Halloween has only occasionally fallen on a Saturday since Saturday Night Live premiered in 1975, making October 31 episodes a relatively rare tradition. Across five broadcasts spanning 45 years, the late-night institution has welcomed musical guests ranging from punk provocateurs Fear to The Strokes and Gracie Abrams, with each appearance bringing a different sound to Studio 8H.
The Halloween episodes have also produced some of the show’s most memorable musical moments. One performance descended into a notorious mosh pit, another captured the polished new-wave sound of the 1980s, and the latest brought a cinematic tribute to Romeo + Juliet. Here is every musical guest who has performed on an October 31 episode of SNL, including the songs they chose and the stories behind their appearances.
Your daily dose of music news, trends, and fresh drops.
InMusic Newsletter
Fear (1981)
The first Halloween-night edition of Saturday Night Live aired on October 31, 1981, with Donald Pleasence as host and Los Angeles punk band Fear as the musical guest. Their appearance became one of the most infamous performances in the show’s history, largely because of the unruly crowd gathered in front of the stage.
With help from John Belushi, a fan of the group who also made a cameo during the episode, Fear brought a contingent of punk fans into Studio 8H. The audience included members of New York’s hardcore scene, and the atmosphere quickly became more reminiscent of a chaotic underground punk show than a conventional television performance.
The band played four songs: “I Don’t Care About You,” “Beef Bologna,” “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones” and “Let’s Have a War.” The second performance became particularly notorious as fans began moshing, stage-diving and throwing themselves around the studio. The situation reportedly became so disorderly that the broadcast cut away from the performance.
Fear’s appearance remains a defining moment in the history of live music on SNL.
The Cars (1987)
On October 31, 1987, SNL returned for its second Halloween-night broadcast, this time with Dabney Coleman hosting and The Cars performing as musical guests. The Boston band offered a much more controlled evening than Fear’s chaotic appearance six years earlier, bringing its distinctive new-wave sound to the show.
The group performed “Strap Me In” and “Double Trouble,” both taken from its sixth studio album, Door to Door. Released earlier that month, the record was the band’s latest studio project and gave the appearance a promotional purpose.
The episode also leaned heavily into Halloween, opening with a cold open titled “Lifestyles of the Rich, Famous and Scary.” Horror icon Elvira made an appearance, while several sketches incorporated spooky themes.
10,000 Maniacs (1992)
The October 31, 1992, episode featured Catherine O’Hara as host and 10,000 Maniacs as musical guest. Fronted by Natalie Merchant, the alternative rock band arrived while promoting its fifth studio album, Our Time in Eden, which had been released in September.
The group performed two songs from the record: “These Are Days” and “Candy Everybody Wants.” The former became one of the album’s best-known tracks, pairing the band’s folk-influenced alternative sound with Merchant’s expressive vocals and an optimistic message about embracing the present.
Halloween also shaped the episode’s comedy, with sketches including a Hans and Franz segment and “After the Halloween Party.” After 10,000 Maniacs’ appearance, however, the show would not broadcast another episode on Halloween night for 28 years.
The Strokes (2020)
SNL finally returned to an October 31 broadcast in 2020, with John Mulaney hosting and The Strokes serving as musical guests. The episode arrived during the COVID-19 pandemic, just three days before the U.S. presidential election, giving the Halloween edition an unusual backdrop.
The band performed two tracks from its sixth studio album, The New Abnormal, released in April 2020. “The Adults Are Talking” opened the appearance, with Julian Casablancas and the group performing against a colourful striped backdrop featuring the word “OBEY.”
For their second performance, The Strokes chose “Bad Decisions.” The stage design shifted to a digital landscape that transformed into a black-and-white checkered tunnel.
The episode also featured Halloween-themed comedy, including a Headless Horseman segment, alongside a special opening message from Joe Biden, portrayed by Jim Carrey. The combination of Halloween, pandemic-era production and the approaching election made the broadcast a particularly unusual entry in the show’s history.
Gracie Abrams (2026)
The latest Halloween-night episode arrived on October 31, 2026, with first-time host Inde Navarrette and Gracie Abrams as musical guest. Returning for her second appearance, Abrams connected the performances to her third studio album, Daughter from Hell, and its upcoming deluxe edition.
She opened with “Hit the Wall,” the album’s opening track and lead single. The performance drew inspiration from Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, with Abrams channeling Claire Danes’ angelic look. Beginning behind an aquarium, she recreated the atmosphere of the movie’s iconic fish-tank meeting scene before stepping into a dramatic arrangement built around synth-pop production, atmospheric effects and striking lighting.
Abrams returned later in the episode to deliver the live debut of “Here You Come, There You Go,” one of five additional tracks on Daughter from Hell (Deluxe), scheduled for release on November 20. For the second performance, she switched to a different look while continuing the episode’s Romeo + Juliet-inspired visual theme.
Photo: SNL / YouTube
Leave a Reply