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Tonight's Musical Guest, Today
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Nirvana on Saturday Night Live. Warren Zevon on David Letterman. Sometimes, late-night TV musical performances live on forever. Most don’t. But we still want to talk about them.
Each week on “Tonight’s Musical Guest, Today”, long-time friends Alex Beaton and Jon Hillman dive in on the music and cultural memory of a band through the arc of their late-night TV performances. Watch along with Alex and Jon as they examine and react to these musical history moments preserved in the amber of time alongside two celebrity guests and a talk show host.
From Conan to Colbert, Letterman to Leno, or SNL to MadTV, there is no shortage of iconic late-night musical moments. And no end to the ones you don’t remember.
Tonight's Musical Guest, Today
Janet Jackson with Robby Seabrook III
She holds eye-popping album sale records, ushered a whole new style of pop music into the mainstream, and did it all as a socially conscious black woman in conservative white America. But one TV performance clouded all of it. It's JANET JACKSON week!
Joining the show this week to help uncloud that cultural memory is music journalist Robby Seabrook III! Robby and the guys discuss Janet's early Jackson family life and mall pop career, including an American Bandstand clip featuring a creepy Dick Clark. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis change the game with Janet on Control and perform with her on the Grammys. Janet takes over the pop world, to the point MTV dedicates its entire 1993 New Year's Eve programming to her. And we return to the Super Bowl for a clip that changes everything about TV musical guest performances forever.
Want to watch along with us? Check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!
Young Love/Come Give Your Love to Me, 10/30/1982 on American Bandstand
What Have You Done for Me Lately?, 2/24/1987 on The Grammy Awards
Miss You Much/Rhythm Nation, 11/17/1989 on Peter's Pop Show
Because of Love, 12/31/1993 on MTV Janet's New Year's Eve Jam
The Way You Move" (Spirit of Houston and Ocean of Soul marching bands)/All for You(Janet Jackson)/Bad Boy for Life(P. Diddy)/Diddy to the tune of "Mickey"/Hot in Herre(Nelly)/Mo Money Mo Problems(P. Diddy)/Bawitdaba(Kid Rock)/Cowboy(Kid Rock)/Rhythm Nation(Janet Jackson)/Rock Your Body(Justin Timberlake with Janet Jackson), 2/1/2004 on The Super Bowl
Nasty/Throb, 5/20/2018 on The Billboard Awards
