From Paul Simon to Lady Gaga, dozens of artists have etched their name into 30 Rock history since 1975. 5/6/2026 "Saturday Night Live" host Olivia Rodrigo during the monologue on May 2, 2026. Lloyd Bishop/NBC Since its premiere in 1975, Saturday Night Live has been one of the biggest bucket-list performance slots for musicians. But to host the legendary sketch-comedy program? That’s when you know you’ve really made it as a star. And for many musicians over the years, that dream has become reality. Everyone from Ray Charles to the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash, Madonna, Britney Spears, Drake, Taylor Swift have, at various points in SNL history, piloted different episodes of the series. It’s not an easy gig — especially for hosts who pull double duty and serve as their own musical guests — with show leads only getting one week of preparation before they are tasked with delivering live monologues and playing absurd characters in skits that challenge them to break away from their artistic images.…