NEWS
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga perform together on 'MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga.'
Kevin Mazur/Getty for MTVLady Gaga and Tony Bennett are coming to MTV Unplugged on Dec. 16, MTV announced on Sunday (Nov. 28) — and you can watch the first promo below.
The new episode, which marks the return of the MTV Unplugged franchise, was filmed earlier this year in New York. The duo performed songs from their Billboard 200 top 10 album Love for Sale, which just earned Gaga and Bennett six 2022 Grammy nominations on Tuesday, including for album of the year. The project — which topped Billboard‘s Traditional Jazz Albums and overall Jazz Albums charts after its September debut — follows their first joint project, 2014’s Cheek to Cheek.
MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga will air Thursday, Dec. 16, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV in the U.S. and across its global platforms. Its premiere takes place during “Love Music With MTV,” a month-long celebration of the brand’s top music series and moments, from the VMAs to Unplugged.
The MTV Unplugged episode is part of a talent deal Viacom announced with Bennett and Gaga, which also includes the Sunday night CBS concert special One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, where the promo below first aired. Also included in the partnership is the upcoming documentary The Lady and The Legend, which will stream on Paramount+ in 2022.
Bennett previously recorded an MTV Unplugged TV special and accompanying album in 1994, which went on to win album of the year at the 1995 Grammys. This marks the first time Gaga has recorded for MTV Unplugged.
Watch the first MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga promo below:
The estate of Prince has shared a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a track the late icon originally wrote before passing it on to Celine Dion in the early 1990s.
The newly revealed version, released through NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, presents Prince’s own recording of the piano driven ballad, fully written, produced and performed by him. It was initially recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991 and had stayed in the vault until now.
Dion’s interpretation of “With This Tear” was included on her 1992 self titled album, highlighting one of many moments where Prince created songs for other artists while holding back his own versions. His original recording feels more minimal, putting the focus on his vocals and piano arrangement.
The newly issued version has been given an updated mix by Grammy nominated producer Chris James, who has worked on several Prince related releases before. This drop is part of the Prince Estate’s ongoing effort to open up more of his deep archive of unreleased music.
The release arrives at a meaningful moment, just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s passing. Since 2016, a consistent flow of archival material including deluxe reissues, vault recordings and rare collaborations has kept his legacy active in today’s music landscape while offering a closer look at how much he created.
“With This Tear” also highlights Prince’s long established role as a songwriter for others. Across his career, he wrote and produced tracks for a wide range of artists, often shaping songs that evolved into entirely new identities outside his own discography.
The release comes amid growing attention around Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” an unreleased collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online and showed just how much material still remains unheard.
While there has been no official confirmation of a larger vault project, reports continue to suggest that more archival releases could be on the way.
