It's long been home to godawful (yet endlessly watchable) reality shows and teen dramedies, but it's official — MTV is finally going to start showing music again. Today (April 21), Viacom announced that the flailing network will finally snap out of its decades long identity crisis with some new musical content.
The MTV generation will be happy to note that one of its staple shows is set to come back. Featuring stripped-down, often acoustic performances, MTV Unplugged is set to return.
The show ran off an on from 1989 to 2009, and featured a wide variety of artists including Nirvana and Jay Z (who performed with the Roots). While details are scarce about the reboot, it's part of the network's renewed dedication to music.
The network is also offering up a new, weekly music show, as well as a music competition series from Mark Burnett from The Voice. There are, however, also 11 new unscripted series and three scripted series. Further, the company has projects in the works with Drew Barrymore and Pitbull.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the network's Sean Atkins insisted that the company's programming block speaks to a return to music.
"It says a few things, first and foremost that we're clearly bringing music as our muse back to the brand and returning it creatively to what inspires us," he said. "The idea of having music — in terms of what it means to pop culture and that it gives artists a voice and is always resonant to youth and an influencer of culture — has always been a great element of the MTV brand. We're leaning back into the heritage and resuscitating it and renovating it for today's generation."
Or, as the company's website put it, "MTV's new shows will make your uncle shut up about how we don't play music anymore."
The MTV generation will be happy to note that one of its staple shows is set to come back. Featuring stripped-down, often acoustic performances, MTV Unplugged is set to return.
The show ran off an on from 1989 to 2009, and featured a wide variety of artists including Nirvana and Jay Z (who performed with the Roots). While details are scarce about the reboot, it's part of the network's renewed dedication to music.
The network is also offering up a new, weekly music show, as well as a music competition series from Mark Burnett from The Voice. There are, however, also 11 new unscripted series and three scripted series. Further, the company has projects in the works with Drew Barrymore and Pitbull.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the network's Sean Atkins insisted that the company's programming block speaks to a return to music.
"It says a few things, first and foremost that we're clearly bringing music as our muse back to the brand and returning it creatively to what inspires us," he said. "The idea of having music — in terms of what it means to pop culture and that it gives artists a voice and is always resonant to youth and an influencer of culture — has always been a great element of the MTV brand. We're leaning back into the heritage and resuscitating it and renovating it for today's generation."
Or, as the company's website put it, "MTV's new shows will make your uncle shut up about how we don't play music anymore."
