The old adage that age is merely a number is being put to the test this month as two iconic superstars take center stage on television programs traditionally aimed at younger demographics. By headlining major broadcasts, Cher and Diana Ross are proving that legendary status knows no expiration date.
When Cher steps onto the Saturday Night Live stage this weekend, she will cement her place in the show’s history. At 79, she becomes the second-oldest musical guest to perform in the long-running sketch series’ 50-year tenure. She trails only the legendary ragtime pianist Eubie Blake, who was 92 when he performed alongside Gregory Hines in March 1979.
While Blake’s SNL appearance followed a late-career resurgence driven by the Broadway hit Eubie!, Cher’s presence is a testament to her enduring relevance. For over six decades, she has remained a fixture of the cultural zeitgeist, consistently delivering hit records, cinematic triumphs, and sold-out tours. Adding to her recent accolades, the Recording Academy recently announced that Cher will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Special Merit Awards on January 31, just ahead of the 68th Grammy Awards.
This marks Cher’s second time as the musical guest on SNL. Her debut took place on November 21, 1987, just weeks before the release of her Oscar-winning film Moonstruck, where she performed the hits “I Found Someone” and “We All Sleep Alone.”
On New Year’s Eve, the celebration continues with Diana Ross, who will headline Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Performing live from Times Square as the clock approaches midnight, the 81-year-old icon takes over the high-profile slot held last year by Carrie Underwood. Much like Cher, Ross has been an essential part of the musical landscape since the 1960s.
The two legends share remarkably parallel career timelines: Ross secured her first number-one hit with The Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go” in August 1964, while Cher reached the top of the charts with Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” almost exactly one year later.
Iconic SNL Musical Guests Over Age 70
Cher joins an elite group of veteran performers who have graced the SNL stage in their eighth decade and beyond. Here are the artists who proved that rock and roll has no age limit:
- Paul McCartney (70)
Date: Dec. 15, 2012
Host: Martin Short
Setlist: “My Valentine,” “Cut Me Some Slack,” “Wonderful Christmastime” - Bruce Springsteen (71)
Date: Dec. 20, 2020
Host: Timothée Chalamet
Setlist: “Ghosts,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (performed with the E Street Band) - Stevie Nicks (76)
Date: Oct. 12, 2024
Host: Ariana Grande
Setlist: “The Lighthouse,” “Edge of Seventeen” - Paul Simon (77)
Date: Oct. 13, 2018
Host: Seth Meyers
Setlist: “Can’t Run But,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
Note: Accompanied by the ensemble yMusic, Simon was surprised with an on-stage birthday cake during the curtain call. - Elton John (78)
Date: April 5, 2025
Host: Jack Black
Setlist: “Little Richard’s Bible,” “Who Believes in Angels?” (performed with Brandi Carlile) - Cher (79)
Date: Dec. 20, 2025
Host: Ariana Grande - Eubie Blake (92)
Date: March 10, 1979
Host: Gary Busey
Setlist: “Low-down Blues,” “I’m Just Simply Full of Jazz,” “I’m Just Wild About Harry” (performed with Gregory Hines)
