that and put it out to the people is exciting.”
MTV’s Amani Duncan (who is in charge of booking talent for the reboot) has no worries about Unplugged resonating with millennials, despite the fact that Mendes wasn’t even born when the first episode aired. “At MTV, the brand equity is still so strong, it gives us an opportunity to bring back nostalgia,” she told the outlet. “And also recruit an entirely new consumer who may not know what Unplugged was because they weren’t born.”
Hey, a great idea will always be a great idea!
Will you be watching MTV Unplugged? Tweet us @BritandCo.
(h/t Billboard; photos via Scott Gries/Getty)