Music's Top 10 Scandals
by AOL Staff
10/13/11


10. Ashlee Simpson Lip Syncs on "SNL"


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For years, Ashlee had lived in the shadow of her sister Jessica's fame. But on October 24, 2004, Ashlee stole the spotlight -- but for all the wrong reasons.

During her first ever booking on "SNL", Ashlee was busted lip syncing to a backup track when 'Pieces of Me,' the song Ash sang during her first performance, started playing at the start of what was meant to be her second act.

Making matters even worse, after being caught in the audio snafoo, Simpson awkwardly started to do what can only be described as a jig around the stage.

The "singer" would later claim she was forced to lip sync because of a severe sore throat, but has yet to live down the shameful and embarrassing event to this day.











9. Mariah Carey's Odd Behavior on "TRL"


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It's been over ten years since Mariah Carey's oddest "TRL" appearance.ever, but many fans remember it as if it were yesterday. Mimi randomly showed up to the MTV studios, genuinely surprising host Carson Daly as she wheeled out a cart of popsicles to give to fans.

What happened next seemed like some sort of bizarro dream because, well, Mariah just wasn't making any sense. "All I know is I just want one day off when I can go swimming and look at rainbows and, like, eat ice cream. And maybe, like, learn how to ride a bicycle," Mariah rambled at one point.

Earlier in the interview, multi-millionaire Carey also claimed to be in the poor house to a stunned Daily and audience. Days later, Mimi checked herself into a mental facility, where she was able to escape the demons that had haunted her.

Sadly, she won't likely ever escape the stigma stemming from her strange "TRL" drop in.











8. Miley Cyrus' Semi-Nude Photos in Vanity Fair


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During her Annie Leibovitz photo shoot for Vanity Fair, she was just being Miley. But when the magazine hits stands in June 2008, there was public outcry over just how much of Miley was showing in the risque shots.

Quick to backtrack, Miley released a statement slamming the pictorial and apologizing to fans. "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said at the time.

"I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."











7. Madonna Makes Out with Britney Spears (and Christina Aguilera)


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Madonna caused a scene and sparked controversy, as usual, this time with the help of two of her young pop star proteges at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

During the provocative performance the three ladies engaged in some girl-on-girl action that raised brows and made headlines. Madonna turned to Brit Brit and leaned in for an open-mouth lip-lock, which garnered an interesting reaction from Brit's ex, Justin Timberlake.

Madge then turned to Xtina on her other side and smooched her as well. It was the MTV camera cut-away to JT's reaction in the audience that left Xtina's follow-up kiss less memorable than Britney's.











6. Christina Aguilera Botches the National Anthem


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Xtina's VMA kiss may not have been as memorable as Britney's, but her butchering of the U.S. national anthem certainly stuck in the public's mind.

The media really let Christina have it when she jumbled the words to the 'Star Spangled Banner' at Super Bowl XLV in front of, well, all of America.

Just a few lines into the song, Xtina sang, "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last [unintelligible lyric]," instead of "'O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming."











5. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson "Nipplegate"


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Justin Timberlake teamed up with pop icon Janet Jackson for an historic collaboration during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. Unfortunately, it wasn't the musical collab, but a Janet Jackson's exposed breast that made headlines.

At the end of their 'Rock Your Body' duet, JT sang "Bet I'll have you naked, by the end of this song," before ripping off Janet's tear-away top, exposing her pastie-accessorized breast for the entire family-oriented audience to see.

Not quite naked, but close enough to cause instant outrage and earn it's own scandal-connoting catch phrase.











4. Milli Vanilli Lip Syncing Exposed


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These days, we're almost more accustomed to lip syncing than actual singing when it comes to pop music live performances, but it wasn't the lip syncing of their own pre-recorded vocals that banished Milli Vanilli to the hall of shame, it was the confession that the spandex-wearing duo had been mouthing someone else's vocals all along.

First exposed during a 1989 live performance which aired on MTV when the CD recording of their hit 'Girl You Know It's True' started skipping over and over until the guys ran off stage with embarrassment.

By the following year, Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus confessed their dirty little secret and their fame turned to infamy and disgrace.











3. Madonna Performs Reenactment of the Crucifixion


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Queen of controversy, Madonna lands on our list, yet again, for her scandalicious stage act during her 2006 Confessions tour.

Not satisfied with being just Madonna, the pop icon took iconoclasm to whole new heights when she bound herself to a giant crucifix and played Jesus while singing 'Live to Tell.'

The Vatican itself condemned the stage stunt as blasphemy and suggested Madge be "excommunicated." All in a days work.











2. Sinead O'Conner Tears Up a Picture of the Pope on "SNL"


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Sinead's October 3, 1992 performance on "SNL" probably would have been forgotten by Sunday, October 4 had the Irish-born singer not torn up a picture of Pope John Paul II after finishing her rendition of Bob Marley's 'War.'

After the "rrrrrip heard round the world," "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels called Sinead's actions, "A betrayal," and the New York Daily News dubbed her a "HOLY TERROR."











1. Chris Brown and Rihanna's Domestic Violence Drama


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It was supposed to be an amazing Grammy weekend for then-couple Chris Brown and Rihanna. But upon leaving a pre-Grammy party, the night's festive mood turned violent.

Police records would later allege that after a fight broke out between the pair in their car, Brown "punched her Rihanna in the left eye with his right hand. He then drove away in the vehicle and continued to punch her in the face with his right hand while steering the vehicle with his left hand."

