Top 15 MTV Unplugged Performances (Nos. 11-15)

To help commemorate our look back at the 30th Anniversary of the launch of MTV, we decided to take a look back at one of our favorite shows to air on the channel, MTV Unplugged.

When the dust settled, we were left with our fifteen favorite performances on MTV Unplugged.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here are numbers 11-15:

15. Fiona Apple (1997)

MTV At 30: Better Album: Thriller vs. Purple Rain

This was our very first installment of Criss Cross Counter Punch and was originally published on Culture Brats on March 29, 2010. But since Michael Jackson and Prince played such a big role in the early days of MTV, we dusted it off for this week's festivities.

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Archphoenix: Don't get me wrong, I love me some Prince, especially Purple Rain. His purple funkness is quite a talented musician. But Thriller remains, for me anyway, the best pop album, pretty much ever.

Thriller is the best selling album of all time. Seven of the album's nine songs were released as singles and all seven songs hit Billboard's top ten list. The album won a record-breaking eight Grammy awards. I know, I know, just because it sells doesn't mean it's necessarily good (i.e. Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Nickleback, etc.). But in this case, the fact that it still sells ridiculously well 25 years later is a testament to the longevity of the album.

I Want My MTV (Classic Ad 1 Of 5)

MTV At 30: The First 30 Music Videos Played On MTV

MTV debuted thirty years ago today. We're going to be taking a look back at MTV all week long but to kick things off, we thought we'd share the first thirty videos MTV played thirty years ago.

Enjoy!

1. "Video Killed The Radio Star," The Buggles
2. "You Better Run," Pat Benatar
3. "She Won't Dance With Me," Rod Stewart
4. "You Better You Bet," The Who
5. "Little Suzi's On The Up," Ph.D.
6. "We Don't Talk Anymore," Cliff Richard
7. "Brass In Pocket," The Pretenders
8. "Time Heals," Todd Rundgren
9. "Take It On The Run," REO Speedwagon
10. "Rockin' The Paradise," Styx
11. "When Things Go Wrong," Robin Lane And The Chartbusters
12. "History Never Repeats," Split Enz
13. "Hold On Loosely," 38 Special
14. "Just Between You and Me," April Wine
15. "Sailing," Rod Stewart
16. "Iron Maiden," Iron Maiden
17. "Keep On Loving You (Live)," REO Speedwagon
18. "Bluer Than Blue," Michael Johnson
19. "Message Of Love," The Pretenders
20. "Mr. Briefcase," Lee Ritenour
21. "Double Life," The Cars
22. "In The Air Tonight," Phil Collins
23. "Looking For Clues," Robert Palmer
24. "Too Late," Shoes
25. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
26. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy," Rod Stewart
27. "Surface Tension," Rupert Hine
28. "One Step Ahead," Split Enz
29. "Baker Street," Gerry Rafferty
30. "I'm Gonna Follow You," Pat Benatar

And here are the actual videos from MTV's launch (complete with all the old school commercials from thirty years ago!):

The Launch and "Video Killed The Radio Star"

Book Review: I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It)

If you love music, lists, and especially lists about music, you'll love I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It): Extremely Important Stuff About The Songs And Bands You Love, Hate, Love To Hate, And Hate To Love. Written by Brian Boone, who regular places pop culture under the microscope at Love Hate Society, I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) is a humorous trip through rock 'n' roll history.

Along the way, Boone takes a look at how bands decided on their names, established acts that foolishly decided to give disco a try, one-hit wonders, concept albums, how most '90s alt rock bands were only one degree of separation from the Pixies, song sequels, videos that were banned from MTV, why people shout "Free Bird" at concerts, and more. It's all done through the lens of someone the reader can tell not only cares a great deal about music, but who is also extremely funny.

Want to get an idea of the humor you'll encounter in I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It)? In his section on "The Filthy Fifteen," which takes a look at the fifteen songs the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) deemed offensive in their public hearing, Boone writes the following about "In My House" by Mary Jane Girls:

The plot: The Mary Jane Girls are going to have sex with you. And their mentor Rick James will probably want to watch or chain you to an air conditioner for three days. The PMRC missed an opportunity for real music-related public service in that it should have just straight up banned Rick James. Not his songs—the actual person.

I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) is a lighthearted look at rock 'n' roll. If you're looking for a fun book about music, here it is. I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) rocks!

Brian Boone's I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It): Extremely Important Stuff About The Songs And Bands You Love, Hate, Love To Hate, And Hate To Love will be released on Tuesday, August 2nd. For more information about Brian, check out Love Hate Society, Twitter, and Facebook.

OK Go Release Another Jaw-Dropping Video

Complete with tons of crotch shots! Yes!

A Far Cry From Mallrats

Here's the new red band trailer for Kevin Smith's Red State:



Looks pretty awesome, but where are all the dick and fart jokes?

Yaz, "Don't Go"

From 1982, here's Yaz with "Don't Go."

Enjoy!

Share Your Favorite MTV Memories!

Hey guys!

We're doing a special feature on MTV's 30th Anniversary next week. We'll have special interviews, several Ranked! columns on MTV, and lots more!

But we'd also like to let you have your say.

Drop us a line and let us know your favorite memories from the early days of MTV. We'll publish the best ones next week!

Help us celebrate MTV's Glory Days!

First Look: Battleship

Hollywood continues to search in closets and under couches for anything that could inspire the next blockbuster franchise. Flush from the financial success of the Transformer "movies", Hasbro went on a tear and optioned other toys and games for the big screen.

Last year, we told you about Battleship. More precisely about what would be in the Battleship movie.  Now we bring you the first look at the movie. I think it looks pretty and has a great cast, but I've always been opposed to the alien stuff. Why shove a genre element into a war movie based on a board game? And from the looks of it, it's nothing we haven't seen before.  What do you think?