10 Most Infamous SNL Musical Guests

For as much as it's been called a variety show in the past, there's a lot of star power that comes with being on SNL as a musical guest. Aside from just the exposure, a good performance can be able to send you into the stratosphere of stardom, oftentimes turning the artists in question into superstars. At the same time, that power can also be used to kill careers also. Enter: Sinead O'Connor.

Up until her performance that night, O'Connor had been known for her more alternative style of pop music, turning in one of the greatest hits of the '90s with Nothing Compares 2 U. Something else was in the air when she entered the studio that night though, going on to perform an a cappella version of Bob Marley's War in protest to the sex scandals happening in the Catholic Church at the time. The icing on the cake came at the end though, when Sinead ripped up a picture of the Pope and calling for the audience to "fight the real enemy."

No matter how much free speech is allowed on the show, this was not going to fly with the more conservative viewing audience, which quickly condemned her for what they believed to be blasphemy. This all but tarnished Sinead's public image, as she was never given the time of day afterward. While it's nice to have the spotlight on you, it can sometimes be a dangerous weapon to possess.