- Gorillaz made their very first appearance on Saturday Night Live on March 7, 2026, after nearly 25 years of career.
- The band performed « Clint Eastwood » (2001) with Del the Funky Homosapien and « The Moon Cave » from the new album The Mountain.
- Damon Albarn took the legendary Studio 8H stage for the first time, having never performed there with Blur either.
- The album The Mountain, released on February 27, 2026, has already claimed the top spot on the UK charts.
Even if you keep up with music news, some events make you jump out of your chair. Finding out that Gorillaz had never set foot on Saturday Night Live in 25 years is a bit like discovering your guitarist friend has never played a Strat: surprising. On March 7, 2026, Damon Albarn and company finally corrected that anomaly at New York's Studio 8H. A 2001 classic and a track from their latest album: a look back at a historic night.
A first appearance 25 years in the making
It's hard to believe that a band as influential as Gorillaz could have slipped through the SNL net for so long. And even crazier: Damon Albarn, also the frontman of Blur, had never taken that stage either. The March 7 episode, hosted by Ryan Gosling (his fourth time hosting), marks a double historic event.
In promos aired before the show, cast member Ashley Padilla expressed her surprise at this absence to Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. The two pals responded with an enigmatic mime.
Gorillaz is the first “virtual band” to achieve worldwide success. Created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett, the project features four animated characters: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. Onstage, the real musicians perform alongside animated projections.
« Clint Eastwood »: the 2001 hit, still as formidable as ever
For their first performance, Gorillaz chose to go back to their roots with « Clint Eastwood », the single that put them on the map in 2001. A bold choice: it's rare for an artist invited to SNL to play a 25-year-old track. But this song, ranked the 38th best song of the 2000s by Rolling Stone, deserved its place.
Rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, whose verse is inseparable from the song, was of course part of the performance. In front of a giant screen displaying the band's animated avatars, the performance created a perfect bridge between past and present.
« The Moon Cave »: diving into the new album The Mountain
For their second appearance, the band shifted to « The Moon Cave », from The Mountain, their ninth album, released on February 27, 2026. The set turned into a mini-festival: Asha Puthli, Black Thought (The Roots), and sitar player Anoushka Shankar joined them onstage.
This track illustrates the direction of The Mountain: an album shaped by grief — Albarn and Hewlett's fathers died ten days apart during production — but also by unprecedented musical openness. The record features posthumous contributions from Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur (De La Soul), and Dennis Hopper.
The Mountain: already at the top of the charts
This SNL appearance comes at just the right time. The Mountain went straight to the top of the Official UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's third number one across the pond. The album explores universal themes of loss, existence, and renewal.
On the touring front, 2026 is shaping up to be busy:
- A run of shows in the UK and Ireland starting this month
- A special show at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20
- Appearances at European festivals: Primavera Sound, Rock Werchter, Electric Picnic
- A 22-date North American tour in the fall
Gorillaz's sonic universe blends analog synths, thick basslines, hip-hop samples, and now sitar. To explore these sounds, check out our selection of synthesizers and keyboards on woodbrass.com: ideal for recreating these hybrid vibes between electronic and world music.
An already iconic moment
With these two performances, Gorillaz proved that they remain one of the most distinctive musical projects of their generation. From « Clint Eastwood » in 2001 to The Mountain in 2026, Albarn and Hewlett continue to push the boundaries between music, visual art, and live performance. This first SNL appearance will remain a milestone — and we'd bet it won't be their last.
Sources
- Rolling Stone – Gorillaz Perform ‘Clint Eastwood,’ ‘The Moon Cave’ on SNL
- Billboard – Gorillaz Perform ‘Clint Eastwood’ and ‘The Moon Cave’ on SNL
- NME – Watch Gorillaz Make SNL Debut With ‘Clint Eastwood’ and ‘The Moon Cave’
- Consequence of Sound – Gorillaz Make Their Long-Awaited SNL Debut
- Wikipedia – The Mountain (Gorillaz album)
