Alice in Chains, MTV Unplugged gets 30th anniversary vinyl
Published on 08/19/2026 at 18:05 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Alice in Chains bring one of their most celebrated releases back to the physical format spotlight with a 30th anniversary edition of their live album Unplugged. According to a report from ThePRP, new vinyl and CD pressings are scheduled for late September 2026 via the band’s own online store.
New Unplugged edition and German chart echo
The new anniversary edition of Unplugged is being issued as part of a 30-year celebration of the seminal MTV performance recorded in 1996 and originally released in 1996 on Columbia Records. Pre-orders for the updated vinyl and CD configurations went live on July 30, 2026 through the band’s official shop, with a tentative street date of September 25, 2026, as highlighted by a detailed report on ThePRP’s news coverage.
While the focus of the anniversary campaign is the Unplugged set, Alice in Chains’ broader catalog has also been visible in German charts in 2026. The band’s 1995 self-titled studio album re-entered the Official German Albums Top 100 this year, with chart logs compiled by specialist discography resources showing it peaking at No. 53 on the main list and reaching No. 14 on the German Rock & Metal Albums chart during its latest run.
Album legacy and recent chart and streaming signals
The renewed activity around Unplugged comes amid a wider wave of catalog interest for Alice in Chains. In February 2026, business outlet Forbes reported that a vinyl reissue of the self-titled 1995 album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart, narrowly missing the top slot, while also entering the Top Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 5 and reappearing on several other Billboard rankings.
There has also been movement on the singles side. In early June 2026, the 1994 track Nutshell, originally from the EP Jar of Flies, re-entered Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming Songs chart, landing at No. 25 for the chart week dated June 8, 2026 and marking its 34th overall week on that tally, as summarized by entertainment reports that picked up Billboard’s chart data.
All news and background on Alice in Chains
Readers in Germany can follow how Alice in Chains’ catalog keeps returning to charts and shelves with new editions and archival projects.
The musical language of Unplugged
Recorded at the Majestic Theatre in Brooklyn in April 1996, Unplugged captured Alice in Chains in a stripped-down setting where harmonized vocals and acoustic guitars took the foreground. The set list combined songs from Dirt, Jar of Flies and the self-titled record, highlighting the band’s ability to carry heavy, minor-key melodies into an acoustic framework without losing intensity.
The contrast between Jerry Cantrell’s riff-driven guitar figures and Layne Staley’s distinctive vocal phrasing gave the original release a different weight compared with other MTV Unplugged installments of the era. Where contemporaries often used the format to lighten their sound, Alice in Chains leaned into somber tempos and modal chord progressions, emphasizing the darker harmonic colors already present on studio recordings.
Where the band stands now
As of mid-August 2026 there are no officially listed future tour dates on major platforms for Alice in Chains, and recent interviews with guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell suggest that the group will reassess touring and recording plans after health-related disruptions to their 2025 schedule.
Alice in Chains at a glance
- Act: Alice in Chains
- Genre: Grunge, alternative metal
- Origin: Seattle, United States
- Active since: 1987
- Lineup: Jerry Cantrell (guitar, vocals), William DuVall (vocals, guitar), Sean Kinney (drums), Mike Inez (bass)
- Label: Columbia Records (legacy catalog), various partners for later releases
- Key works: Facelift (1990), Dirt (1992), Jar of Flies (1994), Alice in Chains (1995), Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)
- Current album/single: Latest studio album Rainier Fog, released in 2018
- Charts/certifications: Alice in Chains re-entered the Official German Albums Top 100 in 2026, reaching No. 53 overall and No. 14 on the German Rock & Metal Albums list; recent U.S. vinyl reissue activity saw the album reach No. 2 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart in February 2026
- Next live date: currently no officially announced live date
Frequently asked questions about Alice in Chains
What is being released for the 30th anniversary of Alice in Chains’ Unplugged?
The band is issuing new vinyl and CD editions of their MTV Unplugged album, with pre-orders launched on July 30, 2026 and a planned release date of September 25, 2026 through their official online store.
How has Alice in Chains’ catalog been performing on charts in 2026?
In 2026 the band’s 1995 self-titled album has re-entered multiple charts, including appearing on Germany’s Official Albums Top 100 and the German Rock & Metal Albums chart, while a vinyl reissue reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart and the song Nutshell returned to Billboard’s Hard Rock Streaming Songs list.
Is Alice in Chains currently touring or working on a new studio album?
Major ticketing and live-event platforms list no upcoming Alice in Chains tour dates as of August 19, 2026, and interviews with Jerry Cantrell indicate that the band will decide in early 2027 whether to enter the studio for a seventh album, focus on live shows, or balance both paths.
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed. Sources are linked in the text. Dates, chart positions and certifications may change at short notice; correction hints can be sent via the editorial contact on our imprint/contact page.
