Top 10 SNL Hosts Who Were Also the Musical Guests

This British avant-pop star had us wondering… “Charli, where have you been all our lives?!” Although she’d graced the “SNL” mainstage before, Charli’s first hosting gig came on the heels of her critically acclaimed sixth studio album “Brat,” in addition to the viral phenomenon that was “Brat Summer.” Alongside two instantly iconic musical performances, Charli shocked us with her pitch-perfect comedic timing and seemingly effortless charisma. The “360” singer even found time to cameo in a Lonely Island Digital Short with Andy Samberg, poking fun at upper middle-class suburbanites. Hey, in an alternate universe, maybe Charli would’ve made a good cast member!

Speaking of pleasant surprises— you can imagine how surprised “SNL” audiences were to see Billie Eilish absolutely own her debut hosting stint. Sure, she’s only won nine Grammys, two Oscars and twenty Guinness World Records… but can she do sketch comedy? As it turns out, that’s just another notch in Eilish’s belt of accomplishments. Given the dark, introspective tone of her music, could you blame us? While “Billie Eilish” and “Christmas” may not be the first two things you’d think to put together, Eilish more than held her own in several holiday-themed sketches. Keep an eye out for the “Hotel Ad” sketch, in which Eilish can’t help but crack up at Kate McKinnon’s antics. Don’t worry, Billie — we’d do exactly the same.

The announcement of “Dune,” “Wonka,” and “Call Me by Your Name” star Chalamet as a musical guest was generally met with confusion by fans of the show. Despite his Oscar-nominated performance as the legendary Bob Dylan, Chalamet is hardly known as a musician. The actor had hosted “SNL” twice before, so no one was doubting his comedy credentials — as they shouldn’t have, given that Timmy once again brought his A-game. Chalamet stayed true to Dylan’s spirit, playing a selection of obscure tracks (that he declared were his personal favorites) from Dylan’s songbook that only die-hard fans would know. Fun, energetic performances aside, you’ve gotta give the young Oscar nominee points for originality.

Never let it be said that the Queen of Country herself is anything but a good sport. Dolly was, of course, a massively established star of the music world by the time she hosted in 1989, and it’s also worth noting that she’d already built up a more-than-solid filmography of leading-lady roles, too. So, with that in mind… Lorne Michaels, why did it take so long to get Dolly, and why haven’t you had her back since?! Parton handled both hosting and performing music with the flamboyant, exuberant flair she’s famous for. Just watch her gut-busting monologue, which finds Dolly having a self-aware laugh at her, uh… two greatest assets.

Sure, Mars has graced the “SNL” music stage a handful of times now. But just like Dolly, we have to wonder why the modern-day pop dynamo hasn’t hosted again since his initial 2012 outing as part of season 38. The superstar, born Peter Hernandez, put his full range of talents on display, letting viewers know that he had more to offer than his catchy love songs that continue to dominate the airwaves. We even learned that Mars has an uncanny knack for celebrity vocal impressions, as well as for unexpectedly on-point physical comedy. And against all odds, there was… a completely left-field showcase for his dramatic acting skills? Sure, Lorne. Whatever works.

Ah, the host and musical guest so nice, they asked her back twice! Cringey attempts at rhyming aside, the former Hannah Montana has predictably proven herself to be nothing less than a consummate showwoman. Cyrus’ 2013 monologue, in particular, tackled recent scandals that had plagued her career in no uncertain terms. We guess there’s something about country singers and playing nice on “SNL”? Anyway, in typical Miley fashion, she handled the fallout from her controversial VMA performance alongside Robin Thicke in a way that only Miley could… which is making fun of herself on one of the nation’s biggest platforms. How does she manage to make talking about what she won’t do so entertaining?

We’ll stop bringing it up after this, but as many Swifties have surely wondered by now… is there a reason that Taylor hasn’t hosted again since her now-iconic 2009 hosting appearance? Although Ms. Swift herself has appeared as the musical guest on a number of occasions, her one and only gig as host left fans of hers — and “SNL” — wanting more. Despite her lack of a background in sketch comedy, Swift acquitted herself admirably, proving herself a natural fit for the show’s characteristically goofy sensibilities. The “You Belong With Me” singer tackled her public image, media scrutiny of her personal life, and her infamous run-in with Kanye West (you know the one) — and that was just in her monologue.

Like he mentions in his hilarious monologue, Glover actually auditioned to be part of the “SNL” cast before eventually breaking out as part of the cast of “Community.” While he fell short at the time, that’s for our benefit: otherwise, he may not have been able to pursue his seemingly endless stable of creative passions. Glover’s hosting gig reaffirmed the obvious: that the comedian, rapper, producer, etc. would’ve been a natural fit on the show. Despite his overall career shift away from comedy, Glover returned to his roots for a highly memorable late-season episode. Don’t forget to check out his musical performances as Childish Gambino, which feature the first-ever live rendition of his viral hit “This is America.”

Look, was there ever any doubt that Ari would kill it in both capacities on “SNL?” Even if you’re not surprised by how effortlessly the pop star pulled it off, it’s hard to deny how compulsively watchable Ariana is. Grande’s years of experience in showbiz prepared her for a masterful stint at the helm of the “SNL” ship. Case in point: her monologue, in which she addresses her rising star in hilariously pithy fashion, poking fun at her own reputation as a former child star. The real standout sketch is one in which Ari gets to show off her most underutilized talent: shockingly good celebrity impressions, à la Bruno Mars.

Yeah… you probably saw this one coming. But how can you blame us? Timberlake, even considering his late-career fall from grace, may be the “Saturday Night Live” host. From the time that the former NSYNC member first hosted in 2006, promoting “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” it was abundantly clear that Timberlake had the goods. JT stood head and shoulders above the rest, boasting his own original cavalcade of recurring “SNL” characters — an honor reserved for only the most revered of hosts. Timberlake last pulled double duty in 2013, in recognition of “The 20/20 Experience,” proving that he hadn’t lost any of his sketch comedy mojo in the process.


Who’s your favorite “SNL” host that can do it all? Are there any we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!