disconnected from electrical power or not using electronic equipment, especially in music when performed with acoustic instruments instead of amplified ones.
From 'un-' (not) + 'plugged' (past tense of plug, from Dutch 'plog'). The term became famous in the 1990s with MTV's Unplugged series, though it originally just meant literally removing a plug.
MTV's 'Unplugged' series in the 1990s turned 'unplugged' into a cultural phenomenon, making acoustic performances of rock songs seem rebellious and authentic—it's wild how removing electricity made music feel more 'real' to millions of listeners.
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