Mariah, Britney, And The Worst Live Performances Ever
Everyone has an off day at work now and then. Most of us trudge along, holding onto the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. But when you're a musician with thousands—or even millions—of people watching you, it can be tough to put bad days to rest. Let's look back at some of the worst live performance of all time.
Mariah Carey, New Year’s Eve, Times Square, 2016
One of the most memorable botched live performances was Mariah Carey's three-song set on New Year's Eve in 2016. It was filmed live in Times Square and viewed by millions on television. Carey's ear monitor malfunctioned, and she couldn't hear the music on stage. Flustered, she initially attempted to lip-sync but ended up just chatting with the audience.
James Devaney, Getty Images
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Saturday Night Live, 1992
On February 22, 1992, the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed on Saturday Night Live. The band's 1991 album had propelled them to overnight success, and their guitarist, John Frusciante, wasn't happy about that. As a result, he deliberately sabotaged their SNL performance, playing "Under the Bridge" slowly and erratically before ending the song by screaming.
Red Hot Chili Peppers Under The Bridge Saturday Night Live 1992, rhcplive
Amy Winehouse, Tuborg Festival, Serbia, 2011
It's well known that Amy Winehouse struggled with addiction. In 2011, she took the stage at the Tuborg Festival in Serbia while clearly under the influence and unable to perform coherently. She met her demise about a month afterwards.
Amy Winehouse - Belgrade 2011 - Last Performance (FULL CONCERT), This Is My Winehouse
Led Zeppelin, Live Aid, Philadelphia, 1985
In 1985, Led Zeppelin reunited for a one-song performance at the historic Live Aid concert in Philadelphia. The band had last played together in 1980. It was plagued by issues on stage, including Robert Plant's sore throat, Jimmy Page's untuned guitar, and the last-minute addition of Phil Collins as a second drummer—who was clearly unfamiliar with "Whole Lotta Love".
Led Zeppelin - Live Aid, JFK Stadium 1985 (Reunion), Mark Zep
Ashlee Simpson, Saturday Night Live, 2004
Ashlee Simpson experienced a technical malfunction during her performance of "Autobiography" on Saturday Night Live in 2004. Prepared to lip-sync the song, Simpson was caught off guard when the vocal track played for "Pieces of Me", which she had already performed. Instead of singing, she attempted to jig.
Ashlee Simpson | Lip Sync Incident (2004), The Josh and Friends Podcast
Katy Perry, The X Factor, 2010
Katy Perry appeared as a guest judge on the British television music competition, The X Factor, in 2010. During that episode, Perry performed "Fireworks" live—but her voice cracked and wavered, and she screamed during parts of the song.
Katy Perry - Firework (Live on X Factor 2010), katyperryMBS
Justin Bieber, Believe Tour, Arizona, 2012
Justin Bieber kicked off his 2012 Believe Tour in Glendale, Arizona with an unforgettable performance—but it was unforgettable for the wrong reasons. He vomited twice during the opening number. He then ran off the stage before returning to resume the show. But within a few songs, he had to leave the stage again.
out of town girl - justin bieber believe tour 2012, Hello
Green Day, iHeartRadio Festival, Las Vegas, 2012
When Green Day was notified via a teleprompter message that their set would be cut by 20 minutes to make time for Usher, Billie Joe Armstrong had an expletive-filled meltdown. After ranting about having only one minute left, Armstrong smashed his guitar on stage.
The Who, Cow Palace Arena, San Francisco, 1974
Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who, was highly inebriated and passed out twice during the band's 1974 performance at the Cow Palace Arena in San Francisco. He was revived after the first occurrence, but roadies carried him off stage after the second. Pete Townshend then asked the audience if anyone could play drums, paving the way for an epic moment for 19-year-old Scot Halpin.
Jim Summaria, Wikimedia Commons
Jefferson Starship, Hamburg, 1978
On tour to promote their new album, Earth, Jefferson Starship was due to be filmed for the German music program Rockpalast while performing in Hamburg. However, Grace Slick, clearly under the influence, repeatedly taunted the audience about Germany's recent history. The recorded concert never aired, and Slick left the band at the request of guitarist Paul Kantner.
