Both Saturday Night Live and Soul Train, debuted in the 1970's. (not counting Soul Train's two years as a local Chicago show from 1969 to 1971), and are still on the air today.

And most would agree, and I am one of them, that the two shows were at the best in the 1970's.

Which show will get canceled first? Saturday Night Live or Soul Train?

Never heard of soul train...but SNL has had it's ups and downs and still continues to please. Maybe alot with agree it's on its "down" right now...but I still like it.

Originally posted by *A TV People*
Never heard of soul train...but SNL has had it's ups and downs and still continues to please. Maybe alot with agree it's on its "down" right now...but I still like it.

You've NEVER heard of Soul Train? Ever? "It's the hippest trip in America!" But you're right tvje, it ain't what it used to be. *A TV People* if you like R&B/Hip Hop music you should check it out. It airs nationally on WGN Saturdays at 12p/e. And in parting, I wish you Love, Peace, & SOOOOOUUULLLL!!!

The one amazing thing about Soul Train still being on the air is that it is still on despite MTV, BET, and music videos in general.

Music videos help kill music shows such as American Bandstand and Solid Gold. But Soul Train survived that.

Ever notice that Soul Train does not attract the big name artists like it use to? Back in the day, the biggest stars in R&B music appeared regularly on Soul Train. For example Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Gladys Knight and the Pips, made regular appearances on Soul Train.

Today you don't see today's top stars such as Beyonce or Usher on Soul Train. Though you will see them on BET shows such as Access Granted and 106 and Park. Soul Train was the show for R&B music, and if you were a big music star, you had to go on the show. Today that is not the case.

isn't the fact that Soul Train is still on bad? newer episodes do nothing but show how far downhill r&b music has fallen since the 70's and 80's.

Frankly Soul Train needs to be taken off. It was never the same since Don Cornelius stepped down. He was Soul Train and always will be.

Originally posted by mstewart
Frankly Soul Train needs to be taken off. It was never the same since Don Cornelius stepped down. He was Soul Train and always will be.


I agree! It's time for Soul Train to move on. Soul Train always have a different host. Who is hosting Soul Train now? The last time I watched it, it was the guy who played Darren on Charmed.

I say Soul Train. Even though SNL is currently "stinking", can it really ever end?

Soul Train & Saturday Night Live should be cancelled cause they both suck. Ever since Don Cornelius stopped being the host of Soul Train, the show sucked. Shemar Moore was the last host of Soul Train i guess. I haven't watched it in so long cause it comes on too late. Beyonce & Usher to me aren't r&b singers, they're pop stars. That's why they haven't appeared on Soul Train. LOL@A TV People has never heard of Soul Train hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I agree. Both programs are far from what they use to be. But to answer your question, mainstream america is not about to let SNL get cancelled. Soul Train would get the ax first for the simple reason it is a black orientated program. I don't care if anyone disagree with me, that is the simple truth.

Originally posted by GARFIELDKOOL
I agree. Both programs are far from what they use to be. But to answer your question, mainstream america is not about to let SNL get cancelled. Soul Train would get the ax first for the simple reason it is a black orientated program. I don't care if anyone disagree with me, that is the simple truth.

Though I would agree that I think Soul Train would be cancelled before SNL, I don't agree that it would "get the ax first for the simple reason it is a black orientated program." If that was the case, how would it have survived 33 years to date already? If Soul Train lasts 4 or 5 more years, it'll match the length of time American Bandstand was on the air, a similar "non-black oriented" program . It even has a remote chance of passing it in length of time on the air. Soul Train being a black oriented program has nothing to do with it.

Nowadays Soul Train is the show where old R&B and Rappers go to die. Or where "artists" that no one have ever heard of promote the one song never played on the radio. I remember as kid in the mid 70's up until the 80's all the big name stars that would appear on the show. Forget Beyonce, try getting Patti Labelle or Janet Jackson on that show.

Despite all of that the one thing that bother me the most about Soul Train and Don Corneilos in recent years is when he did the 25th Aniversary show. Like I said I've watched it since I was a kid I'm all hyped thinking yeah I'm going to see all the old dancers, pop locking who got their 1st break on the show that's famous, etc. Instead we got a live show set up like a awards ceremony with people who would either haven't done ST or have appeared on it since their career started years ago !

I staring at the TV like WTF !?! wheres the clips ? interviews? Is Don kids running this thing now? However while the show seam to have 9 lives I predict when the time comes Soul Train will get the axe 1st quickly followed by SNL unless a miracle happen,

To me it is incredible that Soul Train is still on TV. This show should have gone off the air when Don Cornelius retired from it. What's the point at this stage?

Saturday Night Live is an institution that I thought would have gotten axed about 15 years back, but the fact that it is still on seems to suggest that it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Like 60 Minutes, Tonight Show and the Late Show this show is going to last until the producers are good and ready to give it up, which at this point may not be for another 10 years. Many were saying that this was going to go down the drain when the original performers left in 1980, well that was 25 seasons ago, so as long as there are celebrities who need to promote some project who are willing to host, pop singers with current cds to perform and some performers who aren't ready to be in primetime this show is going to be on tv. Plus what does it have to compete against really?

Originally posted by isiahthomas
Soul Train & Saturday Night Live should be cancelled cause they both suck. Ever since Don Cornelius stopped being the host of Soul Train, the show sucked. Shemar Moore was the last host of Soul Train i guess. I haven't watched it in so long cause it comes on too late. Beyonce & Usher to me aren't r&b singers, they're pop stars. That's why they haven't appeared on Soul Train. LOL@A TV People has never heard of Soul Train hahahahahahahahahahahaha. :happyface

****.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
To me it is incredible that Soul Train is still on TV. This show should have gone off the air when Don Cornelius retired from it. What's the point at this stage?

Saturday Night Live is an institution that I thought would have gotten axed about 15 years back, but the fact that it is still on seems to suggest that it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Like 60 Minutes, Tonight Show and the Late Show this show is going to last until the producers are good and ready to give it up, which at this point may not be for another 10 years. Many were saying that this was going to go down the drain when the original performers left in 1980, well that was 25 seasons ago, so as long as there are celebrities who need to promote some project who are willing to host, pop singers with current cds to perform and some performers who aren't ready to be in primetime this show is going to be on tv. Plus what does it have to compete against really?


SNL has various cable competitors if you think about it. Not necessarily sketchy comedy like that, but comedic shows that compete for the same audience. Chappelle Show, Mad TV, etc....

I love SNL. Sometimes it sucks, but typically I think it's funny and it's just an instituion...how could we have a presidental election without SNL doing satirical skits on the candidates? haha.

Originally posted by Van_Smack
SNL has various cable competitors if you think about it. Not necessarily sketchy comedy like that, but comedic shows that compete for the same audience. Chappelle Show, Mad TV, etc....




I don't know if you were putting Mad TV in the cable category, but it's on a broadcast channel.

ABC tried their own version of SNL with Friday's, don't remember the exact years but it was the very late 70's/very early 80's era. That was the first place I ever saw Michael Richards of Seinfeld and Melanie Chartoff from Parker Lewis. I haven't seen Fridays since it originally aired but I still remember some of the regular sketches and characters pretty well. It was pretty obvious an SNL wannabe and never got out of SNL's shadow.