2025 was a year of ups and downs for Jimmy Kimmel and the team at Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The show faced a brief suspension due to some controversial statements made by Kimmel, and shortly after its return, they sadly lost their bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III. Despite these challenges, Kimmel announced a contract extension to keep the show running until May 2027, though some changes are planned for the future.
Even though Jimmy Kimmel Live! will continue airing on ABC for another year and a half, musical performances on the show will be reduced even further. The number of musical acts had already decreased because there are fewer late-night talk shows overall, and this trend will continue as television schedules are planned for 2026, according to Deadline.
While Jimmy Kimmel Live! hasn’t always had a consistent schedule for musical guests, a new rule says the show will now aim to have music performances about twice a week, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The exact number may change, but the goal is to generally feature fewer musical acts overall.
Sources say Jim Pitt, the music producer for JKL!, has been asking around about plans to reduce the number of musical performances on the show. However, no one seems to know why these changes are being made. While some speculated the show might switch to 30-minute episodes, that doesn’t appear to be happening – at least, not according to those with inside information.
With no clear public reason given for the drop in musical performances on late-night shows, it’s easy to suspect that networks are simply trying to cut costs. For example, CBS blamed financial losses for canceling The Late Show, though Jimmy Kimmel disputed that explanation. Similarly, Late Night with Seth Meyers lost its house band, led by Fred Armisen, in 2024 because of budget cuts, and now rarely features musical guests.
Late-night talk shows were once a major goal for musicians and comedians looking to gain exposure, but that impact seems to be fading. Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t believe these shows are disappearing completely, but he’s not optimistic about their future either.
Enjoy this performance by De La Soul from December – it’s a great example of why we need more live music on television!
Now back with new episodes, Jimmy Kimmel Live! Airs weeknights on ABC at 11:35 p.m. ET.
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2026-01-06 21:08