Nobody really knew if Lorne Michaels could actually pull it off. Fifty years is a long time for a "little" late-night show that started as a chaotic experiment in 1975. But when the lights came up for the SNL 50 special musical guests, it wasn't just a concert. It was a time capsule.
Honestly, the sheer logistics of getting Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, and Sabrina Carpenter on the same stage within a three-hour window is enough to make any TV producer have a mild breakdown. You've got half a century of egos, history, and legendary performances to live up to.
Some people expected a standard greatest hits medley. They were wrong. Instead, we got weird pairings and emotional callbacks that felt surprisingly human for a high-budget NBC extravaganza.
The Performance Everyone Is Talking About
The night didn't start with a bang; it started with a whisper. Paul Simon, who has been basically synonymous with the show since the first season, stood next to Sabrina Carpenter. It was a "passing of the torch" moment that could have been cheesy. It wasn't.
They did "Homeward Bound." Simon first played that on the show in 1976. Carpenter, who is roughly sixty years younger than him, joked that her parents weren't even born when he first stepped into Studio 8H. The crowd at 30 Rock ate it up.
💡 You might also like: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
It's that specific blend of old-school gravitas and new-gen pop energy that defined the SNL 50 special musical guests lineup. You had Lil Wayne backed by The Roots doing a massive medley of "Lollipop" and "A Milli," immediately followed by the kind of sketches that make you remember why you stayed up late in high school.
A Setlist for the Ages
- Paul Simon & Sabrina Carpenter: "Homeward Bound" (The opener)
- Miley Cyrus & Brittany Howard: "Nothing Compares 2 U" (A Prince/Sinéad O’Connor tribute)
- Adam Sandler: "50 Years" (An original tribute song)
- Lil Wayne & The Roots: Medley including "Uproar" and "6 Foot 7 Foot"
- Paul McCartney: "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End" (The closer)
Why the "Homecoming Concert" Was Different
A lot of fans got confused because there were actually two big events. The main special on Sunday was the broadcast behemoth, but the Friday night "Homecoming Concert" at Radio City Music Hall was where things got truly wild.
If the Sunday show was the prestigious gala, Friday was the after-party. Jimmy Fallon hosted the Radio City event, and it featured everything from The Backstreet Boys singing "I Want It That Way" to a Nirvana "reunion" of sorts with Post Malone fronting for the surviving members on "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Wait, Post Malone singing Nirvana? Yeah. It sounds like a fever dream. But the SNL 50 special musical guests weren't there to play it safe. They were there to remind everyone that SNL has always been a place for musical experiments—even the ones that shouldn't work on paper.
📖 Related: Is Lincoln Lawyer Coming Back? Mickey Haller's Next Move Explained
The Ghost of Prince and Other Cameos
One of the most touching moments came when Miley Cyrus teamed up with Brittany Howard. They were introduced by Aubrey Plaza, who was making a rare public appearance. The duo covered "Nothing Compares 2 U." It wasn't just a cover; it was a nod to the show's history of hosting icons like Prince and Sinéad O’Connor.
Music on SNL isn't just about the current Billboard Hot 100. It’s about the "No-Nukes" era, the Sinead photo-tearing incident, and the time Fear literally destroyed the stage.
Later in the night, Jack Nicholson—yes, that Jack Nicholson—emerged from his long hiatus to introduce Adam Sandler. Sandler didn't do a comedy bit. He sang a genuine, heartfelt song about the 50-year history of the show. It was the kind of performance that reminded you why musicians and comedians are often cut from the same cloth.
The Final Bow from a Beatle
How do you end a show that's been on for five decades? You bring in the guy who helped define the 20th century. Paul McCartney took the stage for the finale.
👉 See also: Tim Dillon: I'm Your Mother Explained (Simply)
He played the Abbey Road medley. When he hit the line "the love you take is equal to the love you make," the camera panned across the stage. You saw five generations of cast members—from Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin to Bowen Yang and Ego Nwodim—all standing together.
It was a lot. Maybe a little sentimental. But after 50 years of satirical bites and political roasting, the show earned a moment of genuine heart.
Moving Forward with the SNL Legacy
If you missed the live broadcast, there are specific ways to catch up on the best bits without wading through five hours of footage.
- Check Peacock for the "Homecoming Concert": This is a separate 3.5-hour stream that focuses almost entirely on the music and classic character returns (like The Culps and Nick the Lounge Singer).
- Look for the Digital Shorts: The "SNL 50" digital short about anxiety, featuring Andy Samberg and Lady Gaga, is a standalone masterpiece.
- Watch the Monologue: Steve Martin’s opening, which featured cameos by John Mulaney and Martin Short, sets the tone for why these musical guests were chosen.
The 50th anniversary wasn't just a victory lap. It was a reminder that even in a world of TikTok clips and streaming, there's still something magical about a group of people getting together in a tiny studio in Midtown Manhattan to do it all live.