Watch Nirvana's most iconic performance for Kurt Cobain's 59th birthday

MTV Unplugged in New York originally aired the 14-song set by the alternative grunge band Nirvana on the network on December 1993, a year before Kurt Cobain's death in April 1994

Celebrate what would have been Kurt Cobain's 59th birthday by watching his alternative rock band, Nirvana, give their most iconic performance on MTV Unplugged in New York.

Cobain, who died at the age of 27, was born on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. His birthday comes after his death was scrutinized on February 11, with scientists now suggesting his passing could have been a homicide.

The death of the Nirvana frontman on April 5, 1994, was initially reported as a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Seattle residence. The King County Medical Examiner determined at the time that the official cause of death was suicide by a Remington Model 11 20-gauge shotgun.

Even his suicide note is being questioned amid this new investigation.

About a year before his death, Cobain and his bandmates — bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl — recorded their performance for MTV Unplugged in New York on November 18, 1993.

They were joined by guitarist Pat Smear and cellist Lori Goldston at Sony Music Studios. Black candles, drapes, and white lilies surrounded the stage.

Instead of playing their hit song, Smells Like Teen Spirit, the band kick-started the acoustic with a stripped-down version of About A Girl. The single came from the band's debut album, Bleach, which did not sell well back in July 1989.

At the end of About A Girl, Cobain shared a rare moment with the audience as he smiled through his gritted teeth.

Six of the 14 tracks are cover songs from obscure artists at the same time. The Vaselines were an '80s Scottish rock band. Huddie William Ledbetter, also known as Lead Belly, was a folk and blues singer from the '40s.

Instead of bringing Pearl Jam — known for their major hit song, Daughter, at the time — onto the stage, Nirvana instead asked brothers Chris and Curt Kirkwood from the Meat Puppets to join them for three songs, including Lake of Fire the-mirror-icon_entertainment_music_kurt-cobain.

The grunge band blew the audience away with their version of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World.

They removed the '70s electronic elements and synth sounds to deliver a haunting, melancholic take, which even Bowie described as "a really sad rendition" in a 1996 interview on Dutch television.

At the end of the set, Cobain stretched out his vocals to their peak as he sang Lead Belly's Where Did You Sleep Last Night.

Their MTV Unplugged in New York concert first aired on MTV on December 16, 1993. This was Cobain's final TV appearance.

After the lead singer died in April 1994, MTV reran the music special. It can now be seen on YouTube.

The band's entire performance was released on CD and vinyl on November 1, 1994.

The unplugged album went on to Best Alternative Music Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards.

Cobain's vulnerable performance on the Unplugged album evoked an image of a tortured artist caught in the whirlwind of fame and personal demons.