The slow death of late-night TV music is crushing the dreams of countless artists. Are we witnessing the end of the "middle class" musician? For decades, late-night shows were a crucial platform for artists to showcase their music, market albums, and reach new audiences. But now, cuts are happening left and right, leaving many musicians struggling to get their big break.
Let's break down what’s happening. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is reducing the number of musical guests they feature each week. This follows a trend that's been brewing for years. Stephen Colbert's "Late Show," which initially hosted musical acts nearly every night after taking over from David Letterman in 2015, decreased its musical guests to only once or twice a week by 2025. And sadly, the show will cease production in May, eliminating the platform altogether. "Late Night With Seth Meyers" stopped regularly featuring musical performances a while ago, and even cut its house band last year due to budget constraints. Remember "The Late Late Show" with James Corden? That platform disappeared in 2023 and wasn't replaced. Kimmel and Fallon held out longer, making "The Tonight Show" the last major late-night program consistently featuring music.
Chloë Walsh, co-founder of The Oriel, a publicity firm representing diverse acts from indie darlings like Wet Leg and Lucy Dacus to superstars like Shaboozey and Weezer, describes this trend as "yet another thing contributing to the decimation of the music industry’s 'middle class.'" Think of it like this: you have your mega-stars at the top, and a huge pool of aspiring musicians at the bottom. The "middle class" is that vital group of artists who are building a sustainable career, gaining momentum, and on their way to bigger things. But this rung on the ladder is disappearing.
Jim Merlis, co-founder of Big Hassle, a PR veteran who has worked with The Strokes, The Lumineers, and Dave Matthews Band, echoes Walsh's concerns. But here's where it gets controversial... Both argue that the lack of late-night bookings hits developing artists the hardest. Fewer slots mean shows will prioritize established acts that can guarantee ratings. "My guess is there will be fewer opportunities for those 'let’s take a chance' bookings," Merlis says. "We’ve really lost the middle class in music; that’s really bad. It’s a lot of feast and famine with projects. It’s better to have a lot of middle ground too. The emerging artists are the ones that may miss out. There’s social media, but it’s not the stamp of goodness that can come from a TV appearance." Social media is powerful, but a TV appearance carries a certain weight and prestige that can open doors in a way that a viral TikTok video might not.
Walsh estimates that late-night performance opportunities have plummeted from 17-21 per week in 2023 to a maximum of eight now (and potentially six after Colbert's show ends). Kimmel's show, being the only late-night program in Los Angeles, will see intense competition for its two weekly slots. "Those dates are going to be hotly contested by any artist launching an album campaign, and the spots will very naturally go to established artists in the midst of a well-funded global PR launch," she explains. Similarly, "The Tonight Show," soon to be the sole late-night show in New York, will face similar supply and demand pressures, even with more available slots.
Walsh praises Jim Pitt (music producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!) and Julie Gurovitsch (music producer for The Tonight Show) as exceptionally talented bookers who have launched numerous careers and have a knack for identifying rising stars. And this is the part most people miss: "With such fewer performance slots," she worries, "there’s just no space for the remaining bookers to curate an eclectic line up anymore." The ability to showcase a diverse range of musical styles and emerging talent is being sacrificed in favor of prioritizing established acts.
It's true that late-night bookings may not have the same impact they once did. A 2020 Rolling Stone analysis revealed that Colbert's late-night bookings only increased artists' streams by an average of 5% in the days following their performance. A seemingly small boost.
However, advocates argue that the value extends beyond immediate sales. Late-night appearances can boost radio play, secure tour dates, and provide invaluable exposure. Walsh emphasizes the importance for international artists: "I work with a lot of international artists. It’s increasingly expensive to come to the States. And when the costs are being weighed up, a TV booking and the exposure that brings – not just here but internationally via the YouTube and music site coverage at home – is a deciding factor." A single TV spot can justify significant travel and promotional expenses.
Merlis contends that the importance of TV spots was "overstated 20 years ago, and now it’s maybe a bit understated." He clarifies: "People don’t understand that a late-night booking rarely lead to a spike in sales even then. A Letterman appearance in 1995, you’d see a little bit of a bump, but that’s not why we were doing it. Or it wasn’t the only reason. You were presenting the case for other marketing opportunities, showing what they look like, showcasing how they perform live. And that’s still the case." It's about demonstrating an artist's potential and creating a compelling narrative for other media outlets.
Late-night performances come with significant costs. Travel, crew, and other expenses can reach as high as $100,000. This is a huge investment, especially if there's no guaranteed return in music sales. In the digital age, viral marketing can often achieve similar results with fewer resources. A viral TikTok sound can generate millions of streams on Spotify, making a costly TV appearance seem less essential.
Despite the decline in late-night opportunities, not all legacy TV spots have lost their appeal. A Saturday Night Live musical guest appearance remains highly coveted, a must-stop for promoting major albums and solidifying the superstar status of emerging artists.
Even if the live performance itself doesn't go viral, the online write-ups and YouTube videos the next day can generate significant press coverage. Late-night bookings also lend credibility to younger acts, showcasing them on major television networks. "It’s a good tool outside of pure press, and in the YouTube era, you send out the performance the next day, it helps get coverage, it helps secure interviews with other outlets," Merlis explains.
As performance opportunities dwindle and other legacy media outlets like radio and print publications struggle, the résumé-building experiences that once led to long-term careers are disappearing. While no legacy media format holds the same sway as in the past, the impact of late-night's decline is difficult to quantify. "There’s a tacit belief that if something’s not a viral sensation then perhaps the impact was negligible," Walsh says. "But the importance a late-night booking plays in an artist’s career, the impact it can have across media, across radio, with touring and even across other territories via YouTube and social media is invaluable."
So, what do you think? Is late-night TV still relevant for musicians in the age of social media? Can artists truly thrive without these traditional platforms, or are we witnessing the erosion of a vital stepping stone in the music industry? Share your thoughts below – do you agree that the 'middle class' musician is disappearing, and what can be done about it?
