NEW YORK CITY – FEBRUARY 15: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and musical guest Chappell Roan … More
Earlier this month, CBS announced plans to axe The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, a jarring move from the media giant that left many questioning the future of late-night programing.
When The Late Show leaves airwaves next May, audiences will say goodbye to Colbert’s wit-sharp monologues. They’ll bid farewell to engaging interviews with sought-after people. And they’ll watch the proverbial door close on a show that for years delivered live performances from living legends, pop powerhouses and must-hear artists on the verge of superstardom.
Despite declined ratings, performing on late-night television continues to be an essential step for under-the-radar artists looking to growing audiences; for most in music, late-night debuts can be among the most competitive media slots to score when promoting a new project. And now artists must compete with one less show on-air.
During his decade at the head of The Late Show, Colbert offered a space for legends such as John Prine, Mavis Staples and Marty Stuart to remind audiences that they’re still singing – and damn good at it. It gave a platform to well-oiled groups – The Marcus King Band, Meet Me @ The Altar, Japandroids and Paramore, among dozens more – to play music live and loud, the way it should be heard. And it provided a place for rock club poets – John Moreland, Lillie Mae and MJ Lendermen – to play heartfelt songs.
From country crooners to pop tastemakers, let’s look back at four times The Late Show booked an artist on the rise.
2024: Chappell Roan
2024 may be remembered as the year of Chappell Roan, and she kicked it off on The Late Show. Months before she played to jaw-dropping crowds at Coachella or climbed Billboard charts with her relatable take on polished pop hooks, she made her late-night debut on the CBS program. During the performance, Road showcased her campy theatrics with a take on call-and-response earworm “Red Wine Supernova.”
2015: Chris Stapleton
Many in country music rightfully point to Stapleton’s performance of “Tennessee Whiskey” at the 2015 CMA Awards as his star-making moment. But that wasn’t his first time in front of a network audience. Weeks before tearing the roof off the CMA Awards with his Justin Timberlake duet, Stapleton made his network television debut with Colbert, performing “Nobody To Blame,” a country-rock cut off Traveller, the debut album that would soon barnstorm country charts.
NEW YORK CITY – SEPTEMBER 26: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Chris Stapleton during … More
2018: Noah Kahan
Long before he collaborated with Post Malone or played to stadium-sized audiences, Noah Kahan made his late-night debut to promote “Hurt Somebody,” a single released on a four-song EP of the same name. He wouldn’t release his breakout album – 2022’s Stick Season – for another four-and-a-half years.
2022: Billy Strings
By 2022, few fans of bluegrass music didn’t know Billy Strings. But that year, he arguably crossed into mainstream music as larger audiences gravitated toward once-in-a-generation guitarist with a can’t-miss live show and penchant for clever songwriting. Both were on display when Strings and his band performed “Know It All” on The Late Show stage.