Guns N' Roses, Riverport Amphitheatre, Missouri, 1991
Axl Rose dove off the stage mid-song to tussle with a fan during a show at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1991. Upset that security was allowing a fan to use a camera, Rose decided to take matters into his own hands. After he climbed back on stage, he angrily threw down his microphone before storming off, with the rest of the band following. The incident precipitated a serious fan riot.
The Vines, Late Show With David Letterman, 2002
During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, the lead singer of The Vines, Craig Nicholls, accidentally detuned his guitar when he bumped it on the floor. This accident catapulted Nicholls into a meltdown where he trashed the set before the band gave up and walked off the stage.
Fan Request: The Vines Trash The Set | Letterman, Letterman
Creed, Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois, 2002
Tensions were high among Creed bandmates when the group took the stage at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, in 2002. Scott Stapp, the lead singer, was heavily medicated to manage pain—and was drinking as well. Fans reported that Stapp was unable to perform, left the stage several times, and lay down to sing at one point.
Creed - Say I (Live 11-2-02) Rare Pro-Shot Footage, superfry21
Roseanne Barr, National Anthem, Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, 1990
To mark Working Women’s Day at Jack Murphy Stadium, Roseanne Barr was invited to sing the national anthem at the beginning of a baseball game between the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds. Her rendition has gone down in history—and not in a good way. She ended her shrieking, off-key performance with vulgar gestures. She was booed off the field.
Roseanne Barr Sings National Anthem at Padres Game (1990) | NBC 7 San Diego, NBC 7 San Diego
Bob Dylan, Late Show With David Letterman, 1992
When Bob Dylan was invited to perform on Late Show with David Letterman in 1992, he was upset that he would be accompanied by Paul Shaffer's band instead of being featured alone with his guitar. Dylan rebelled by deliberately marring his performance, slurring and mumbling the lyrics to "Like a Rolling Stone" worse than usual.
Bob Dylan Like a Rolling Stone 18 01 92 Letterman 10th Anniversary, BDM
Nirvana, Hollywood Rock Festival, Rio, Brazil, 1993
Kurt Cobain's addiction issues marred Nirvana's appearance at the Hollywood Rock Festival in Rio de Janeiro in 1993. Playing to an audience estimated at 40,000 people, Cobain wandered aimlessly around the stage, scrambled lyrics, and exposed himself to a camera that was filming the show for a local television station.
Nirvana | Live Concert | Hollywood Rock Festival (Rio 1993), 🎧 AiRTube
Meat Loaf, AFL Grand Final, Melbourne, Australia, 2011
In 2011, Meat Loaf performed a 13-minute medley of his hits at the Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final in Melbourne, Australia. Although the aging singer had a heart attack a few weeks before the show, he still showed up to sing in front of a crowd numbering around 100,000. Unfortunately, his performance was largely unintelligible.
Metallica And Lady Gaga, Grammy Awards, 2017
At the 2017 Grammy Awards, Metallica performed their hit song "Moth Into Flame" with Lady Gaga. However, the microphone for Metallica's lead singer, James Hetfield, was accidentally unplugged. Hetfield bellowed into his unresponsive mic for the first 90 seconds before Lady Gaga beckoned him over to share hers.
Milli Vanilli, Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut, 1989
Milli Vanilli shot to fame in 1989 with their hit album Girl You Know It's True. But their fame plummeted just months later. While playing a live show at Lake Compounce, an amusement park in Bristol, Connecticut, their backing track malfunctioned. In the aftermath, it was revealed that neither of the band's vocalists sang a single note on their recorded tracks.
The Milli Vanilli Lip Sync Incident • Lake Compounce July 21, 1989, Park Rovers
Poison, MTV Video Music Awards, 1991
In 1991, Poison played to a live audience at the MTV Video Music Awards. Decades later, it's still unclear what went down that night. What we do know is that the glam metal band was set to play their recent single, "Unskinny Bop". But their guitarist never wavered from playing "Talk Dirty to Me", prompting a fistfight backstage after the show between the guitarist and Bret Michaels.
