Squeeze performed the first episode of MTV Unplugged in 1989.
The British band appeared on the debut episode of the MTV series on November 26, 1989. The program presented artists in stripped-down, mostly acoustic settings, emphasizing songwriting and live musicianship instead of elaborate electronic production.
Squeeze was joined for the episode by singer-songwriter Syd Straw and guitarist Elliot Easton of The Cars. The format soon became one of MTV’s most recognizable programs, especially after acclaimed appearances by artists such as Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam.
A common mix-up is identifying the first widely famous Unplugged performance as the first episode. Eric Clapton’s 1992 appearance became one of the franchise’s most commercially successful recordings, but it came several years after Squeeze opened the series. MTV Unplugged later expanded beyond its original acoustic concept while retaining the intimate performance format.