Top 20 Worst Live Performances of All Time

Winterland Ballroom (1978)

Some groups go out with a bang, and others go out with a whimper. During the Sex Pistols infamous 1978 United States tour, they ran into a series of issues. Things eventually reached a boiling point while at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Right before the encore, Johnny Rotten announced theyd only be doing one song a cover of the Stooges No Fun. What followed was an oddly accurate performance, where a jaded Rotten used the lyrics as a representation of his own negative feelings towards the group. After the lackluster cover, Rotten cryptically asked the crowd if theyd ever felt cheated, before storming off, ending the show and his time with the band until their reunion in the late 1990s.

The 7th BET Awards (2007)

Performing at an awards show can be a benefit to an artists career, as they get to present their art to a live and televised audience. It seemed like 50 Cent was off to a great start when he descended into the 2007 BET Awards, but it soon became clear something was wrong. He skipped the entire first verse, instead opting to hop off the stage and do some crowd-work instead. While he was eventually able to recover, the damage was already done. When questioned about it afterwards, the rapper ended up pinning the blame on an aerialist who inadvertently bumped him, throwing him off track. While it was an understandable explanation, it still doesnt make the near minute of silence mid-performance any less uncomfortable.

The 34th American Music Awards ( 2006)

Sometimes, all it takes is one performance to reveal a true group dynamic. Headed by Nicole Scherzinger, The Pussycat Dolls were known for their sultry lyrics and dancing. During their appearance at the 2006 American Music Awards, they began their hit Buttons-- without one of their members, Melody Thornton. Things had been going wrong already, with one of their chairs toppling over mid-song. Things went from odd to bizarre when Thornton suddenly ran onstage just in time for the final chorus and immediately commanded attention with several vocal runs. The rest of the performance became a battle for the spotlight between the two divas. The timing made it seem like Thornton was crashing her own group, making it evident just how fractured they were.

The 64th Eurovision Song Contest (2019)

Even the Queen of Pop isnt immune from flopping. An icon like Madonna performing a huge event like Eurovision shouldve been a highlight, but it ended up being the complete opposite. It wasnt her best vocal showing, with even one of her most iconic hits, Like a Prayer sounding off-key. The addition of divisive political symbols only made things worse. What made things even worse was her teams reaction. Rather than own the underwhelming appearance, they instead uploaded a completely autotuned version to YouTube. People soon saw through the ruse when the real audio was released. In an era where practically everyone has access to a video camera and Internet, we cant help but wonder who they were trying to fool.

Saturday Night Live (2012)

Although its hard to believe now given her huge fanbase, her career nearly died just as it was beginning. Lana Del Reys sudden ascension to success in the early 2010s led to her getting plenty of opportunities including being the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Things immediately went wrong during her performance of her breakout hit, Video Games. Her unique vocal techniques didnt translate well, resulting in a slightly disjointed and seemingly uncontrolled presentation. Her second song, Blue Jeans, didnt go much better, resulting in her being deemed one of the worst in the shows history by some on the network. While she was eventually able to overcome the rough set, to this day, shes still reluctant to perform on live TV.

The 2nd iHeartRadio Music Festival (2012)

Even if someones anger is justified, seeing them act out on it publicly is nothing short of uncomfortable. Green Day was mid-song at the iHeartRadio Festival in 2012 when their lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, suddenly snapped after assuming that their time was being cut short. He stopped performing and launched into an expletive-ridden rant, complete with pulling rank and calling out newer artists. When they inevitably ran out of time, Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt smashed their instruments and walked off. The spectacle was so intense that the band issued an apology and an announcement that Armstrong was going to rehab. It was a dark moment, but luckily, they were able to reconcile with the event just a few years later.

