Live performances come with a cost huge pressure.
Country-rock musician Morgan Wallen made headlines again for all the wrong reasons after throwing a tantrum during a concert on May 29.
Wallen didn't let his emotions get the better of him after technical problems during his performance in Denver as part of his Still the Problem tour. Fan-filmed video shows the singer shaking and moving his piano before eventually knocking it over.
But Wallen isn't the first musician to find himself in a tense moment during a live performance. Whether it's the pressure of the moment or the demands of fame itself, sometimes the only place to let your emotions out is in front of thousands of people.
Below, we look back at eight of the most catastrophic stage meltdowns in recent memory.
01 of 08
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs onstage at the 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Public Hall on April 14, 2012, in Cleveland. Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
In September 2012, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was involved in a controversial incident during the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas. During the band's performance of their hit "Basket Case," Armstrong became upset when the teleprompter informed him that there was only one minute left in the set.
Armstrong interrupted the song and launched into a profanity-laced tirade, declaring, "I'm not fucking Justin Bieber," before smashing his guitar and leaving the stage in a rage.
Seven months later, Armstrong told the magazine Rolling Stone that the incident (and some undisclosed health issues) were the result of alcohol and prescription drug addiction.
He says Las Vegas was the turning point. "I was in the midst of a pill-abusing spree at the time, taking massive amounts of medication because I couldn't sleep," he said. He'd been sober for a year before relapsing.
More than a decade later, Armstrong remains drug-free and is not shy about making fun of the incident.
02 of 08
MIA
MIA performs at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater on May 1, 2026, in Austin. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty.
In May 2026, rapper M.I.A. was fired from Kid Cudi's "Rebel Ragers" tour after she was booed on stage during an angry speech about immigrants. These remarks stemmed from her reference to being "illegal" in one of her previous songs.
Cudi commented on her dismissal in an Instagram post: "I told my management to send a notice to her team before the tour started that I didn't want anything offensive at my shows because I already knew what time it was and they assured me they understood.".
MIA responded to the firing with a lengthy post on X. "DO NOT SPREAD THE GAS EXCHANGE OF MY WORDS. THIS IS SATAN'S WORK," she wrote, adding, "I DON'T NEED THIS VIRTUE PERFORMANCE ERA TO SUDDENLY ERASE MY ENTIRE LIFE.".
As of June 2026, M.I.A. reportedly filed a lawsuit against Cudi for alleged breach of contract. According to Pitchfork, the singer, known for the hit "Paper Planes," claims her removal from the tour constituted "intentional interference with contractual relations.".
03 of 08
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber performs on NBC's "Today" show on November 18, 2015, in New York City. Photo: James Devaney/GC Images
The singer, known for his hit song "Baby," is no stranger to inappropriate behavior, but in 2012, that behavior spilled over into his performance in Oslo, Norway.
Bieber apparently began wiping the stage shortly after the show began with "Boyfriend." He then left the stage after performing only that song.
A fan-shot video shows Bieber leaning into the audience and saying, "Hey, listen to me. Are you listening? I'm trying to tear this shit up. Give me a second, hey." He then leaves the stage. "Guys, forget it. I'm done. I'm not performing. I'm not performing," he says.
Fans were understandably upset. Shortly after the incident, Bieber posted an apology on Instagram. "Unfortunately, it's been a tough week for me, long days, no sleep, and all the while I've had to be 'on standby,' as they say, for cameras, fans, etc.".
He added that he "decided to end the show because the people in the front row didn't want to listen.".
04 of 08
Perry Farrell
Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction performs on stage during the second day of Lollapalooza Brazil at the Interlagos Circuit on March 25, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo: Mauricio Santana/Getty
In September 2024, Jane's Addiction broke up on stage during a concert in Boston. Video footage of the incident shows frontman Perry Farrell striking guitarist Dave Navarro.
Days later, the band canceled their tour, with members Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins citing "an ongoing pattern of behavior and mental health issues with our lead singer, Perry Farrell.".
In a statement, Pharrell apologized for the incident. "This weekend has been incredibly difficult, and after having had the time and opportunity to reflect, I feel it's right to apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, my fans, family, and friends for my actions during Friday's show," Pharrell wrote on Instagram. "Unfortunately, my limits led to inexcusable behavior, and I take full responsibility for how I chose to handle this situation.".
In July of the following year, Navarro, Avery, and Perkins filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pharrell, accusing the singer of assault and battery. Pharrell denied the allegations and sought to have the case dismissed. In December 2025, the lawsuit was dismissed after the band members reached a settlement.
