There are plenty of reasons for viewers to tune into late night shows.
House bands are vital to keeping an audience interested and engaged.
After all, you don’t want your viewers falling asleep before the show is over.
But that money doesn’t necessarily amount to much for each individual musician.
Jimmy Fallon, who hostsThe Tonight Show, makesabout $16 million a year from that show alone.
For the ones who make it, that kind of job can mean long-term stability.
Performing on a late-night show also brings a lot of exposure.
Beyond that, the work is interesting and more regular.
To put it simply, you have to know the right people.
It’s a rare mix of creative license, cultural reach and stability.
But the bands help to provide something unique that sketch comedy and short video clips can’t offer.
A late night shows take a whole community to bring it all together.
