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Frank Zappa was a nonconformist when it came to the music industry, making him very hard to collaborate with. Zappa actively avoided making a "commercial hit."
Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica due to his drunken behavior. His next band, Megadeth, has had an incredibly high turnover rate, with over 20 members. Can you spot a common denominator here?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist quit the band when his drug addiction got in the way. Working with him became unpredictable and unreliable.
Fleetwood Mac's drummer admitted his unpredictability onstage. "There's no discipline," he said. "I can't do the same thing every night."
In 2013, Bon Jovi fans were shocked when the band's iconic guitarist suddenly quit, leaving them high and dry in the middle of a tour. There's speculation that he had a troubled relationship with the band.
The Sex Pistols bass player was known for his struggle with drug addiction. His erratic behavior both on and off stage made him a pretty difficult person to work with.
Pink Floyd's former band leader suffered from schizophrenia, exacerbated by drug use. He'd be all over the place at live performances as well as during rehearsals.
Tupac was trouble both on and off stage. Rapper Busta Rhymes recalls a moment when Tupac choked a soundman who was not cooperating during the soundcheck of the hip-hop group Leaders of the New School.
From 'American Idol' beef with fellow judges to an angry tirade at celebrity facialist Dawn DaLuise, Nicki Minaj is trouble at work.
Assistant Jennifer O'Neill said Gaga doesn't like to sleep alone, so she had to sleep with her all the time. O'Neill sued the singer for nearly US$400k of unpaid overtime.
Ye has a reputation for being difficult to work with, even before his downward spiral of late. "Kanye can be very hard to work with. Kanye will have you re-do a verse 10 times and not use them," explained rapper Big Sean.
One of the wildest musicians in rock n' roll history, Iggy Pop can be a pretty untamed beast, especially onstage. Iggy's drink and drug-fueled performances, interviews, and studio work are full of mishaps.
The Temptations had to endure David Ruffin's unpredictable behavior. He'd show up late to rehearsals and refused to travel with the group.
The 'Brown Eyed Girl' singer admitted to having problems finding musicians who are compatible with his vision and work ethic. He is also said to have sacked some of his musicians with very short notice.
One of the creative forces behind The Beatles, John Lennon struggled with both his professional and personal relationships. Involving his wife, Yoko Ono, in band matters, is said to have contributed to the end of the Fab Four.
EVH was one of the most innovative guitarists of all time, but working with him wasn't easy. "He did horrible things to people," said former vocalist Sammy Hagar. "Eddie was completely whacked out off the charts on alcohol and drugs," he added.
Sean Combs is currently battling a number of legal matters, but he also has a reputation for being bossy, volatile, and firing employees on a whim. "No one on his team at Bad Boy spoke back to him. No one challenged him," said former Daddy's House studio manager Felicia Newsome.
Mariah takes the word diva to another level. According to actor Rob Huebel, she once arrived to a movie set four hours late and refused to sing a song she was hired to sing.
Captain Beefheart's The Magic Band accused him of behaving like a dictator.
Sources: (Yard Barker) (Watch Mojo) (Diply) (Rolling Stone) (Nicki Swift) (Guitar.com)
See also: Bandmates who didn't get along
Accused of having a big ego and a volatile personality, Axl is known for arriving late to shows and for his feuds with other bandmates. However, this seems to be a thing of the past since he reunited with some of the original members of Guns N' Roses in 2016.
Roger Waters is yet another musician who just likes to control things a bit too much, from the band to the crew. He is known for his feuds with bandmates Richard Wright and David Gilmour.
The Queen of Pop is a perfectionist, according to those who work with her. Back in the '90s, Madonna's dancers sued her for "invasion of privacy, fraud and deceit, misrepresentation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress."
Wu-Tang Clan member U-God mentioned in his memoir how RZA was a perfectionist and control freak. In Hulu's 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' it's possible to see what U-God was talking about.
No one can deny Young Thug's talent, but he does have a problem with being on time. This has happened on numerous occasions and in different contexts, from shows to video shoots.
Ozzy was kicked out of Black Sabbath and although he had a very successful solo career, he was known for being a hell-raiser. One example includes the infamous incident where he bit the head off a dove during a meeting with record company executives.
Bird was an outstanding jazz saxophonist, but he was also an alcoholic and a drug addict. This, of course, made him unreliable onstage.
Bobby Brown left the group New Edition in 1986 after giving everyone a hard time. "He was showing up when he wanted to, not showing up to like key stuff," recalled New Edition member Ralph Tresvant.
The Kiss front man has a reputation for being a fierce businessman, and a very good one indeed. The band's former guitarist, Ace Frehley, has opened up about how difficult Simmons was, calling him a "control freak," among other things.
Being in a band with two siblings who don't get along is not easy. Ultimately. the band called it quits after a major blowout in 2009. The Gallaghers eventually reunited in 2025 for a few concerts.
The music business is full of big egos, which is not a great thing when it comes to working with people. Some artists have proved to be volatile and unpredictable by messing up performances and publicity events, while others have mistreated their employees and other professionals. Regardless of what their actions were, these artists gained a reputation for being hard to collaborate with. The reasons vary, and range from personality to problems with addiction and mental health.
In this gallery, you'll get to know some of the musicians who are notoriously difficult to work with. Click on.
Musicians who were difficult to work with
These stars have bad reputations!
MUSIC Personalities
The music business is full of big egos, which is not a great thing when it comes to working with people. Some artists have proved to be volatile and unpredictable by messing up performances and publicity events, while others have mistreated their employees and other professionals. Regardless of what their actions were, these artists gained a reputation for being hard to collaborate with. The reasons vary, and range from personality to problems with addiction and mental health.
In this gallery, you'll get to know some of the musicians who are notoriously difficult to work with. Click on.