At this time, it remains unknown how long Kimmel will be on this hiatus, or if it will prove permanent, leading to the late-night host and comedian’s firing or outright cancellation of his program. If this does prove to be the show’s end, we wanted to take a look back over the years at some of Kimmel’s best musical guests.
One Direction, “Perfect” (2015)
Performing live in 2015 amid a legion of loyal fans here on California’s Hollywood Boulevard, pop boy band standouts One Direction break out their second single, “Perfect,” off of their fifth studio LP (entitled Made in the A.M.). Whether you’re a boy band fan or not, it’s hard to deny how good OD was in their prime.
With each respective vocalist in peak form, there was the added, tantalizing undercurrent of singer Harry Styles allegedly writing “Perfect” as a response to ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift’s track “Style.” The song seems to possess a certain rebellious flow to it, and while that energy level might not get mistaken for Joan Jett anytime soon, “Perfect” is a deluxe live thrillride.
Imagine Dragons, “Believer” (2017)
Pop rockers Imagine Dragons performed “Believer” in 2017 live on the Kimmel stage as the first single off of their album that same year called Evolve. While I’m not quite sure if they still possess the same catchy melodic bug that initially launched them to their initial gates of stardom, their beginning glimmers and hooks were more than bright enough.
There was something about the gruff, rasping voice of lead singer Dan Reynolds mixed together with the backing band’s uncouth sense of rhythm that drew the ear as well as the eye. And even though Reynolds meant to have “Believer” reflect on his experiences with painful life matters, it’s still hard not to get lost in the song’s encapsulating groove.
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (2020)
Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a performance back in 2020, promoting his second single “Blinding Lights” off of his fourth studio album (entitled After Hours). While The Weeknd (AKA: Abel Tesfaye) has claimed The Weeknd name is now retired after his last album in 2025 (Hurry Up Tomorrow), he left quite a legacy behind.
Embracing a predominantly 1980s-dwelling sense of self within the character, the figurehead largely matched well with Tesfaye’s exploratory R&B croons, blending theatricality, story, and melody that only seemed to gain more favor the longer he created within it. Who can say what’s next for Tesfaye’s career arc, but we can only hope the vocals keep sounding this sweet.
Eminem, Venom (2018)
As part of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show making a special trek several years back, spending time in Kimmel’s old NYC stomping grounds, the production crew and famed rapper Eminem were able to put on a performance for the ages based around NYC’s Empire State Building. It didn’t hurt that Em was promoting a new album at the time, either.
The LP called Kamikaze has a second single called “Venom,” which was also being used in a film at the time about the Marvel Comics symbiote character Venom. Put it all together, and the renowned rapper took on the slash and burn word verses of “Venom” with the Empire State Building acting as both his backdrop and backup dancer.
While there is a comedic moment thrown into the video for good measure, the spotlight is all on Eminem (and rightly so). The artist has shown himself to be a more than capable, fiery performer in just about every format imaginable, and even all these years into his career, he doesn’t lack for barbed wire-level bars.
Margo Price, Don’t Let The B*stards Get You Down (2025)
Country-folk singer-songwriter Margo Price gets the top spot not just because she may be the final musical guest on Kimmel’s show, but in the unknowingly appropriate way she chose to approach that performance. “Don’t Let The B*stards Get You Down” has rebellious undertones, beginning with a faux-Latin version used by author Margaret Atwood in her timeless book The Handmaid’s Tale.
The phrase was also used years later by fellow country-folk singer Kris Kristofferson to console singer Sinead O’Connor during a Bob Dylan tribute just weeks after O’Connor had torn up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live. The line has often been seen as a small act of rebellion against oppression; Kristofferson even receives a posthumous writing credit.
So, while it may be difficult to know the fate of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s show in the days ahead, at least he brought some good music to carry us through. And a sign-off finale that speaks a lot of truth to the world today.
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