What was the greatest musical performance in history of SNL?

Prince - "Fury"

 

That's ok I also think the stones performance in 1978 shattered on SNL was pathetic . I like your profile pic tho.

 

Captain Beefheart
Leon Redbone
Billy Idol

 

Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World," no contest.

Elvis Costello's "Radio Radio" was great too, as were Nirvana, Radiohead, Beck, the Replacements' glorious meltdown, Randy Newman's earliest appearances, Prince, Jackson Browne, Captain Beefheart, Funk 4+1, Run-DMC, Kanye West and Childish Gambino delivered one for the books just a few weeks ago - there's definitely enough excellent performances to fill a great DVD box set (the one they did put out isn't it - not even close) and quite a few appearances that were great more for what they meant than the performances themselves, but Neil is the only one that gave something that I would put on a Best Of disc over the studio recording.

 

I remember this one live, I was 10 or 11 and staying up late to watch SNL was a big deal.

 

Talking Heads

 

Hands down, it has to Blue Oyster Cult playing Don't Fear The Reaper! Killer cowbell!

 

To my mind, Pearl Jam’s three song performance days after Cobain’s death ranks up there with best, and certainly one of the darkest SNLs ever aired. They open with an unreleased song, “Not For You” and the performance of “Rearviewmirror” is definitive IMO. Also I believe the first time Vedder plays guitar with the band IIRC; his guitar sounds great.

The episode was also absolutely hilarious, with “how much ya bench?”, “geek, dweeb or spazz”, and “the herlihy boy”.

I fully recognize this could be a generational thing though; most SNL discussions are.

NY’s “Rockin in the Free World” is also up there for me.

 

Seconded. Nothing's more badass than singing "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine" on national TV on Easter morning.

 

Greatest? Perhaps not, but I always enjoyed Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Pretty faithful rendition until Brian May - two guitar changes into the performance - catapults it to a rocking conclusion.

 

Unquestionably this.

 

With this as a close second. The reaction in my college dorm lounge by a bunch of kids in 1978 was priceless. I was the only one who had the record, and needless to say it was required at every party thereafter.

 

John Belushi and Joe Cocker duet

 

Kurt Cobain was 12 (and watching?)

 

The last time Mick Jagger appeared on SNL (Kristin Wiig's last show), his performance was fantastic. They start with a gospel group singing the original version of "This May be the Last Time", they cuts to Jagger singing the Stones' version with The Arcade Fire. Why isn't it on youtube. It's really good.

 

The great Macca/Lennon reunion....

 

Capt Beefheart
Fear
Replacements
Sinead

 

The best music performance on SNL, bar none (and the perfect host to introduce it, too): What a mess - Video Dailymotion

 

I'm not much of a Petty fan but this is my favorite performance because of the sheer confidence Tom Petty exudes in 1979. This skinny kid from central Florida on that New York stage.

 

I just watched the video that sami posted (page 2). A great performance but why do you say shocking? What's the background story?

 

You've gotta think Patton realized that if he did actually manage to get himself into that fan, it would likely take the fire dept. to get him out again.

D.D.

 

of the one's i saw it would have to be that first elvis and/or the bowie w/klaus nomi

 

Paul Simon & George Harrison
Devo
Bowie
Elvis Costello
The B-52s
The Blue Brothers

I must have missed when Patti Smith was on.

Frank Zappa - The Purple Lagoon
(Not a Zappa fan, but I did like that one.)