Top 10 UNBEARABLY Awkward Live Musical Performances

#10: Lana Del Rey
“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

This 2012 performance marked one of the few times an artist had performed on SNL before the release of a full album, and the reaction was less than overwhelming. Upon the release of singles ‘Blue Jeans’ and ‘Video Games,’ Lana’s music was said to have cinematic qualities- it was acclaimed by critics and fans alike for her emotive and nostalgic rhythm. However, when she took the SNL stage, our favourite new glamorous indie artist no longer allured audiences with her smoky voice, and was suddenly being slated for her show.
 

#9: 50 Cent
“7th BET Awards” (2007)

When 50 descended on to the stage in Los Angeles to perform his track “Amusement Park”, he severely embarrassed himself. The host spoke for audiences both there and at home when he asked . The founder of G-Unit tries to recover by pretending he just doesn’t care enough to rap the first verse. 50’’s die-hard fans will argue that this was on purpose, or… that maybe he forgot the lyrics, and tried to disguise it by pretending he was going to greet Snoop Dogg with a hi-five. The rapper later admitted the latter, revealing that he couldn’t concentrate after he was unintentionally bumped by a dancer - meaning that the man who was shot 9 times had to once again snap into survivor mode.
 

#8: Katy Perry & the Backpack Kid
“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

This hyperactive popstar has attracted a lot of attention since her hit single “I Kissed A Girl” was released in 2008. One of the more notable moments was this 2017 performance on SNL, which left people laughing uncomfortably. Katy Perry loves to push the latest trends, whether it’s dabbing or attempting the floss dance, a dance move inspired by the Instagram famous  “Backpack Kid”. The Backpack Kid was then invited by the singer to perform with her on the show - and he ended up stealing it!
 



#7: Red Hot Chilli Peppers
“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

It’s not always been plain-sailing for this iconic band. When struggling to deal with their new-found fame, former guitarist John Frusciante developed a drug problem and began to show a lack of passion for the music. Friction between him and lead-man Anthony rocketed at this 1992 SNL gig, with John reportedly almost getting into a fight with one of the crew. Apparently, Madonna was also on set that night and had upset John by blanking him. Anthony has since accused John of deliberately playing badly, and many believe his off-key performance to be a way of trolling his own bandmates.



#6: Mariah Carey
Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2017 (2016)

As we said goodbye to 2016, pop superstar Mariah Carey headlined ABC’s New Year’s Rockin Eve, but her performance certainly wasn’t rockin’ at all. In fact, the New York Post labelled it “disastrous”, with the singer failing to deliver any of the notes to her songs at all. And yet she remained on stage, determined to give some kind of performance. The result... an awkward moment that lasted longer than anyone had hoped it to, leaving fans to shudder their way into the new year. Fortunately, The Songbird Supreme got another chance a year later, and gave it her best shot at redeeming herself.
 



#5: Kesha
“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

While Kesha hit fame with breakthrough single “Tik Tok” in 2010, she left SNL audiences shocked and appalled that same year. Her two-song set featured body paint, laser beams and dancing astronauts, which apparently was just too much for some people. Some critics even went as far as calling it “the worst ever.” We guess Kesha’s not for everyone. Not to be deterred, the American singer would release her sophomore record in 2012, and launch a supporting tour the next year.
 



#4: Miley Cyrus & Robin Thicke
“30th MTV Video Music Awards” (2013)

Despite being several years’ old, this one still seems fresh in people’s memory.  It would be an understatement to say it raised a few eyebrows. A show that went viral for all the wrong reasons, Miley came out onto the stage twerking and rubbing her foam finger in places we didn’t want to see, and afterwards said that she felt such a sexualised performance had become expected of her. While Cyrus has since changed up her image to a more conservative one, there’s no deny that seeing a former Disney star grind on Robin Thicke’s crotch was very uncomfortable... for everyone.



#3: Ashlee Simpson
“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)

It’s debatable whether you can even call this entry a performance, as Simpson’s 2004 “live” set is over almost as soon as it begins. Before she’s about perform her second song, a vocal track for the wrong tune starts to play, so the singer tries to make up for it with a strange dance, before walking off of the stage entirely. After the show, she tried her best to explain herself alongside host Jude Law. But the error was met with huge backlash, and unsurprisginly didn’t do her career any favors. Credit where it’s due though: after Simpson walked off the stage, her band simply carried on.




#2: Corey Feldman
“Today” (1952-)

As if he wasn’t already attracting attention for discussing paedophilia in Hollywood, Feldman’s publicity certainly didn’t slow down after this bizarre performance. A long time after he’d starred in films such as “The Goonies” and “Stand By Me”, the child star donned the Today stage in 2006 hoping to promote his new record, and was relentlessly mocked for it. If it isn’t the cringeworthy dance moves or bad vocals that’re unsettling enough, well then it’s the puzzling background of his backing band. Dubbed “the Angels,” they certainly “Go 4 It” with Corey, but we’re not quite sure what “it” is supposed to be.
 



Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions:

Nick Jonas’ Guitar Solo
“51st Academy of Country Music Awards” (2016)
 


The Pussycat Dolls
“34th Annual American Music Awards” (2006)
 



#1: Britney Spears
“24th MTV Video Music Awards” (2007)

2007 was not the best year for Britney. After checking out of rehab and infamously shaving all her hair off, her performance of then-new single “Gimme More” was difficult to endure. Looking uneasy and self-conscious, it’s clear she didn’t have the right professional help around her at this time, as she came out onto the stage scantily clad and unsure of the lyrics. For a decade, Britney was the princess of pop and was very much in the public eye, with every detail of her personal life making front-page news. Just around the time that her public image was shifting, a lackluster show like this just unfortunately summed up how things were going for her - luckily, she’d bounce back the next year.