On this day in 1994, the long-awaited album, MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana was released. The session was recorded almost a year prior to the album’s release but was well worth the wait. Nirvana had been in negotiations to appear on the show for some time; Kurt Cobain finally accepted while touring with the Meat Puppets. Nirvana wanted to do something different from a typical MTV Unplugged performance; according to drummer Dave Grohl, "We'd seen the other Unpluggeds and didn't like many of them, because most bands would treat them like rock shows—play their hits like it was Madison Square Garden, except with acoustic guitars." Instead, Nirvana went the unconventional route and performed a 14-song set in a single take on a stage dressed for a funeral. Six covers were included in the set, including songs from David Bowie and The Vaselines. The only contemporary hit at the time that the band performed was the Nevermind single “Come as You Are”.

Let’s dig into some of the songs that Nirvana introduced to their fans that day. We’ll also feature some of the originals they performed. For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs from the iconic Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York session do you want to hear?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

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Songs Played:
Nirvana – About a Girl (Live Acoustic)
The Vaselines – Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam
Leadbelly – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Live)
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
Meat Puppets – Plateau
Nirvana – Pennyroyal Tea (Live Acoustic)
Nirvana – Come As You Are (Live Acoustic)