For half a century, it has been one of the most coveted, in-demand performances in music. Performs two musical numbers on Saturday Night Live is a passage of passage, a concert that has drawn legends (Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, John Prine, Paul Simon), rebels who took the opportunity to make some noise (Elvis Costello, Rage Against the Machine, Sinead O’ Connor ) and almost every pop star known to Man (Eminem, Destiny’s Child/Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson).
It’s all covered in obsessive detail in the upcoming anniversary document, Ladies and gentlemen … 50 years of SNL musicone of a barrage of deals and accessories celebrating the Pioneering Sketch Show’s Storyd History. The first trailer for DOC co-directed by Roots Drummer Questlove teases behind-the-scenes footage and stories, interviews with famous artists and a dive into some of the show’s headline musical moments.
It opens with a montage of guest hosts belting out the iconic “ladies and gentlemen” intro, including Steve Carrell, George Clooney, Madonna, Quentin Tarantino, Sydney Sweeney, Travis Kelce, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet and Chris Rock, among many others .
Over glimpses of performances from the Grateful Dead, Wonder, James Brown, Lauryn Hill and Bruce Springsteen, SAGE guitarist Tom Morello says SNL has served as a “time capsule through the decades for America.” Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl adds, “To me, it was the most iconic American show of all time,” along with sweetly awkward footage of his younger self with his Nirvana bandmates making out with host NBA legend Charles Barkley.
Dua Lipa talks about the pressure of not knowing what’s going to happen on the show, which notoriously switches things up until the moment cameras click, with Cyrus hinting at the uncertain nature of live TV, calling it “Tightrope Walk… They’ll See dangle you, they won’t see you fall. ” Jagger Chronicles, running from a sketch to the stage to perform, “covered in sweat” in the middle of sprints for quick change between commercials.
Cast members from over the years also talk about the landmark early TV slots by hip-hop legends The Funky 4 Plus One More, Run-DMC and Tupac Shakur, as well as moments when acts like Rage and Costello “went Rogue” with the envelope – Pushing performances. It also promises to pack one of the most controversial sets SNL History: O’Connor’s infamous 1992 shocker when she covered Bob Marley’s “War” before holding up a picture of the Pope and tearing it to shreds as she said “fight the real enemy.”
Along the way, there are stops at the legendary studio-trashing tornado unleashed by John Belushi favorites hardcore punk Madmen fear as well as Ashlee Simpson’s 2004 Lip Synch Fiasco.
Among the other talking heads in the film are: Justin Timberlake, Paul Shaffer, Jimmy Fallon, Eddie Murphy, Olivia Rodrigo, Jack White, Kacey Musgraves, Conan O’Brien, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Andy Samberg, Chris Stapleton, Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, Bad Bunny and many past and present cast members.
The three-hour DOC directed by Oz Rodriguez and Questlove will air on NBC on January 27 and stream on Peacock the next day.
See 50 years of SNL music trailer below.