The 24th MTV Video Music Awards (2007)

2007 was undoubtedly a rough year for the Princess of Pop. With several different familial issues going on at the time, the MTV Video Music Awards were most likely the last thing on her mind. Still, she showed up to perform her newest hit, Gimme More-- although by the end, some were asking for the exact opposite. From the beginning, her lack of energy was apparent, and even appeared to be half-heartedly lip syncing. It was clear she was just going through the motions, resulting in a completely out-of-character performance. She was slated by critics and her peers, and while she was able to recover professionally, it became an unfortunate representation of the personal and mental struggles she was facing.

Whisky a Go Go (1994)
Theyre as well known for their dramatics as they are for their sheer musical ability. Its no secret that the Gallaghers the brothers behind Oasis have an explosive relationship. Thats been apparent since their first tour, when one infamous concert nearly caused them to call it quits. Liam had indulged in some chemical encouragement prior to the show, and by the time he hit the stage, it was clear just how intoxicated he was. The result was a truly chaotic night, where the singer reportedly mocked the audience and even struck his older brother with his tambourine. While the crowd didnt seem too mad, the same couldnt be said for Noel, who ended up being so upset that he temporarily quit the band.

Jack Murphy Stadium (1990)

Its no secret that comedians push boundaries to get laughs, but theres a time and place for everything and during The Star-Spangled Banner isnt one of those times. While kicking off a game between the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds, she was tasked with singing the anthem. As soon as she took the mic, things went wrong. She immediately began screaming the lyrics, later claiming it was because she couldnt hear herself. As if that wasnt enough, she topped off the rendition with vulgar gestures, in an attempt to parody the players. However, it only served to make her look even more disrespectful. The backlash was severe, with even the president at the time, George H.W. Bush, calling it a disgrace.

Saturday Night Live (2008)

Hes known for his eclectic shows, but for this one, he bit off a little more than he could chew. In the original version of Love Lockdown, Kanye utilized autotune to help with the sound. When it came time to perform the piece on Saturday Night Live, he attempted to emulate that by singing through a vocoder. It didnt translate well to a live setting, with the autotune only being apparent some of the time and his higher notes being cut out and replaced entirely by a random female vocal. A decade later, anotherSNL appearance in which he wore Trump merchandise and expressed support for the divisive politician was also problematic.

Quebec Coliseum (2005)

Its one thing to sing the National Anthem poorly; its another thing entirely to not know it at all. When Caroline Marcil stepped up to perform at a 2005 hockey game, it was clear how nervous she was. That became more apparent when she had to restart twice due to her forgetting the lyrics. She was determined to finish, even with the crowd already viciously booing her. She left to get the lyrics, and when she returned, she immediately slipped and fell. That ended up being the final straw. When she left the ice again, she didnt return. While it was a disaster, what makes it worse is that her voice sounded fine meaning she couldve pulled it off had she known the words.

Saturday Night Live (2010)

While she completely rebranded herself in recent years, she used to have an entirely different image. Known for her party girl aesthetic, Keshas early work embodied the culture of the early 2010s. Supporters were excited to see her bring that energy to Saturday Night Live in 2010, and she did but it quickly proved to be too much. Between decking herself out in glow-in-the-dark paint for one number and featuring dancing astronauts in another, both numbers became visual overload. It ended up overshadowing her voice in the process, and left her with a reputation that took years to shake. Given her new independence and image as an artist, we can only hope that shell one day get a chance to fully redeem herself.

Olympic Stadium (1992)

Two legendary bands on tour together what could possibly go wrong? The fans of Metallica and Guns N Roses learned that firsthand after a 1992 incident in Montreal, Canada. Things started off rough with the former, wherein a pyrotechnic issue caused James Hetfield to be burned. This forced them to call their set early so he could get medical attention and things only went further downhill. The audience waited over two hours for Guns N Roses to appear. When they did, technical problems of their own caused them to call it quits after nine songs. The tipping point came when Axl Rose made an inflammatory comment about quitting, causing a riot to break out that resulted in over $600,000 of damage to the venue.

Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest (2016)

When someone is known for their voice, seeing them falter feels even worse. Mariah Carey has been lauded for her vocals since the beginning of her career, leading to high expectations when she was confirmed for Dick Clarks New Years Rockin Eve 2016. Instead, they were treated to pure chaos. Her ear monitor wasnt working, leading to her becoming frustrated and letting the audience sing instead. When the problems continued into We Belong Together, she stopped singing and let the backing track take the lead. Carey accused the event of deliberately sabotaging her, which they vehemently denied. No matter whose fault it was, it was clear that the true losers of the situation were the viewers themselves.

Lake Compounce (1989)

Some artists can bounce back from a bad show and others lose everything. In the late 1980s, Milli Vanilli quickly became household names, even winning a Grammy in 1990. Their blossoming career ended nearly as soon as it began, after a failed backing track during a 1989 Lake Compounce performance revealed that the act wasnt singing live. Although they got away with it at the moment, it was later scrutinized again after the duo admitted to not supplying their own vocals in the music. The concert and the video footage accompanying it was the ultimate proof, resulting in the two returning their Best New Artist award and the duo being dropped by their label. They werent able to recover, making the scandal their permanent legacy.

Allstate Arena (2002)

You know a show is bad when all footage of it has been essentially wiped from the Internet. However, the memory of this Creed concert lives on. That night in 2002, fans weren't expecting anything out of the ordinary much less Scott Stapp being unable to perform. The vocalist, whod been battling alcoholism following a car accident, had supposedly been so drunk that nobody could understand him. After a few songs, the issue became so apparent that they were forced to stop. Naturally, this upset the audience so much so that a few even ended up suing them for failing to finish. While the case was dismissed, the backlash was so severe that the band had to apologize for Stapps actions.

Saturday Night Live (1992)

While Saturday Night Live can help boost a musicians career, it can also inadvertently expose some of the cracks in an act. When the Red Hot Chili Peppers accepted the gig, they were on top of the world but that certainly didnt make them immune to a rough set on the long-running sketch show. Their guitarist, John Frusciante, had been struggling privately for some time, leading him to develop an addiction and fight with his bandmates. That came through during their live performance, where he appeared to deliberately play the whole thing off-key throwing everyone else off in the process. Anthony Kiedis even accused him of doing poorly on purpose, leading to the group becoming even more fractured at their peak.

2018 NBA All-Star Game (2018)

There are some things an artist just cant come back from, especially in the age of the Internet. Fergie is known for her non-conventional vocals. While they sound great in her own music and in her collaborations with the Black Eyed Peas, it doesnt always work well in a live setting. This became apparent during her rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, where she threw her own twist onto it. Needless to say, it didnt go over well. Her unnecessary runs and random dynamic changes confused everyone, from the viewers to the players themselves. It quickly became known as one of the worst covers of the hit, with Roseanne Barr even claiming her infamous performance was better in comparison.

Saturday Night Live (2004)

This was a masterclass in how to lose everything in just a few seconds. In the 2000s, Ashlee Simpson was a rising star, even scoring a spot as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Her first number went just fine, but when it came time for her second, things went off the rails. Just as she was about to begin, a vocal track from the first song began to play instead and the band went along with it, causing Simpson to be even more lost. In a moment of panic, she attempted to dance it off, before running off stage. While she had a legitimate health issue that explained the lip syncing, the damage to her reputation was already done.

Live Aid (1985)

It hurts to see legends struggle on stage. When Led Zeppelin initially quit, people were desperate for a reunion so when fans heard they would be returning for a set at Live Aid, they were ecstatic. The day of the show, three replacement members were there instead, including famed drummer Phil Collins. Unfortunately, this ended up hindering them, rather than helping them. He appeared not to know the tracks and played what he wanted, while Jimmy Page struggled with an out-of-tune guitar. Robert Plants voice had also changed considerably since their heyday, and to top it off, they were having sound issues. It was such a mess that Page himself described it as an atrocity while putting the blame solely on their substitute drummer.


Which live performance do you think was the biggest disaster? Let us know in the comments below!