Musical artists have always been distant from a fan’s perspective. One listens to all their albums, goes to all their concerts, learns a fun fact or two through their interviews, but it never goes any further than that. MTV Unplugged, a television series that prospered during the 90s, was one of the first and most recognizable attempts to bend that boundary. It stripped the artist of all vanities: No autotune, no multiple takes; just a concert of them, their band, and a small audience. This created a space to discover new songs, to connect with artists and their talent, and to humanize the experience of listening to music. Between the rise of YouTube and reality television in the 2000s, MTV had to abandon the show and most of its music-focused content. However, 20 years later, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert has revived the love and need for acoustic music.
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Started in 2008, Tiny Desk Concert is a video series on YouTube (audio only on Spotify and Apple Music) made by NPR Music, a non-profit membership media organization. Their simple premise, similar to MTV Unplugged, is to present a short live concert where the artist and their band, without autotune or any other equipment that amplifies voice or sound, sing and play behind the iconic tiny office desk. While it has showcased various artists for 17 years, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that their views and followers really went through the roof. In 2020, when live music had come to a halt like everything else in the world, Tiny Desk gave listeners that opportunity to feel like you were in a venue, singing your heart out. They even came up with Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts, where artists from around the globe had an opportunity to sing from their houses.
An important factor to the success of Tiny Desk is the diversity, both in the genres of music and the popularity of its artists. The show brings together a rich variety of musical styles, such as jazz, indie, hip-hop, reggaeton, classical, and more, to showcase the talents of both emerging and established artists. From Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish to Nathy Peluso, Ca7riel, and Paco Amoroso, anyone who gets pitched by a fan through email has the same opportunity to be part of the show. The blend of both popular and lesser-known talents encourages inclusivity and connects audiences with music that they might not otherwise discover. They take this into consideration when it comes to the setlists, since they’re mostly curated to be a summary of the artist’s trajectory or greatest hits. As a result, Tiny Desk boosts the popularity of the artists, especially emerging ones, and creates a new community of listeners and fans.
Tiny Desk Concert has proven itself to be more than just a music series; it’s a platform that bridges the gap between artists and their audiences. Through its focus on acoustic performances and showcasing a wide range of genres, it has become a beloved staple in the music industry and has become a useful tool in making lesser-known artists into global sensations. Whether through its ability to highlight new voices or by providing an intimate experience, the series continues to make people fall in love with music all over again.