Nirvana’s legacy roared back to life once again at SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, as the surviving members—Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear—teamed up with Post Malone for an electrifying performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Held at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the event celebrated 50 years of Saturday Night Live, and Nirvana’s set was one of the most highly anticipated moments of the night. Longtime SNL alum Adam Sandler introduced the collaboration as “Post Nirvana,” a nod to the genre-crossing combination of one of grunge’s greatest bands and a modern superstar.
Post Malone, no stranger to rock-infused performances, has long expressed his admiration for Nirvana. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led a live-streamed Nirvana tribute featuring Blink-182’s Travis Barker on drums, covering 15 songs from the band’s catalog. Now, stepping onto the SNL50 stage with Grohl and company, he delivered a raw and impassioned vocal performance that did justice to the iconic track.
The night was filled with other legendary collaborations. Eddie Vedder and the Roots paid tribute to Tom Petty with The Waiting, Arcade Fire performed Heroes alongside David Byrne and St. Vincent in honor of David Bowie, Devo rocked out with comedian and musician Fred Armisen on drums, and Jack White closed out the night with a searing cover of Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World.
The SNL50: The Homecoming Concert is available to watch on Peacock, with another retrospective, SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration, airing on NBC and Peacock. For rock fans, it was a night to remember—proof that Nirvana’s impact remains as potent as ever, even in unexpected collaborations.
