Best Musical Moments of The Late Show With David Letterman

J.Cole, Will Smith, Lauryn Hill and more have hit the stage.

Lettermen is Leaving - After more than 30 years of owning latenight television, David Letterman has announced that he will be retiring in 2015 from his Emmy Award-winning show The Late Show with David Letterman. The show will be missed. During it's run, Letterman has had some of the greatest names in music grace his stage. From Lady Gaga's latest surprise concert to James Brown's iconic 1982 performance, keep reading for a look at the best musical performances of the Late Show. —Dominique Zonyeé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS via Getty Images)

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Lettermen is Leaving - After more than 30 years of owning latenight television, David Letterman has announced that he will be retiring in 2015 from his Emmy Award-winning show The Late Show with David Letterman. The show will be missed. During it's run, Letterman has had some of the greatest names in music grace his stage. From Lady Gaga's latest surprise concert to James Brown's iconic 1982 performance, keep reading for a look at the best musical performances of the Late Show. —Dominique Zonyeé (@DominiqueZonyee)(Photo: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS via Getty Images)

James Brown - "Get up and party, get up and party," is what the "Godfather of Soul" shouted to the audience before his brilliant 1982 performance in the first season of the Late Show. His iconic permed bob laid to perfection, blue suit pressed and backed by a band of horns, strings, percussion and more James Brown vibrantly belted out his hits: "Sex Machine," "I Got the Feeling," and "There Was a Time." The 13 minute jam session featured a piano solo from Brown, his one of a kind dance moves and crowd interaction, which would have made you think it was Late Night with James Brown.(Photo: CBS Television)

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James Brown - "Get up and party, get up and party," is what the "Godfather of Soul" shouted to the audience before his brilliant 1982 performance in the first season of the Late Show. His iconic permed bob laid to perfection, blue suit pressed and backed by a band of horns, strings, percussion and more James Brown vibrantly belted out his hits: "Sex Machine," "I Got the Feeling," and "There Was a Time." The 13 minute jam session featured a piano solo from Brown, his one of a kind dance moves and crowd interaction, which would have made you think it was Late Night with James Brown.(Photo: CBS Television)

Whitney Houston - Letterman had a history of providing a platform for up and coming artists, who were on their way to becoming some of the biggest names in music. In 1985, Whitney Houston released her debut album Whitney, which featured her hit single "Saving All My Love." She was already gaining notoriety for her unprecedented vocals, but her career peaked after she performed the song on the Late Show that same year.(Photo: Joel Ryan/AP Photo, file)

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Whitney Houston - Letterman had a history of providing a platform for up and coming artists, who were on their way to becoming some of the biggest names in music. In 1985, Whitney Houston released her debut album Whitney, which featured her hit single "Saving All My Love." She was already gaining notoriety for her unprecedented vocals, but her career peaked after she performed the song on the Late Show that same year.(Photo: Joel Ryan/AP Photo, file)

Photo By Joel Ryan/AP Photo, file

Will Smith - One of hip hop's most iconic songs, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s "Summertime," may have come out in 1991, but more than 20 years later Smith proved he could still "sit back and unwind" with an impromptu performance of his Grammy Award-winning hit. Paul Shaffer and the band welcomed Smith to the show by playing the '90's classic, inspiring Big Willie to grab a mic and take a blast to the past.(Photo: PacificCoastNews.com)

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Will Smith - One of hip hop's most iconic songs, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s "Summertime," may have come out in 1991, but more than 20 years later Smith proved he could still "sit back and unwind" with an impromptu performance of his Grammy Award-winning hit. Paul Shaffer and the band welcomed Smith to the show by playing the '90's classic, inspiring Big Willie to grab a mic and take a blast to the past.(Photo: PacificCoastNews.com)

George Clinton - Funk pioneer George Clinton frequented the Late Show stage, like the recent performance flanked by RZA and Foley for an iconic mash-up of generations and genres. But these memorable moments were also a part of the show's earliest days, like when Clinton and the Funkadelics invited much of the audience onstage to join their performance of "(Not Just) Knee Deep."(Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/WireImage, Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

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George Clinton - Funk pioneer George Clinton frequented the Late Show stage, like the recent performance flanked by RZA and Foley for an iconic mash-up of generations and genres. But these memorable moments were also a part of the show's earliest days, like when Clinton and the Funkadelics invited much of the audience onstage to join their performance of "(Not Just) Knee Deep."(Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/WireImage, Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

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Beastie Boys - As we mentioned before, Letterman had a more than 30-year run and it remained a staple in New York City for the entire time. The stage became a frequent pit stop for artists, but was particularly special for New York artists like the Beastie Boys.  After a five year hiatus, the Beastie Boys reemerged with "To the 5 Boroughs," in 2004, which featured the lead single "Ch-Check it Out." As opposed to hitting the in studio stage, the trio emerged from a subway station and rapped their way to the Ed Sullivan Theater, putting on one of the most killer comeback shows to date.(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Beastie Boys - As we mentioned before, Letterman had a more than 30-year run and it remained a staple in New York City for the entire time. The stage became a frequent pit stop for artists, but was particularly special for New York artists like the Beastie Boys.  After a five year hiatus, the Beastie Boys reemerged with "To the 5 Boroughs," in 2004, which featured the lead single "Ch-Check it Out." As opposed to hitting the in studio stage, the trio emerged from a subway station and rapped their way to the Ed Sullivan Theater, putting on one of the most killer comeback shows to date.(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Lady Gaga - When word gets out that Lady Gaga is slated to make an appearance, you never quite know what the “Art Pop” diva has in store.  Will she be covered in blood or meat, dressed as a man, or hatching out of an egg? When she stopped on the famous Late Show couch, Gaga had the biggest surprise of all for the host and his audience. She invited them all to the Roseland Ballroom for a performance. "You can come over and I’ll sing some songs," Gaga said before Bill Murray and Letterman led the crowd across 53rd street.(Photo: Michael Carpenter/WENN.com)

