Music is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and it can be used in a variety of settings. It can set the mood of a movie, relax people in a restaurant, pass the time when you’re on pause during a phone call, and it can certainly be used to make us laugh.Saturday Night Live, one of themost iconic sketch comedy shows of all time, knows this very well. Over the course of its 50 years, it has come up with plenty of great pre-recorded and live musical parodies. The live stuff is arguably more challenging, as it needs to be performed (almost) perfectly in the moment and still be funny. This goes for sketches that feature a good amount of music, revolve around music, or practically function as a song the entire time.
The episode hosted byBillie Eilishhad a fun song about three singers who got too nervous around Santa Claus, as well as a great Angelo sketch that was unfortunately cut for time. There has also been a fun parody of the musicalAnniewithJason Sudeikis, an amusing take on “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” withJohn Mulaney, and that recurring sketch withKenan Thompsonas the leader of a dive bar band who keeps asking one of his musicians vague but personal questions.Some are more famous than others, but the best of these musical sketches are surprisingly well done for being live, prove exceptionally funny every time you watch them, and make you want to dance and laugh at the same time.
Saturday Night Live
10What Up With That?
First Aired July 07, 2025
Diondre Cole (Kenan Thompson) cannot stop singing. That’s how he starts his talk show, “What Up With That,” that’s how he interrupts every single one of his guests, and that’s how he ends every segment. It’s a very simple and silly structure, and yet the execution really goes out there—so much so that the bit never really gets old. The music is pretty catchy, Kenan’s got just enough pipes to sell the bit, and everything in the background screams 1970s: the background singers, the colorful lights, the saxophone player, and the best part of all: Jason Sudeikis dancing in a red track suit.
This charming tribute to the funky 70s also apparently never fails to includeBill Haderas an amusingly patient Lindsey Buckingham from the legendary Fleetwood Mac (the real Buckingham eventually appears in one of these sketches, too). He never gets a chance to be interviewed, yet he always comes back and proves a good sport about it. This recurring sketch was always sure to entertain the crowd.
9Chuck E. Cheese
Aired July 16, 2025
The normal band at Chuck E. Cheese isn’t around, so the manager (Alex Moffat) called his favorite band from the eighties. Based on his hilarious dancing throughout their performance, it’s clear that this music isn’t for the kids. This sketch is so random, butSNLhas the ability to turn such absurd situations into non-stop laughter.Bowen Yang’s serious demeanor (calling the brand’s mascot “Charles Entertainment Cheese”) is great, and the wayBenedict Cumberbatchsings that chorus about a pizza pie in the pizza sky is fantastic. He even goes falsetto in the end.
The guests who come on stage comically strike the wrong tone as well. There’s a sexy chef, an unimpressive robot, and a carrot singing about the terrible salad bar. All the way through, this comes across as both a whacky send-up of two imperfect American pastimes: Chuck E. Cheese and 80s music. Yet its playfulness and attention to detail make it feel like an homage to both at the same time. They should try Dave and Busters next time Cumberbatch hosts!
8Nick the Lounge Singer
First Aired June 21, 2025
Bill Murray’s Nick the Lounge Singer began inSNL’s early days, and he’s been making us laugh ever since. Unfazed by an unenthusiastic crowd and dull setting, Nick has many elaborate outfits to match his energy: there could be a huge collar, flashy jewelry worn round his neck, a ruffled shirt, a bow-tie, or maybe a leather jacket that’s barely zipped up at all. Whether he’s singing “Thus Spake Zarathustra,” “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” or “That’s the Way (I Like It),” this man never impresses us with his voice.
It’s especially funny when he improvises lyrics to theStar Warstheme, managing to make one ofJohn Williams' most brilliant scoressound unimpressive. Bill Murray has brought the character back on more than one occasion, hilariously singing aboutJawsas only he can and openingSNL’s 25th anniversary special with a medley in which he does fantastic crowd work with the various celebrities attending. It doesn’t matter how old Murray is; he can still make fun of mediocre lounge singers with all the charisma in the world.
7Wayne’s World: Aerosmith
Aired July 31, 2025
“Wayne’s World” was a huge recurring sketch about two dudes in a basement in Aurora, Illinois: Wayne Campbell (Mike Meyers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey). They have a talk show that airs on their community-access channel, but they aren’t the most mature talk show hosts. Most of this recurring sketch’s installments only feature music when Wayne plays some guitar in the intro or in a transition, but not when the almighty Aerosmith comes to town. That’s right: the guys who would soonrepopularize “Bohemian Rhapsody"played with Queen’s Bostonian contemporaries first.
Garth’s cousin Barry is the first guest; he’s a roadie for Aerosmith, andTom Hanksnails the role. We cut to the band via “nook cam,” and learn that Wayne’s mother is talking to them in the kitchen. Eventually, they all come down, give a brief (and hilarious) interview, and play the Wayne’s World theme with the hosts. Between the excellent lead-up to this performance and the performance itself, this is easily the best rendition of the sketch. Party on, guys.
6Bridesmaids Speech
Aired June 15, 2025
Ariana Grandeenters by first insulting the best man’s speech. She then gives a shoutout to her half-sister, the bride, and proceeds to have the other bridesmaids join her for a cover ofSabrina Carpenter’s hit song, “Espresso.” The Kel-squad all sing off-key, which is very funny considering that Grande could obviously sing this properly if she wanted to. What’s not expected, though, is that they change the lyrics to describe a bachelorette party in which the bride-to-be apparently hit it off with some guy named Domingo.
