The opening monologue is one of the most sacred rites of passage for anyone who hosts Saturday Night Live. It’s also when the guest ringleader of any given week is the most exposed, typically addressing the audience alone and out of character for one of the only times the entire episode.
That’s possibly why many of the dozens of musicians who have piloted SNL episodes over the years have chosen to perform their monologues in the medium with which they’re most comfortable: through song. Instead of simply warming up the crowd with a spoken stream of introductions and stand-up comedy-style jokes — which is the tried-and-true approach most hosts opt for — a memorable few hosts have instead sung or played their way through the show’s opening few minutes. Sometimes, they’ll grab a guitar or piano to accompany themselves with, and other times, they’ll enlist some of the program’s cast members for some added banter or employ their own backup singers and dancers for some extra pizazz and jazz hands. A musical monologue also creates perfect opportunities for hosts to interact with their live studio audiences, like Justin Timberlake serenading a blushing woman in the crowd during his 2011 hosting stint (see below).
As SNL celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, Billboard is looking back at the 10 best musical monologues the show has seen since premiering in 1975. Featuring monologue songs performed by Drake, Taylor Swift, Paul Simon and more, keep reading to see which hosts have delivered the most iconic show-opening compositions below.
