On This Day, March 13, 1993: Eric Clapton hits #1 with ‘Unplugged’

On This Day, March 13, 1993…

Eric Clapton hit #1 with Unplugged, an album featuring performances from his MTV Unplugged episode, which was recorded live in front of a studio audience.

The album — which featured performances of “Tears in Heaven,” about the death of his 4-year-old son, Conor, and an acoustic version of “Layla” — spent three weeks in the top spot of the U.S. album chart.

Unplugged went on to win three Grammy Awards, including record and song of the year for “Tears in Heaven.” It sold 26 million copies worldwide to become the bestselling live album of all time.

Clapton’s MTV Unplugged episode was released into theaters in January 2025 under the title Eric Clapton Unplugged … Over 30 Years Later. It featured commentary from Clapton about the inspiration behind the songs and footage of performances shot for the crew before he took the stage.

In May 2025, Clapton released Unplugged: Enhanced Edition, an extended, remixed and remastered edition of the album with tracks that were not included during the original MTV airing.

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