Velvet Revolver, Inducting Van Halen Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, 2007
In 2007, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and David Lee Roth all declined to attend the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony—even though Van Halen was being inducted. Velvet Revolver was asked to step in, performing for and inducting the band. Unfortunately, Velvet Revolver was not a good fit for Van Halen's music, and their performance was notably bad.
Metallica And Guns N' Roses, Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Canada, 1992
In 1992, Metallica and Guns N' Roses performed together at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Metallica's set was marred by a pyrotechnic issue. James Hetfield was injured so badly that he required medical attention; the legendary band ended their set early. The crowd then waited for over two hours for the headliners to take the stage, but that band—also plagued by tech issues—walked off after just nine songs. The audience rioted and the venue sustained $600,000 worth of damage.
METALLICA and GUNS N' ROSES Stadium Tour / Olympic Stadium (Montreal Riot) 1992, FYO PIX
Oasis, Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, 1994
Chaos erupted at one of Oasis's first-ever American stops in 1994. While on stage at Whisky A Go Go, the storied nightclub on Sunset Strip, Noel Gallagher played whatever he wanted, regardless of what the rest of the band was playing, while his brother Liam, the lead vocalist, chose not to sing for much of the night. The set ended when Liam threw a tambourine at Noel's head.
Oasis - 1994-09-29 - Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, USA, Oasis Media Archive
Janet Jackson And Justin Timberlake, Super Bowl Halftime Show, 2004
In one of the most infamous live music performances, Justin Timberlake grabbed Janet Jackson's top during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004. The move was choreographed and was supposed to reveal Jackson's red bustier. Instead, Timberlake exposed Jackson's chest to the shock of approximately 143 million television viewers.
Jim Morrison, Dinner Key Auditorium, Miami, 1969
Although the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami had a legal capacity of 7,000, an estimated 12,000 fans crammed into the venue to see Jim Morrison in 1969. When the musician arrived on stage, he was clearly under the influence. In the packed, sweltering auditorium, Morrison insulted the crowd before removing his shirt and encouraging the audience to remove their own clothing. Then, to top it all off, the stage collapsed.
Sex Pistols, Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, 1978
When the Sex Pistols toured America for the first time in 1978, Johnny Rotten was estranged from his bandmates. Their last tour stop—at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco—was a disaster. The guitarist (Steve Jones) had a cold, Sid Vicious' bass wasn't plugged in for all the songs, and Rotten ended the set by saying, "This is no fun at all".
Queens Of The Stone Age, Rock Am Ring Festival, Nürburg, Germany, 2001
When Queens of the Stone Age played the Rock Am Ring festival in Nürburg, Germany, in 2001, things went so badly sideways that the band members later got tattoos of the show date and time. Josh Homme attempted to play while seated due to a broken foot, Mark Lanegan fell down the stage stairs, and the set was plagued with technical issues.
Queens of the Stone Age - Rock am Ring Festival 06/01/2001, QOTSA Bootlegs
Oasis, Wembley Stadium, London, 2000
Oasis is known for issues at their live shows but for Joel Gallagher, the band's lead guitarist and co-frontman, the band's lowest point was their concert at Wembley Stadium in July 2000. While Joel contends he was game to give it his all on stage, his brother Liam intentionally sang the wrong lyrics in some songs, declined to sing in other songs at all, and taunted the audience during the set.
Oasis - Familiar To Millions HD (Live at Wembley Stadium, 2000), ᄋᄋ
The Eagles, Political Fundraiser, Long Beach, California, 1980
In 1980, the Eagles played a fundraiser for Senator Alan Cranston in Long Beach, California. The band was struggling with personality issues and creative tensions at the time. Glenn Frey called out Don Felder for insulting Cranston, and the two rockers began feuding on stage.
Fotos International, Getty Images
The Who, Odeon Theatre, Newcastle, England, 1973
Since it wasn't possible for The Who to recreate the sound of their 1973 rock opera album Quadrophenia in a live setting, they decided to use backing tapes while on tour. But when those tapes didn't work correctly at a show in Newcastle, England, Pete Townshend had a physical altercation with the sound engineer, destroyed the soundboard and tapes, and smashed his guitar before walking off stage.
