Saturday Night Live has made Emmy history once again, celebrating its 50th season by earning 31 nominations, the most the show has ever received in a single year.
Already the most Emmy-nominated show in history, SNL went into this year’s race with 341 total nominations—far ahead of any other series. Tuesday’s announcements brought that total to 372, cementing its legacy as a fixture of American television.
This new high mark surpasses the show’s previous record of 22 nominations, set in 2017. It also signals a return to awards prominence after a quieter showing in recent years.
The 31 nominations span not just the weekly sketch series, but also a slate of anniversary programming tied to the show’s 50th season. Specials like SNL50: The Anniversary Special, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, and SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night were recognized across a range of categories, from directing and production design to documentary and immersive media.
Lorne Michaels, who already held the record for most Emmy nominations for an individual, added six to that count today, putting him at 118 nominations total.
Bowen Yang earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, his fourth in the category, continuing his standout run with the show. Also nominated: “Adam Sandler’s Song: 50 Years,” which received recognition in Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
Notably, SNL was once again nominated for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series, going head-to-head with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in a field that has dramatically narrowed in recent years.
The 50th season celebration saw the show submit an unprecedented 43 performers for Emmy consideration—including 20 hosts and several recurring political impersonators. Still, Yang was the only cast member to land a performance nomination, a contrast to previous election-year seasons when guest stars helped pad SNL’s totals.
A complete list of SNL‘s 2025 Emmy nominations follows below:
Saturday Night Live
7 nominations
- Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
- Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup
- Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Series
- Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Series
- Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series
- Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series (Bowen Yang)
- Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series
SNL 50th Anniversary Special
12 nominations
- Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
- Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
- Outstanding Hairstyling For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program
- Outstanding Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program
- Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
- Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special
- Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special
- Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special
- Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics (Adam Sandler’s “50 Years”)
- Outstanding Music Direction
- Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
6 nominations
- Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Special (Live)
- Outstanding Music Direction
- Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Special
- Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special
- Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special
- Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
3 nominations
- Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series
- Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Or Reality Program
- Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program
SNL 50th The Anniversary Special: Immersive Experience
1 nomination
- Outstanding Emerging Media Program
Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music
2 nominations
- Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program
- Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program
The 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air live on CBS Sunday, September 14.
