What challenges did Lorne Michaels face in bringing live music to 1970s SNL?

Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live, faced a "big, big fight" in incorporating live music performances on the show during its first season in the 1970s, as the technology at the time was focused on capturing clear audio and syncing it with visuals in real time.

What iconic musical guests performed on early episodes of SNL?

Some of the most memorable musical guests on SNL's first season included Patti Smith, ABBA, and Lily Tomlin, with ABBA even having to lip-sync their pre-recorded tracks due to technical limitations.

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SNL Celebrates 51 Years of Live Comedy and Iconic Music Performances

Q: How did the format of SNL's first season differ from today?

In the first season of SNL in 1975, the format was quite different, with the first host, George Carlin, doing stand-up during the breaks rather than appearing in sketches. Additionally, there were four musical performances per episode, compared to the usual two today.

25 Oct

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Summary

SNL continues to air live in 2025 with upcoming hosts
Bringing live music to 1970s TV was a "big, big fight" for the show
SNL's first season featured different format with fewer sketches and more music

SNL Celebrates 51 Years of Live Comedy and Iconic Music Performances

As of October 2025, the iconic sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is celebrating its 51st season, continuing to entertain audiences with its signature live performances from New York. The show's creator, Lorne Michaels, recently looked back on the early days of SNL, recalling the "big, big fight" the team faced in bringing live music to television in the 1970s.

When SNL first aired in 1975, the format was quite different from today's show. The first host, George Carlin, did stand-up during the breaks rather than appearing in sketches. Additionally, there were four musical performances per episode, compared to the usual two. Michaels explained that incorporating live music was a significant challenge, as the technology at the time was focused on capturing clear audio and syncing it with visuals in real time.