Eric Clapton's Grammy-Winning Album Reaches A New Chart Peak

Forbes

21-05-2025

Eric Clapton's Unplugged returns to two U.K. album charts, nearly cracking the top 40 thanks to a ... More new physical re-release and renewed attention in 2025. British Rock and Blues musician Eric Clapton plays guitar as he performs onstage at the Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1992. (Photo by)
Unplugged stands out among Eric Clapton's many albums as one of his most critically acclaimed and commercially successful projects. The live set was recorded in front of a small audience as part of MTV's Unplugged series. While Clapton was already a superstar at the time and big things were expected, few could have predicted just how massive the title would become. Decades later, it remains an incredibly important and meaningful effort for both the musician and his fan — and this week, it becomes a bestseller once again.
Unplugged returns to a pair of rankings in the U.K. this frame, and it nearly reenters the top 40 on both lists, missing that special region by just a few spots. This time around, the title lands highest on the Official Physical Albums chart, where it comes in at No. 41. At the same time, it reappears at No. 46 on the Official Albums Sales roster, the general list of the bestselling titles in the country.
Clapton's Unplugged reaches a new all-time high on the latter tally – but not the physical-only list – as it returns.
It has been almost half a decade since Unplugged was seen on either of these two rosters. The set last appeared on both rankings in June 2020 and has been missing ever since. At the time, Unplugged debuted on the Official Albums Sales chart, and it has now spent just two frames somewhere on the list.
The collection has performed much better — and for much longer — on the Official Physical Albums chart. Unplugged launched on that ranking in early 1994 and has now spent 35 frames as one of the top-selling titles on any physical format in the U.K.
Unplugged is mounting its comeback thanks to a newly-released enhanced edition, as fans have been purchasing the full-length as a triple LP and a double CD. The project has been the focus of renewed attention all year, as the MTV performance was re-released to cinemas in select countries earlier in 2025. That film also made its way to Paramount+.
All the excitement surrounding the Grammy-winning effort — along with the physical re-release — appears to have been enough to push the title back into bestseller status.