That same month, the band officially announced their breakup. "I've reflected on this and realize I handled it poorly," Farrell wrote in an Instagram post. "I apologize to our attendees and my bandmates for losing my temper and disrupting the show. Jane's Addiction has been at the center of my life for decades.".
05 of 08
Scott Stapp
Scott Stapp speaks after the medal ceremony at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 19, 2002. Photo: Robert LaBerge/Getty.
More than 20 years ago, Creed played an infamous, disastrous concert in Chicago.
In 2002, while on stage at the Allstate Arena, vocalist Scott Stapp repeatedly left the stage mid-song, rolled on the floor, and even appeared to lose consciousness.
In an interview Louder In 2014, Stapp stated that a combination of factors led to the incident, including a car accident that left him addicted to painkillers. He also cited his difficult childhood and the growing rift between his bandmates. Chicago was the turning point.
«"I regret that night in Chicago," Stapp reflected. "At the time, I was hurt by those guys, but my perception was distorted: I was drinking from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to sleep, and I was high on pills, and it was something I should never have spoken about publicly. I've since apologized and done everything I could to make amends. It was a mistake, and I'll always regret it and regret doing it. But that was the first time what was going on behind the scenes came out.".
06 of 08
Caleb Followill
Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon performs at Rod Laver Arena on November 13, 2011, in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Martin Filby/Redferns
In 2011, Kings of Leon cancelled the remaining dates of their US tour after a controversial performance in Dallas, Texas.
The band cut their set short after vocalist Caleb Followill announced to the crowd, "I'm going to go backstage, throw up, drink a beer, and then come back and play three more songs.".
Followill left and never returned, forcing the band to apologize. "Caleb's just not in the right shape to make it through the rest of the show. We love you guys so much, but I know you fucking hate us," said bassist Jared Followill. "I'm so sorry. It's really not our fault, it's Caleb's fault. He can't make it through the rest of the show. We'll be back as soon as we can.".
They claimed the tour was being canceled due to exhaustion, but Jared then fueled speculation by writing on social media that "there are bigger issues in our band than just not drinking enough Gatorade.".
However, in 2014, they again cited "exhaustion" as the reason for their cancellation. "I think people think it was more of a falling out between us, that we had a huge fight that turned into a scene," guitarist Matt Followill told Louder. "The truth is, we were arguing about touring; we were so exhausted and didn't want to do it. We hit rock bottom. We'd been touring forever.".
07 of 08
Kid Rock
Kid Rock performs at Intrust Bank Arena on April 18, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas. Photo: Gary Miller/Getty.
Who doesn't want their birthday celebration interrupted by Kid Rock's tantrum?
In February 2025, at a Nashville event celebrating Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan's birthday, the singer who performed the hit "All Summer Long" was unexpectedly invited on stage. Things started off well enough: Kid Rock performed a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary," but it ended in a profanity-fueled outburst.
After asking the audience to join him in clapping, Kid Rock became frustrated, feeling that not enough people were participating. He stopped the song and, according to a video captured by a fan, said, "If you don't clap, we won't sing. That's how it's going to be.".
Rock tried to get them to clap a second time, but to his chagrin, too few people joined in. "You know what? Fuck you all. If you're not going to clap, I'm leaving," he shouted before storming off the stage.
After contacting Kid Rock's representatives Entertainment Weekly did not receive a response.
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08 of 08
Axl Rose
Axl Rose sits handcuffed in the back of a police car after being arrested at Kennedy Airport upon returning from a European concert tour. Photo: Bill Turnbull/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images.
Axl Rose's outrageous antics have become the stuff of legend. One of his most famous onstage outbursts occurred during a Guns N' Roses concert in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in 1991 and has since become known as the "Riverport Riot.".
Trouble began when Rose became angry with a fan taking his photo. During his performance of "Rocket Queen," he demanded that security take the man's camera. When security refused, the singer jumped off the stage to confront the fan. A brawl ensued, effectively ending the concert, which had already started two hours late.
«"Well, thanks to those worthless security guards, I'm going home!" Rose reportedly said as she was forcibly removed from the stage.
Enraged fans resorted to violence, causing approximately $200,000 in damage over the next few hours, including damage to Guns N' Roses equipment. More than 60 people were injured.
Rose was ultimately arrested in connection with the riot and later convicted of assault and property damage. He was sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to donate $50,000 to local charities.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.