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MTV reveals first featured artist for upcoming ‘Unplugged’ reboot

  • Shawn Mendes will be the first artist to perform on...

    Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

    Shawn Mendes will be the first artist to perform on a rebooted version of "MTV Unplugged."

  • Nirvina won a Grammy Award for the live recording of...

    Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

    Nirvina won a Grammy Award for the live recording of their 1993 "MTV Unplugged" performance.

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Music is coming back to Music Television.

MTV announced Thursday that its popular franchise “MTV Unplugged” will return to the network this fall.

The first episode is scheduled to air on Sept. 8 and will feature Shawn Mendes, who currently occupies the No. 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.”

Mendes, 19, told Variety that a 1992 clip of Pearl Jam performing on the show got him hooked on the idea of taking part in the reboot.

“It wasn’t so much about the commercial, showman side of it; It was really about the music,” Mendes said.

“MTV Unplugged” debuted in 1989, showcasing stripped-down, acoustic performances by artists like Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Tony Bennett, Eric Clapton, and Nirvana. The latter three artists received Grammy Awards for the live recordings of their respective performances.

Nirvina won a Grammy Award for the live recording of their 1993 “MTV Unplugged” performance.

The show aired less frequently from 2000 to 2009, and was often billed as “MTV Unplugged No. 2.0.” The last live taping of the show took place in 2014 when Miley Cyrus debuted songs off her album “Bangerz.”

Mendes is scheduled to perform at MTV’s VMAs on August 27, where his song “Treat You Better” is nominated for Best Pop Video.