In celebration of the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live,” “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music,” directed by Grammy and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Emmy Award-winner Oz Rodriguez, will premiere Monday, January 27 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and stream the next day on Peacock. The special is produced by Two One Five Entertainment, RadicalMedia and Broadway Video.
For 50 seasons, “Saturday Night Live” has served as the premier venue for televised live music performances while continuously pushing boundaries to reimagine the relationship between music and comedy. “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” will feature untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking and news-making musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years. The three-hour special broadcast event will showcase interviews with musical artists, cast, writers, producers and more who have been part of “SNL’s” legacy.
“Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” will feature more than 50 interviews, including:
· Musicians: Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rock, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving and Jack White
· “SNL” cast and creative team: Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Eli Brueggemann, Jane Curtin, Jimmy Fallon, Al Franken, Josiah Gluck, Bill Hader, Steve Higgins, Marci Klein, Melanie Malone, Tom Malone, Mary Ellen Matthews, Eddie Murphy, Ego Nwodim, Liz Patrick, Leon Pendarvis, Lenny Pickett, Joe Piscopo, Andy Samberg, Brian Siedlecki, Akiva Schaffer, Paul Shaffer, Sarah Sherman, Howard Shore, Robert Smigel, Jorma Taccone, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Hal Willner and Bowen Yang
“Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello or Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg,” Thompson said. “The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and happy I now get to share it with everyone.”
“Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” is executive produced by Lorne Michaels, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Zarah Zohlman, Erin David, Dave Sirulnick, Jon Kamen, Meredith Bennett, Alexander H. Browne, Shawn Gee & Tariq Trotter. Oz Rodriguez serves as producer.
“Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music” is part of a collection of special, original programming celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live.” A four-part docuseries, “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night” will stream exclusively on Peacock beginning Thursday, Jan. 16. The anniversary celebrations will culminate in a live primetime special on Sunday, Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock.