It's that time of year again.

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" returns for its 45th season Saturday (11:35 p.m. EDT/PDT) on the heels of controversy surrounding short-lived cast member Shane Gillis, who was fired for a series of homophobic and racist jokes unearthed this month.

There's still plenty to look forward to on the long-running sketch comedy series, which opens with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish, the 17-year-old pop prodigy who's sure to impress with a set of raw, off-kilter performances.

More:Bill Hader on Shane Gillis 'SNL' firing: 'You shouldn't want to hurt anybody's feelings'

Which brings us to the artists with less-than-stellar "SNL" track records, whose much-maligned TV performances sent their careers into free fall or their publicity teams into crisis mode. Although Sinead O'Connor's searing political statement in 1992 and Fear's riotous catastrophe in 1981 are still regarded among the most egregious in the "SNL" pantheon, we think these are notably worse:

5. Lana Del Rey

Honestly? This isn't quite as bad as you remember. Then a new artist, Del Rey nervously performed on "SNL" on the eve of releasing her 2012 major-label debut "Born to Die" and was swiftly lampooned for her "pitchy" and "awkward" renditions of songs "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans." Critics suggested it could "ruin her career," and Del Rey even admitted to Rolling Stone two years later that some friends in the music industry distanced themselves from her afterward. Rest assured, the hypnotic singer is doing just fine: Her gorgeous new album, "Normal F***ing Rockwell," features some of her most wrenching songwriting, and we can personally attest that her live performances have vastly improved since this shaky start.

4. Kanye West

Bar none, West has delivered some of the most memorable "SNL" performances. His live debut of "Wolves" in 2015, performed against a stark black-and-white backdrop with Sia and Vic Mensa on all fours, was stunning. And how do we even begin to describe his ballerina-assisted "Runaway" from 2010, as he bared his soul with just a keyboard and eye-popping red suit? Brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique. Which is why performances such as last year's embarrassing "I Love It" with Lil Pump are frankly so eye-rolling, watching the duo literally hop around the stage in giant Fiji and Perrier bottle costumes. West was clearly hoping to get memed with his outrageous getup, but paired with his bizarre pro-Trump rant that same episode, his appearance was far from amusing.

More: Kanye West's 'Jesus is King' album was a no-show at midnight, and his fans aren't happy

3. Karmin

Props to whoever on Karmin's team scrubbed the internet of the duo's "SNL" performances in 2012, making them virtually impossible to find, save for pirated rips on third-party sites. The flash-in-the-pan YouTube duo hoodwinked their viral "Look at Me Now" cover into a brief pop career, playing original songs "Brokenhearted" and "I Told You So" on the NBC show. Singer Amy Renee Noonan's constant mugging to the camera, paired with cutesy dance moves and victory-roll hair, elicited far more groans than cheers from critics. Music site Spin even apologized to Del Rey for the negative "SNL" reviews after Karmin's appearance, saying, "All is forgiven" and asking, "Why was everyone complaining about 'Video Games' again?"

2. Iggy Azalea

Few artists in recent memory have had a quicker fall from grace than Azalea, the Australian rapper who notched three top-3 hits in five months in 2014 – "Fancy," "Black Widow" and Ariana Grande's "Problem" – only to get canceled for her controversial comments about cultural appropriation and history of racist and homophobic remarks. Her cringe-worthy "SNL" performance only served to torpedo public opinion further, with limp choreography, obvious lip-syncing and zero chemistry with "Beg For It" collaborator MØ, who you would guess met Azalea for the first time walking out on stage. MØ, an otherwise dynamic Danish singer, released an apology online, blaming "technical issues" for their offbeat, out-of-tune duet.

1. Ashlee Simpson

Forget worst "SNL" performances ever: This may be one of the most laughable in TV history, full stop. Appearing on the sketch show in 2004 to promote debut album "Autobiography," Simpson seemingly flawlessly performed hit single "Pieces of Me." When she took the stage a second time to sing the title track, the "Pieces" vocals played over the speakers once again, revealing that Simpson lip-synced her entire first performance. Rather than request to start over or go on with the show, Simpson simply shrugged and did an aimless jig, before retreating off stage as the show cut to commercial. It's safe to say Simpson's career never quite recovered from the infamous moment, which in retrospect, was admirable for the sheer chutzpah it took to just quit before even singing a single note.