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Lady Gaga - When word gets out that Lady Gaga is slated to make an appearance, you never quite know what the “Art Pop” diva has in store.  Will she be covered in blood or meat, dressed as a man, or hatching out of an egg? When she stopped on the famous Late Show couch, Gaga had the biggest surprise of all for the host and his audience. She invited them all to the Roseland Ballroom for a performance. "You can come over and I’ll sing some songs," Gaga said before Bill Murray and Letterman led the crowd across 53rd street.(Photo: Michael Carpenter/WENN.com)

Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill had been underground and refraining from television appearances for three years, but leave it to Letterman to get the eight time Grammy Award winner back on the main screen. Hill closed out Letterman's "Beatles Week" tribute with a live rendition of The Beatles 1969 classic "Somebody."(Photo: Splash News)

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Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill had been underground and refraining from television appearances for three years, but leave it to Letterman to get the eight time Grammy Award winner back on the main screen. Hill closed out Letterman's "Beatles Week" tribute with a live rendition of The Beatles 1969 classic "Somebody."(Photo: Splash News)

Jay Z and Eminem - When word got out that Hov was planning a free surprise performance on the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater it was rumored to be canceled due to anticipation that it would incite a riot.  However, the hype wasn’t true. Accompanied by a live band, Jay Z and Eminem made history when they performed "Renegade" and other hits to an intimate crowd of about 100 fans; including Diddy. The performance aired on the Late Show, promoting a series of concerts for the hip hop vets.(Photo: CBS/Jeffrey R. Staab /Landov)

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Jay Z and Eminem - When word got out that Hov was planning a free surprise performance on the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater it was rumored to be canceled due to anticipation that it would incite a riot.  However, the hype wasn’t true. Accompanied by a live band, Jay Z and Eminem made history when they performed "Renegade" and other hits to an intimate crowd of about 100 fans; including Diddy. The performance aired on the Late Show, promoting a series of concerts for the hip hop vets.(Photo: CBS/Jeffrey R. Staab /Landov)

Le1f - Letterman made headlines and history when he invited openly gay New York-based producer and rapper Le1f to the show to perform. Dressed in a skirt and short denim combo, Le1f and his dancers got down as they performed his song "Wut." Letterman highlighted the performance, not his sexual orientation, closing out the show with; "Le1f, everybody, Hey, that's all you need to know."(Photo: CBS Television)

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Le1f - Letterman made headlines and history when he invited openly gay New York-based producer and rapper Le1f to the show to perform. Dressed in a skirt and short denim combo, Le1f and his dancers got down as they performed his song "Wut." Letterman highlighted the performance, not his sexual orientation, closing out the show with; "Le1f, everybody, Hey, that's all you need to know."(Photo: CBS Television)

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Kendrick Lamar - When you listen to Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice" on the album, it’s not hard to tell why it instantly topped the "ghetto love story" list. But imagine it with a live band. When the TDE frontman hit the Late Show stage to perform his hit single, the song took on a whole new life as the song's producer Terrence Martin and his saxophone provided a jazz element to the Compton classic.(Photo: CBS Television)

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Kendrick Lamar - When you listen to Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice" on the album, it’s not hard to tell why it instantly topped the "ghetto love story" list. But imagine it with a live band. When the TDE frontman hit the Late Show stage to perform his hit single, the song took on a whole new life as the song's producer Terrence Martin and his saxophone provided a jazz element to the Compton classic.(Photo: CBS Television)

J. Cole - On the heels of the success of his sophomore album Born Sinner, J. Cole hit the Letterman stage for a 55 minute set as part of the internet concert series "Letterman Live," which streamed live on VEVO. Cole performed a slew of his hit singles, like "Crooked Smile," "Power Trip" and "Land of the Snakes."(Photo: CBS Television)

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J. Cole - On the heels of the success of his sophomore album Born Sinner, J. Cole hit the Letterman stage for a 55 minute set as part of the internet concert series "Letterman Live," which streamed live on VEVO. Cole performed a slew of his hit singles, like "Crooked Smile," "Power Trip" and "Land of the Snakes."(Photo: CBS Television)

Kanye West - When Kanye West released his College Dropout debut in 2004, one of his biggest singles was "All Falls Down" featuring Syleena Johnson. Ye took to the famous Letterman stage to showcase his musical genius with an epic collaboration featuring hip hop violinist Miri Ben Ari, Johnson, and a then unknown John Legend on the keys and background vocals. Classic.(Photo: CBS Television)

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Kanye West - When Kanye West released his College Dropout debut in 2004, one of his biggest singles was "All Falls Down" featuring Syleena Johnson. Ye took to the famous Letterman stage to showcase his musical genius with an epic collaboration featuring hip hop violinist Miri Ben Ari, Johnson, and a then unknown John Legend on the keys and background vocals. Classic.(Photo: CBS Television)