The band that inspired the sporadic MTV Unplugged series at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards is helping to usher in its return.

Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is one of several big-name acts scheduled to perform as part of the latest batch of MTV Unplugged performances, joining the reunited Police, Mary J. Blige, Kenny Chesney, and John Mayer.

But instead of airing the specials on MTV, the network will be pushing them out to a number of destinations, including VH1, CMT, their respective Web sites, and even mobile phones.

Bon Jovi, whose forthcoming album Lost Highway hits stores June 19, will kick off the first cross-network Unplugged on consecutive nights starting June 22, and the band will tailor each set to the specific audiences of MTV, VH1, and CMT.

"When we first did the MTV awards show, we thought the only way to impact an audience of our peers, fans and the industry was to simply lay it all out there naked--stripped of all the pomp and production," Jon Bon Jovi said in a statement. "So it came down to two guys, and two guitars. It was Dick Clark who said to do two songs. At the end of the day it was and is all about the song in its purest form. A lot of great performances followed. Thanks MTV."

MTV's Unplugged concert series first debuted in 1989 and is credited with starting an "acoustic revolution" among musicians. Unplugged has received critical acclaim, spotlighting artists including R.E.M., Sting, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crow, KoRn, Neil Young, Elton John, Bob Dylan, The Cure, Don Henley, LL Cool J, Duran Duran, Alanis Morissette, Jay-Z, Rod Stewart, Lauryn Hill, and Paul McCartney. Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and Tony Bennett all won Grammys for their Unplugged albums.