#PEARL JAM MTV UNPLUGGED NOT RELEASED SERIES#

#PEARL JAM MTV UNPLUGGED NOT RELEASED SERIES#

On November 26, 1989, MTV releases its first series of MTV Unplugged aired.Even though since the beginning of the 1980s the phenomenon of rock artists acoustically re-arranging their hit songs was well established, this was the first step towards the global popularization of unplugged performances. British rock band, Jethro Tull performed a portion of their songs “Serenade to a Cuckoo” and “Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of the New Day)” as an acoustic trio. In 1987, MTV features their first “unplugged” performance.Therefore we deemed it necessary to mention some important milestones that helped the show gain its popularity. It is because MTV Unplugged became a massive success that in today’s culture we use the term “unplugged”. The show became a worldwide success and has featured renowned artists such as Aerosmith, Elton John, The Cure, Paul McCartney, and many others.

This show consisted of showcasing successful “electric” musicians who performed acoustic renditions of their material. Even though “unplugged” performances can date back to the 1960s and 1970s with albums such as Beach Boys’ Party! by The Beach Boys or documented jams by The Beatles in their film Let It Be, the term “unplugged” was popularized until 1989, when MTV launched its iconic show MTV Unplugged. What Is Unplugged Music?Īs mentioned before, unplugged music refers to music that was composed and would normally be played with electric instruments such as electric guitars or synthesizers, but is re-arranged in a way that it is performed with acoustic instruments. It was at this point that everything that we know as electric music began. The dawn of electronic technology came in the 1900s with the invention of technology that allowed us to design circuits that would produce repetitive waveforms through oscillation and amplification of sound. Electricity first became a component in the design of musical instruments in 1761, with the creation of the first electric harpsichord. Interestingly enough, the term “acoustic” did not become a necessity until the creation of electronic instruments. It was at the beginning of the 1700s that the creation and popularization of the instrument we now know as guitar emerged. We have come a long way since then, passing through the 8th century AD, when the Moors brought the oud to Western society during their occupation of Spain and going all the way to the Renaissance era and the massive construction of all kinds of string instruments such as violins, lutes, cellos and so many more.

While the human voice would be considered by default the first acoustic instrument, we can date back to around 43,000 – 42,000 years ago and find what researchers describe as the first known constructed musical instruments in the history of mankind, flutes made from mammoth ivory and bird bones. Therefore it must be considered that acoustic music has been a crucial aspect of most of mankind’s artistic and cultural lifespan. Therefore all classical music falls into the category of acoustic music, but not unplugged music.įor us to understand in a more detailed manner, let us submerge into the definitions of acoustic and unplugged music.Ĩ Summary What Is Acoustic Music? credit: Jan Vermeer van DelftĪcoustic music is defined as music that is mainly or solely produced by instruments that produce sounds through acoustic means, rather than electric means such as amplifiers or complex electronics. These instruments are by nature acoustic instruments since they are not constructed to function by being amplified. Take for example Classical music.Ĭlassical music is based on a series of acoustic instruments such as violins, violas or cellos. So, what is acoustic music? What is unplugged music? And more importantly, what is the difference between them? The answer is acoustic music consists of songs created to be featured by acoustic instruments, whilst unplugged music are arrangements of songs composed with electric instruments, which are then stripped down and transformed into acoustic versions.įollowing this definition, all unplugged music is considered acoustic music but acoustic music does not necessarily fall in the category of unplugged music. And yes, while they both rely on acoustic instruments to compose and deliver haunting performances, they both have precise features that make them different. Due to the fact that the terms “acoustic” and “unplugged” music have been used interchangeably, it has created the belief that they both refer to the same style of music and more importantly that they consist of the same elements.

Pearl jam mtv unplugged not released