Saturday Night Live has wrapped up its 50th season, which means there have been many musical guests. We saw some of them on the 50th anniversary show, which was even better than the sketch version. But musical guests have always been hit or miss on SNL.
This season brought us some excellent performances, but some disappointing ones. If you were only going to watch some of the highlights, we rank who you should watch below. The last-place one is obvious.
Being a musical guest on SNL is tough. The show isn't about them, and they have eight minutes or less to sell themselves. The best did it with excellence.
Ranking all of the musical performances on Saturday Night Live in season 50.
19. Morgan Wallen
- Songs performed: "I'm the Problem" and "Just in Case"
We realize Wallen is the second-biggest thing in American music to Taylor Swift, but that should not make him arrogant. He certainly appeared that way on SNL, half-heartedly going through the motions of two songs to a lukewarm response. Worse, he decided he was too important to stick around for the credits and walked straight off the stage. Maybe he needed to throw a chair at someone.
18. Shaboozey
- Songs performed: "Good News" and "A Bar Song (Tipsy)"
The songs weren't bad, they were just a bit too slow. SNL can work with slow jams, but performers at their best get the crowd involved. After all, the crowd isn't mostly there to see the musical artists, so it's up to the performer to do something special.
17. Coldplay
- Songs performed: "All My Love" and "We Pray (feat. Elyanna & Tini)"
Boring. Chris Martin and company stopped being interesting years ago. They were once an alt-rock outfit that was a little mellow. Now, they are mellow and pop. It's a bad combination when there isn't much to drive the melody.
16. Tate McRae
- Songs performed: "Sports Car" and "Dear God"
McRae is more of a workout routine than an excellent musical star. She didn't even sing the first chorus on one of her tunes. She is a dancer at heart with a decent, but not great, voice. This is more like watching a high-end cheerleading contest.
15. Stevie Nicks
- Songs performed: "The Lighthouse" and "Edge of Seventeen"
Some might think it a bit sacrilegious not to utterly love everything Nicks does at this age. Her singing was a bit off-key. She is an engaging performer, but no longer a great one.
14. Elton John and Brandi Carlile
- Songs performed: "Little Richard's Bible" and "Who Believes in Angels?"
The songs aren't bad, but they are forgettable. The SNL performance of "Little Richard's Bible" was fun, but one is hard-pressed to remember the melody. The two musical artists are fantastic individually, but they didn't bring out the best in each other on their new album or here.
13. Charli xcx
- Songs performed: "360" and "Sympathy Is a Knife"
Doing double duty as host and musical guest is tough. The sets seemed to mimic that. They were uninspired and seemingly rushed. Charli xcx has a fine voice and brings lots of energy, but there simply was not much to work with here.
12. Jelly Roll
- Songs performed: "Liar" and "Winning Streak"
You either like or dislike Jelly Roll. His transition from hip-hop to country makes him seem weaker as an artist. His backstory is real and worth a listen, but his songs do not transcend. He also simply has an OK voice.
11. Hozier
- Songs performed: "Too Sweet" and "Fairytale of New York"
Unfortunately, Hozier's catalog might always be overshadowed by his hugely successful 2013 single, "Take Me to Church." The shame is that he writes many good songs, including "Too Sweet." His rendition of the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" was excellent, too.
10. Timothée Chalamet
- Songs performed: "Outlaw Blues"/"Three Angels" and "Tomorrow Is a Long Time"
This one gets oddly weird because Chalamet clearly is not performing his own songs, but covering Bob Dylan. We know he can sing like the icon from A Complete Unknown, and maybe Chalamet is only acting here. It's still good stuff.
9. Lizzo
- Songs performed: "Love in Real Life"/"Still Bad" and "Don't Make Me Love You"
Lizzo will always be entertaining, but her songs will not be heard much in 20 years. She is more of a personality than a songsmith. Still, her energy and performances are electric, even if they might still be tinged with controversy.
8. Gracie Abrams
- Songs performed: "That's So True" and "I Love You, I'm Sorry"
Where would Abrams be without Taylor Swift? We will never know. Still, she is an understated performer in her own right, and Abrams does not try to do too much with her setting. It is as cool and calm as her songs, and that is good enough.
7. Mk.gee
- Songs performed: "Rockman" and "Alesis"
Who saw this coming? There was no real reason to have Mk.gee on Saturday Night Live, and his way of performing does not lend itself to the show, either. Yet, because of the brilliance of his guitar work coupled with how he uses his voice, he was outstanding, even if he never plays the show again.
6. Billie Eilish
- Songs performed: "Birds of a Feather" and "Wildflower"
Expecting Eilish to be anything but extraordinary at this point is probably foolish. She somehow succeeds without getting away from her usual MO. The issue is that it's all so original. Maybe we are just stunned that we aren't board yet and will never be.
5. Benson Boone
- Songs performed: "Sorry I'm Here for Someone Else" and "Mystical Magical"
That mustache. Boone arrives looking like someone out of Napoleon Dynamite and then delivers an intoxicating performance. He even performed two new songs instead of relying on something everyone already knew. He is smart and understands his limits. He will probably be a staple of the culture for the next decade.
4. Bad Bunny
- Songs performed: "NUEVAYoL" and "PERFuMITO NUEVO (feat. RaiNao)"
It would have been so easy to rank Bad Bunny higher here. He has been a musical guest before and a host, too, so there could come a time when SNL viewers are so used to seeing his face that it no longer appeals. But we will keep watching if he keeps coming up with things such as "PERFuMITO NUEVO," performed as a story within the song.
3. Lady Gaga
- Songs performed: "Abracadabra" and "Killah"
It's Gaga. What else would we expect but greatness?
2. Chappell Roan
- Songs performed: "Pink Pony Club" and "The Giver"
How long will Chappell Roan be part of the general cultural understanding? Who knows? But right now, she is hot and worthy of being so. The best part is she seems as self-aware of her own luck that she is happy to be where she is. We should all want that from our favorite artists.
1. GloRilla
- Songs performed: "Yeah Glo!" and "Whatchu Kno About Me"/"Let Her Cook"
In many ways, GloRilla is a throwback. She raps. Like, she raps. There is no gimmickry of some hip-hop performers. She would be excellent even if she did not have backup dancers and some drums. How well this might translate to Saturday Night Live was unknown, but the answer resounded: "Awesome."