Saturday Night Live: Power Ranking The 36 Musical Guests That Were Also Hosts Updated 10/30/22

Jack Harlow joined Lizzo, Meghan Thee Stallion, and 33 others in some rare company this weekend, becoming one of the handful of SNL guests who has done double duty as both the host and featured musical act. It’s a lot to juggle and some have done it better (much better) than others. Here’s ComedyNerd’s power ranking of the 36 SNL double-duty hosts.

36 Justin Bieber

”I really didn’t enjoy having Justin Bieber around,” says notorious nice guy Bill Hader. Most musical guests aren’t quite the divas you’d expect “with the exception of Bieber. He’s the only one who lived up to the reputation.”

35 Frank Zappa

Zappa makes many “Worst SNL Host Ever” lists, telling the audience he was reading cue cards during his monologue and basically giving Lorne the middle finger with his ‘whatever’ sleepwalk through the show. Allegedly on the unofficial “banned for life” list.

34 Elton John

We’re fans, but maybe sketch comedy just isn’t his thing. Can anybody guess where the cue cards are positioned?

33 Ludacris

Let’s just say he’s better in the

Fast and Furious franchise than he was doing late-night sketch comedy.

32 Nick Jonas

Maybe one of his brothers is funnier? We can never remember which one is which.

31 Ray Charles

Where Ray falls on the list depends on how you like your comedy/music ratio. Charles performed five times that night, leaving the Not Ready For Primetime Players with a virtual night off.

30 Desi Arnaz

Desi was pretty long in the tooth for a hosting gig, though his “I Love Lucy” sketch with Gilda Radner was worth a watch. For his musical numbers, he teamed up with his son, Desi Jr.

29 Janet Jackson

Despite her sitcom past on Good Times and Diff’rent Strokes, Jackson is pretty subdued as a comedy performer. This one kills us anyway.

28 Olivia Newton-John

She shows up in only one mediocre sketch in the edited Peacock version, so it’s hard to judge for people whose memories of 1982 are a little fuzzy.

27 The Rolling Stones

In theory, the entire group hosted the show, although Mick was the primary participant in sketches. They didn’t even do the monologue, with Mayor Ed Koch doing the honors.

26 Deborah Harry

She hosted during the ugly Season 6, so there wasn’t a lot of funny happening for anyone that year. She did get to do her monologue with Eddie Murphy in Cupid boxer shorts.

25 Jack Harlow

Say this for Harlow--he’s happy to be here, showing a goofy enthusiasm that unfortunately isn’t matched by a talent for sketch comedy. Bonus points for effort (and roping in Tom Hanks for a cameo).

24 MC Hammer

Not great at comedy. Not great at music. But a seemingly nice guy and despite this sketch, a killer haircut.

23 Halsey

Halsey is … fine. Nothing embarrassing, solid work. We just can’t remember any of her sketches.

22 Sting

Lots of points for not punching Rob Schneider in the face during this sketch, and for having the only name that makes a Richmeister sketch funny.

21 Billie Eilish

Not the world’s most gifted comic performer, but it’s undeniably hilarious when Kate McKinnon tries to make her break on live television.

20 Harry Styles

Future Marvel star Styles killed it as the sexually inappropriate social media manager for Sara Lee.

19 Bruno Mars

The electric Mars killed the music stuff, while his best comedy bit was the pre-taped Sad Mouse.

18 Lady Gaga

Featured player John Milhiser never got much of a chance, but Lady Gaga’s best sketch was probably Milhiser’s career highlight as well.

17 Willy Nelson

Anybody game for teaming up with Victoria Jackson is a hero in our book. Also hilarious getting accosted by the Church Lady.

16 Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah is a musical guest who can actually act, so SNL uses her to good effect here. Don’t mess with the Equalizer.

15 Meghan Thee Stallion

It took a while for SNL to diversify its cast, but it leaned even further away from old sensibilities when Meghan Thee Stallion came to town. This sketch isn’t even possible ten years earlier.

14 Garth Brooks

Garth pulled double-duty twice, unless you believe Chris Gaines is a separate person. Pretty funny as a guy who would sell his soul to the devil -- if the devil was actually capable of writing a good love song.

13 Stevie Wonder

Not exactly a comedy genius, but a hit due to his rapport with Eddie Murphy. Eddie’s Stevie teaching the real Stevie how to sing like Stevie? Classic.

12 Blake Shelton

OK, maybe Blake doesn’t have the most comic range in the world but if you play to his strengths, he kills it. Has there ever been a better music video parody that The Wishin’ Boot?

11 Lizzo

What Lizzo lacks in comedy acumen, she more than makes up for with “Damn, I’m happy to be here!” energy. Ironically, our favorite part was the cut-for-time sketch when Aidy Bizzo channeled her inner Lizzo.

10 Jennifer Lopez

Two-time double-duty host JLo was destined to appear, if only to settle sh*t with Mango once and for all. Go divas go!

9 Britney Spears

Before her family locked her down for a decade or two, Britney showed promise as a comic actress. She’s great as a butter churner at a colonial museum mixing it up with the Boston teens. Tommy, tell me you got that on camera.

8 Drake

The pride of Degrassi: The Next Generation has multiple hosting gigs under his belt, including one double-duty night. He keeps getting asked back for a reason - here’s his hilarious L’il Wayne/Urkel hybrid.

7 Taylor Swift

She did such a good job in her hosting stint that it’s weird she hasn’t been asked back. She did a funny cameo in a recent Please Don’t Destroy video, just to make our point.

6 Chance the Rapper

For a guy with no acting credits, Chance usually kills it. Give us more of the frigid Knicks announcer forced to cover hockey.

5 Miley Cyrus

We’re not exactly sure why we think this, but Miley seems to be a Lorne favorite. If it’s true, she’s earned it with great comic performances -- and a damn good ScarJo impression.

4 Mick Jagger

Much better on his solo stint than when the entire Rolling Stones hosted. Great bit with Jimmy Fallon to open the show, and he slow-danced with Kristen Wiig on her last show ever.

3 Ariana Grande

Victorious fans were aware of Ariana’s secret comedy chops, but who knew she was such a gifted mimic? OK, everybody by now, but this took us by surprise back in the day. Maybe this is what Tidal needed all along.

2 Paul Simon

One of Lorne’s best pals, Simon has shown up several times over the years, always game to make fun of himself. Dude’s still crazy after all these years.

1 Justin Timberlake

Dick in a Box alone would get JT in the top five. So far, he’s the only musical host inducted into the Five-Timers Club, cementing his legacy as king of the double-duty hosts.

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Top image: NBC