10 Epic Musician Meltdowns
#10: Axl Rose
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While musicians jumping into the audience does happen, it’s usually to crowd surf – not to fight. During a 1991 concert, Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose caught sight of a person taking videos. He was so heated that he stopped mid-song to launch himself into the crowd and attempt to take the offender’s camera. The frontman wasn’t exactly pleased with the outcome, so when he made it back onstage, he ended the show abruptly - and blamed security. Some people were so enraged that they proceeded to riot, causing significant damage. While Rose did have a tendency to incite extreme responses, there’s no doubt that he took things too far in this case.
#9: Miranda Lambert
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Rock stars aren’t the only ones who dislike photography at their shows. During one of her country concerts, Miranda Lambert saw a couple of people committing the ultimate sin - taking a selfie. She was so incensed by the act that she stopped the performance and called them out in front of everyone. She accused them of not paying attention and essentially put them on blast for capturing a quick memory together. Her reaction was bizarre, especially considering the fact that the photo-style has been popular for several years and isn’t really invasive to others. Her fans disagreed with her reaction, and some even walked out early in response. It was a power struggle moment that backfired almost immediately.
#8: Björk
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Out of all the celebrities you’d imagine getting into a fight, Björk most likely wouldn’t make the list. However, the Icelandic performer proved how scrappy she was when she jumped a journalist after a flight. While the reaction seemed intense in the moment, context was later revealed. Not only had Björk requested that no one bother her or her son, the journalist had supposedly been bothering her for days beforehand. While many stars have probably wished they could go wild on the paps, actually going through with it was a step above. It didn’t taint her image among fans, but it certainly made the press give her a wider berth – which is probably what she wanted all along.
#7: Nicki Minaj
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Witnessing someone actively destroy their reputation is tough to watch. While Minaj’s image had already taken some hits, things came to a head in 2024 when she assumed that Megan Thee Stallion had written a bar about her in her newest single, despite not being named. Her wrath was swift, and she went on an internet rampage that spanned several days. The posts and lives kept coming, all accusing Megan of being a liar, and even bringing her deceased family into it. It culminated in her own diss track being released – including a rather unsettling spoken outro. Watching her obsessive attack alienated all but the most dedicated Barbz.
#6: Justin Bieber
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Becoming famous as a kid is already hard enough and getting criticized because of your popularity only makes it harder. So it was no surprise when Justin Bieber started acting out after becoming jaded. He began to take the disrespect toward him seriously, which culminated in him nearly attacking a reporter that insulted him. However, the peak of this behavior was when he drunkenly urinated in a mop bucket and cursed at a photo of former president Bill Clinton in the process. People were shocked, and the backlash was so severe that the Canadian star ended up apologizing to the politician. Luckily, he seems to have mellowed out as he’s aged and to have found better ways of coping with his feelings.
#5: Chris Brown
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While it can be annoying to have your past brought up, there are some situations that warrant questioning, and assaulting your ex-girlfriend and fellow celebrity is one of them. A few years after horrifically injuring Rihanna, Brown was trying to build his good will back up. He went onto “Good Morning America” to talk about his upcoming album, and ended up being asked about the controversial event. Afterwards, he reportedly snapped and lashed out, even going so far as to throw a chair at a window. While he gave a half-hearted apology later on, it was clear that he saw himself as the victim in that situation. To viewers everywhere, it was proof that his violent tendencies were still lurking under the surface.
#4: Vanilla Ice
Some people can only be clowned for so long before they break. MTV’s “25 Lame” was a fun concept – get a bunch of comedians and entertainers together to playfully roast some cringe music videos. However, some artists took it too seriously. While Vanilla Ice seemed to be laughing along, once the time came for him to destroy the tape, he lost control. Using a baseball bat, the rapper smashed several items on set and frightened the hosts in the process. The act was sudden and unhinged, and even made people at home uncomfortable, so we can’t even imagine what the energy must have been like in-person. The display further led to the dissolution of his mainstream fame, and soon after he slipped into relative obscurity.
#3: Keith Moon
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While destroying rooms on tour seems like standard fare for a rock star, some still took it way too far. Keith Moon was considered the king of destroyed hotels and seemed to be determined to ruin them however he could. From trashing furniture to blowing up toilets, he left no stone unturned. He caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage, and seemed to not care at all. In fact, he used the mayhem as a way of getting a reaction from the public and even used the acts as a way to express his comedic side. While no people were harmed during this destructive conduct, it certainly exacerbated his own issues behind the scenes and ultimately harmed his image.
#2: R. Kelly
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While some musician’s breakdowns can be credited to poor mental health or an altered mindset, some are the result of their own actions. R. Kelly is the poster child for this. After his sordid past finally caught up with him, the R&B singer decided to try and clear his name by giving a tell-all interview to reporter Gayle King. As she started to press him, Kelly got worked up. He ranted in her face and stood up to directly address the spectators at home. Things got so intense that he had to calm down before they could continue. Seeing him react that way was telling – and a later court date confirmed how guilty he was.
#1: Kanye West
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He’s never been the most level-headed celeb. If there’s one constant in Kanye West’s career, it’s his cyclical meltdowns, which have only ramped up over the years. While many may think of his infamous rant where he claimed slavery was a choice as the beginning of his descent, others would argue that things really took a turn once he started pushing antisemitic propaganda. Though people understood that he struggled with his own demons, lashing out in such a manner was shocking. Once he started hanging around alt-right figures, many supporters realized they had lost him. He has started to walk back his position recently, and his “Vultures 1” collaboration debuted to strong sales, but many are still wary of him – and understandably so. Which musician meltdown surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below.