BSR Entertainment, Getty Images
The Fugees, Oslo Spektrum, Norway, 2005
The Fugees staged a comeback tour in 2005, about eight years since they last performed together. The first show of the tour—at the Oslo Spektrum in Norway—was poorly attended and rife with difficulties. In an attempt to engage the crowd, Pras Michel went crowd-surfing and, while in the air, dropped his BlackBerry. Although he repeatedly asked the crowd to return it as the show continued, he never did get his phone back.
Phish, Coventry Festival, Vermont, 2004
Phish announced their breakup in May 2004 and slated their final performances for a festival in Coventry, Vermont, a few months later. A crowd of 110,000 was expected but Tropical Storm Bonnie turned the festival site into a sea of mud. Undeterred, about 65,000 fans parked their cars at the side of the highway and trudged to the site, only to witness Phish perform the worst shows of their career.
The Stone Roses, Reading Festival, United Kingdom, 1996
Three decades later, fans of The Stone Roses still chat online about the band's atrocious performance at the 1996 Reading Festival in the United Kingdom. The sound was awful, lead singer Ian Brown was completely off-key for the entire set, and a single, terrible backup dancer was featured on stage.
STONE ROSES - Reading 1996 TV Version - 03 Waterfall, Mark Reed
Fleetwood Mac, Athletic Park, Wellington, New Zealand, 1980
The interpersonal strife and addiction issues that plagued Fleetwood Mac came to a head at a show at Athletic Park in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1980. Lindsey Buckingham mocked Stevie Nicks on stage. Angered, Christine McVie slapped Buckingham and doused him with a glass of water before the band left the stage temporarily to sort out their differences.
Billy Ray Cyrus, Liberty Ball, Washington, 2025
Tapped to play at one of the 2025 presidential inauguration balls, Billy Ray Cyrus encountered a host of technical difficulties. When he couldn't hear his guitar, he wondered if it was a sign for him to exit the stage—all while his backing track played. Instead of admitting failure, he attempted to sing "Achy Breaky Heart" a cappella.
WATCH: Billy Ray Cyrus performs at Liberty Ball | Trump 2025 Inauguration, PBS NewsHour
Corey Feldman, Today Show, 2016
Corey Feldman, who found fame in the 1980s as a teen actor, surprised everyone when he appeared on the Today show in 2016. He sang his original song, "Go 4 It", live while performing awkward dance moves and twerking.
Corey Feldman & the Angels - Go 4 It - Today Show, Brittany Priestess Paige
Ramones, The Palace, Hollywood, 1996
In 1996, The Ramones gathered at The Palace in Hollywood to perform their final live show. They invited Dee Dee Ramone—who had left the band in 1989—to join them for one song. Dee Dee sang lead vocals on "Love Kills", but he started singing too early. Although the band was able to catch up, Dee Dee couldn't remember most of the lyrics, and he stopped singing entirely by the third verse.
Ramones - Ultimo Show - FULL - (06/08/1996 - The Palace, Hollywood, LA), Rocktuver
Britney Spears, MTV Music Awards, 2007
In 2007, Britney Spears' team pressured her to appear on the MTV Video Music Awards to help launch her comeback following her headline-grabbing personal issues and the release of a new album. Unfortunately, several of Spears' personal issues came to a head that night, and she performed her lip syncing and choreographed moves poorly.
Lana Del Rey, Saturday Night Live, 2012
Lana Del Rey was booked on Saturday Night Live in 2012. Although she had found overnight success with her breakout song, "Video Games", she had not yet released a major-label album. Unfamiliar with live television and hampered by a bad case of nerves, Del Rey looked stiff and uncomfortable and sang shakily during her performance.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
The Stooges, Michigan Palace, Detroit, 1974
Formed in 1967, The Stooges decided to call it quits in 1974 and cobbled together a short farewell tour. During their final show, at the Michigan Palace in Detroit, Iggy Pop taunted the audience, who threw eggs, ice cubes, and glass bottles at the band. The raucous show was recorded on reel-to-reel tape and later released as a live album.
Richard McCaffrey, Getty Images
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