The more they sing, the clearer it is that Kelsey (Chloe Fineman) cheated on her groom. It’s funny how no one is alarmed by this except for the groom (Andrew Dismukes). It turns out that Domingo is a doctor, a part-time model, and a volunteer for “weird, sick animals.” When the man finally appears, it’s perfect timing. One oflast year’s best sketches, two more versions of it have come out since then (even on the 50th anniversary special).
5Album Recording Session
Aired June 17, 2025
Young Spicy (Devon Walker) needs some help recording producer tags for his new album, and these two singers (Ana de ArmasandEgo Nwodim) give him some unorthodox options. They start off with a few nice phrases, but then they start insulting the guy. First they call him illiterate, which makes him interrupt them. When they start again, they either find another way to insult him or vocalize a very unwanted situation. This happens every time Young Spicy asks them to restart, and the fact that they’re using their sexy voices for these unhelpful remarks makes for some top-shelf delivery.
Ana de Armas saying “D-d-d-damn, Spicy, you live like this?” is hysterical, and the laughs don’t let up from there. All the better that these singers technically are responding to his feedback; they just keep winding up turning each suggestion on its head, like when Spicy asking them to say that the ladies love him brilliantly turns into a dig at his car. Though there’s at least one other version of this sketch, the one specifically with Ana de Armas is what makes it one of the greats.
4The Blues Brothers
First Aired June 04, 2025
In one of the coolest cold opens inSaturday Night Livehistory, a guy talks about a musical group that’s not an authentic blues band anymore. Instead, they’ve become a “viable commercial product.” They are none other than The Blues Brothers: “Joliet” Jake Blues (John Belushi) on vocals and his silent brother Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd)—dressed in matching suits, sunglasses, and fedoras. Belushi is an exciting frontman, and Aykroyd’s dancing in the background is very entertaining. Aykroyd plays a mean harmonica, and Belushi’s voice isn’t too shabby either.
Their debut onSNLwas in season three, but they would continue to perform as a sort of side hustle—not unlikeSpinal Tapwould. Another classic cold open would arrive in season four, in which Belushi does a cartwheel before he starts singing “Soul Man.” The Blues Brothers would become such a hit that their debut album would reach number one on the Billboard chart and they would make one ofthe greatest R-rated movie musicals of all time. Less about comedy than about a love for music, this duo is one of the show’s most significant cultural contributions.
3Diner Lobster
Aired July 05, 2025
Ever wonder what would happen if you ordered lobster at a standard diner?Pete Davidsonplays a character who just won a lawsuit and wants to find out, much to the dismay of his waiter. In his first stint asSNLhost,John Mulaneydoes a superb job of playing a waiter who tries to talk him out of this order. When that fails, the lobster himself (Kenan Thompson) sings about his troubles alaLes Misérables, turning this sketch into a mini-musical. Matching the absurdity of expecting seafood at a diner to be a good idea, “Diner Lobster” throws all of its cards on the table—and it pays off.
Of course Davidson breaks immediately, but it’s much more important that the singers don’t. The success of this homage to a famous musical would be the first of many, as Mulaney has followed this premise of ordering food from a shady source in several other contexts every time he’s hosted. He even took this format to make a 10-minute long mini-musical about New York City for the show’s 50th anniversary special. In short, “Diner Lobster” is one of the biggest pieces ofSNLculture in the past ten years.
2James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party
Aired August 04, 2025
What ifJames Brownsang about a hot tub for a few minutes? It’s a silly idea, and yet it fits with the Godfather of Soul’s personality so well. Key to this sketch is the one and onlyEddie Murphy, arguablythe greatestSNLcast member of all time. So many details are taken from Brown’s live act, and they’re executed to perfection. How can you not love when Brown asks the band if he should get in the hot tub? Murphy’s dance moves are smooth and hilarious at the same time, and of course his impersonation of the singer’s iconic voice is spot on.
When he finally takes a step into the hot tub, it’s too hot. He even pretends to leave, with someone else helping him as he walks away from the water. The crowd went wild for it, almost as if James Brown himself were there. Murphy had the robe (which he takes off before eventually entering the hot tub), the hair, and the energy to keep this brief but legendary sketch going. Honestly, one could watch a full concert of this. Murphy toldJimmy FallononThe Tonight Showthat even James Brown himself liked it, and there’s no higher praise than that.
1More Cowbell
Aired June 17, 2025
Ever listen closely to a famous song and notice it’s got some cowbell in there? Someone onSaturday Nightobviously did, specifically for Blue Oyster Cult’s classic “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper,” and they made an entire skit out of that single realization. Random insights like this can lead to comedy gold, and “More Cowbell” has a pretty good point; the song doesn’t need this very specific percussion. Thus, the sketch’s premise is simple: one guy tries to play the cowbell while they’re recording the song, and the band argues over how much it should be included.
What ties this all together is the album’s highly acclaimed producer: Bruce Dickinson. Played bythe greatChristopher Walken, this guy is really into that cowbell—and he never explains why.Will Ferrellstriking that cowbell during each take beautifully captures how bizarre that instrument is for this song, buttheBruce Dickinson insists on it.Ferrell’s physical comedy here is as strong as always—but every time Walken re-emerges from that booth, his lines are almost too side-splitting to bear.The quote about needing a certain prescription officially cements this as perhaps the greatest musical sketch this show has ever done.
