Top 10 Douchebags of Rock

Top 10 Douchebags of Rock

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What can we say? Rock certainly brings out the a-holes. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten douchebags of rock. For this list, we’re looking at those members of the rock and roll community that are known for being douchebags. The criteria can involve any number of reasons, including strained relationships with band mates, hot tempers, or just a general disrespect towards others. We’re excluding more serious crimes like Phil Spector’s murder charge, as we’re only focusing on more innocent, but still incredibly douchey, behavior. For the record, we’re not saying that we necessarily think these people are douchebags, but we understand why some people do.

Come on, he’s the lead singer of a band called Limp Bizkit. How could he not be at least a little douchey? While the band did enjoy a modicum of success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they have since dropped off the map, and Durst’s behavior – at least according to some – has become even more abhorrent. While there’s no huge, defining reason as to why people think he’s so douchey, the little things significantly add up, like bragging about sleeping with Britney Spears, dressing like a gangsta wannabe, the constant feuds with other artists... and that god-awful cover of “Behind Blue Eyes”.

#9: Kid Rock

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The guy’s stage name is Kid Rock. Moving on. But seriously, while he has seen varied successes throughout the years, particularly in the late 1990s, the rap-rocker is typically seen as a huge douchebag, both in the eyes of his own fans and in music circles. Some of his more reprehensible behavior includes berating his then-wife Pamela Anderson for her cameo in “Borat,” assaulting both DJ Jay Campos and Tommy Lee, and calling himself Rock and Roll Jesus. He even managed to get in a fight at a Waffle House. That alone should be worth the entry.

Anyone with a knowledge of rock history knows the constant drama that seems to follow Courtney Love. The Hole frontwoman known for her unbalanced onstage antics is just as wildly unpredictable offstage, as the constant media attention attests. Love has battled addiction throughout her life, and while that’s not necessarily douchey, she’s constantly making public appearances where she’s acting like she’s stoned out of her mind. She’s also encountered countless legal problems; like that time she was charged with assault, another time when she supposedly publicly harassed a stewardess and yet another time when she allegedly hit a fan with her microphone stand.

#7: Billy Corgan

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Best known as the creative leader behind the uber successful alt-rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan may be an excellent songwriter, but some critics think his personality needs a little work. Those critics might say he’s a perpetual crybaby, or that blaming his band mates for breaking up The Smashing Pumpkins was not cool, or that calling bassist D’arcy Wretzky a “mean-spirited drug addict” was hitting below the belt. He’s also known for doing some completely bonkers things, like holding a contest for a fan to buy him lunch, insulting other musicians, and launching a spiritual website that few have ever visited entitled everythingfromheretothere.com. Seriously, the guy is weird.

#6: Morrissey

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Sure, he may be considered a fantastic lyricist and one of the fathers of indie rock, but this list is about douchebags, and no amount of brilliant lyrics can deter from the fact that Morrissey is often considered one. He is widely known for his blatant and controversial opinions, including his charged political stances, his disregard for the British monarchy, and his endorsement of animal rights, which led him to call the Chinese “a sub-species” in protest of the country’s history with the topic. Basically, when it comes this former frontman for The Smiths, there’s no in between: you either love him, or you cannot stand him.

We could write a whole novel about why this Metallica drummer is so hated, but we’re pressed for time, so here are the juiciest details. The most popular reason is obviously the whole Napster controversy, wherein Ulrich was vocal about his distaste for file sharing and subsequently sued the company for copyright infringement. Talk about sticking it to the man! If the whole Napster thing didn’t turn you off, he’s also known for exhibiting some extremely pompous behavior, and was even sued by his own assistant for years of unpaid overtime.

#4: Ted Nugent

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There’s no sugar-coating it. Nugent, who has been riding pretty well exclusively on “Cat Scratch Fever” since the 70s, is simply not the greatest. He has been a long-time opponent of animal rights, even calling a member of the Fund for Animals a “worthless whore,” and has been charged with illegally hunting and killing a young buck. He’s also a strong supporter of the Republican Party, so naturally that meant that he had to brandish an assault rifle onstage at a concert and call Obama “a piece of shit.” Stay classy, Ted.

#3: Gene Simmons

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Simmons is known more for his makeup, tongue, and fire-breathing than he is for his musicianship. Apparently he’s just as obnoxious in his personal life, as he has a reputation for not being the nicest of people. He’s often accused of being both sexist and racist, as he’s been criticized for stereotyping Islam as a “vile culture” and for treating women like playthings – at least as part of his “persona.” Taking the term “shock rock” to a whole new level, there is seemingly no end to the controversial things that Gene Simmons has said in interviews. Knowing all this, it kind of makes sense why he would hide behind all that makeup.

Ok, technically these are two people, but come on, you can’t have one without the other, even if they annoyed even each other so much their band broke up. The members of Oasis, the ones responsible for the “Wonderwall” guy at house parties, are no strangers to negative press stemming from what some might label as horrid behavior. In 1998, Liam was banned from an airline after apparently abusing passengers, and Noel has been a participant of numerous feuds, including one with the members of Blur, whom he famously wished would “catch AIDS and die.” That’s not even counting their confrontations towards each other, which have often come to physical blows. Before we look at the douchiest of douches, here are a few honorable mentions. - Don Henley - Bob Geldof - Chad Kroeger - John Lydon

#1: Axl Rose

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Here now: the king of douchebags. The lead singer of Guns n’ Roses, Axl is often considered one of the most difficult people to work with in the entire music industry. His relationships with his band mates have gone south, reportedly due to his detestable attitude and controlling nature. On stage, he often stops shows to single out disagreeable fans, throws childish tantrums when things don’t go his way, and is infamous for his easily-sparked temper, something of which you do not want to be on the receiving end. Then again, what else should we expect from one of the biggest rock stars of our time? Do you agree with our list? Do you think any particular rocker is a douchebag? For more agreeable top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.