As one of the most highly acclaimed series in the history of
MTV
,
Unplugged
afforded the opportunity for some of commercial music's most praised entertainers (as well as those musicians with a bit more artistic merit) to spotlight their hit songs in a different context. The show was met with surprisingly high acclaim and viewership, and everyone and their brother signed up for an "acoustic" session.
Very Best of MTV Unplugged
compiles some of the series most lauded moments, most notably
Eric Clapton
's smash performance of
"Tears in Heaven."
However, this is by no means a complete document of the sheer depth of talent that the show has provided over the years, nor is it indicative of the diversity that has been showcased. Aside from
R.E.M.
, many notable performances from the show's early years (which featured, among others,
the Cure
and
10,000 Maniacs
with their memorable rendition of
"Because the Night"
) are conspicuously absent from the disc, as well as performances from the landmark
hip-hop
sessions. Those issues aside, memorable performances do abound here, from some of the most important names in the history of
pop
music. ~ Rob Theakston