The music part is so obviously this. OP, check an older season’s musical guest list. Gonna take a guess you know every act from a season in 2006-2011. The acts are always relevant to pop culture in some way (2026 references incoming), either being a current trending artist (Anita), an older one that’s touring or releasing an album (Gorilla), and/or someone continually famous (Cher, Paul McCartney) . It’s not SNL’s fault you don’t know them. If you were this age in 2006 (so, your parents maybe?) would you (your parents) know Nelly Furtado, Shakira, Akon, AFI, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Snow Patrol, or Death Cab for Cutie? Those aired 05-07.