Fallout from the very public case of domestic violence was severe for Brown, who found radio stations refusing to play his songs and fans swearing they'd never buy a Chris Brown CD again.

Years later, both Chris and Rihanna have moved on, with Ri even recently claiming she's still a fan of her ex.

http://blog.music.aol.com/2011/10/13/musics-top-ten-scandals/

Another joke of a list courtesy of AOL. :rolleyes: It's fairly obvious that the staff of clowns that wrote this article are all 25 or under and have absolutely zero knowledge of any music related scandals prior to the 1990's.

How about this one?

"Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I'll be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first—rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

John Lennon, on the Beatles's popularity, March 4, 1966

Even this one...

Kanye West barges upstage when Taylor Swift was accepting the MTV's VMA.

Or whet about these moments from Ed Sullivan?...

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Y285dwKXNto(This is the song that The Rolling Stones played on Sullivan, not Ed Sullivan Show...I couldn't find it)!

I never knew about the Madonna one. I guess that she's not so shocking anymore that whatever she does, the media is like, "been there, done that, read the book." But this listmaker quickly forgot Madonna's earlier scandal regarding her Like a Prayer video that prompted Pepsi to pull her as a sponsor.

I remember Michael Jackson got into a bit of music controversy apart from all the child molestation stuff when during his music video for Black or White, he jumped up on top of a car, started smashing it, and repeatedly grabbed his crotch and screamed during the dance sequence. It was really out of place for a video that celebrated racial equality. Maybe he was expressing his frustration at everything that was happening to him personally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niQJtZGTD8A

Of course, you can't forget Elvis shaking his pelvis on TV but those watching couldn't see it because the cameras weren't allowed to show him bumping and grinding.

Then there's the now infamous "Soy Bomb" dancer while Bob Dylan was performing at the Grammys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_RIGzk3iTQ

I've forgotten about most of these because quite frankly most of these "artists" are lacking in talent. To me the older controversies like Jim Morrison, Elvis or the Beatles hold up. I will say though that I was still in high school when Mili Vanilli became popular and actually bought the cassette. It was pretty good but after that I gave the cassette to someone else I was ashamed I had it. I've since found out that the album has been completely removed from the label and will never be re released again.

I'll add a scandal at the time: The Monkees. While it's not a big deal today back then it was a scandal because the television show implied they played all the instruments and wrote the songs, though this wasn't mostly true. I say mostly because because even on the first 2 albums there were songs written and or played by members but the majority were played by studio musicians. Of course two were musicians by the time the show started, another was a musician just not the instrument he played on the show, and the fourth really wasn't a musician at all. By the end of the show all four were musicians to varying degrees and songwriters. The reason this was controversial was because remember this was when bands like the Beatles were replacing many of the singing (non instrument playing)groups.

Some people thought Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a scandal. Mixing rock and roll with classical music? Taking an orchestra out on tour with them? "Karn Evil 9?" A show that literally never ends? ELP only set themsevles up as a perfect target for the critics . . . and the punk rockers. :lol:

Come and see the show! Come and see the show! :rotflmao:

Some people thought Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a scandal. Mixing rock and roll with classical music? Taking an orchestra out on tour with them? "Karn Evil 9?" A show that literally never ends? ELP only set themsevles up as a perfect target for the critics . . . and the punk rockers. :lol:

Come and see the show! Come and see the show! :rotflmao:
Hey, it worked for Electric Light Orchestra. :D

Another big scandal that happened during the early 90's was when C & C Music Factory used another singer that was part of their group lip-synching to Martha Wash's vocals on "Gonna Make You Sweat."

Controversy erupted when it was discovered that vocalist Zelma Davis lip-synced to Martha Wash's vocals in the video for the groups first single, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." Wash later sued the group and appeared on the Joan Rivers show unannounced immediately after the Milli Vanilli lip-sync controversy erupted.

A lot of people speculated that Martha was kept out of the video because of her size, despite her already earlier popularity in the 80's as one of "The Weather Girls," and both she and Izora Rhoades were in the video for their hit "It's Raining Men."

Hey, it worked for Electric Light Orchestra. :D

Another big scandal that happened during the early 90's was when C & C Music Factory used another singer that was part of their group lip-synching to Martha Wash's vocals on "Gonna Make You Sweat."

Controversy erupted when it was discovered that vocalist Zelma Davis lip-synced to Martha Wash's vocals in the video for the groups first single, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." Wash later sued the group and appeared on the Joan Rivers show unannounced immediately after the Milli Vanilli lip-sync controversy erupted.

A lot of people speculated that Martha was kept out of the video because of her size, despite her already earlier popularity in the 80's as one of "The Weather Girls," and both she and Izora Rhoades were in the video for their hit "It's Raining Men."


Speaking of which I remember there was the related issue with that Black Beat (I think that was the name)where Martha Wash sang on Strike It Up, and yet again in the video had a model.

The early 90's were a terrible time for music. There was so much of this going around and only a few got caught.

Speaking of which I remember there was the related issue with that Black Beat (I think that was the name)where Martha Wash sang on Strike It Up, and yet again in the video had a model.

The early 90's were a terrible time for music. There was so much of this going around and only a few got caught.

Yep, but it was Black Box. They also got in trouble for that too but not so much as C&C did.

The early 90's really didn't have a lot going for it aside from some really good dance & club music. Mariah, Celine, Whitney and Michael Bolton were dominating the charts and those ballads really got old after a while because it was the only thing Top 40 radio would seem to play. Speaking of Michael Bolton, he got in trouble himself for sampling The Isley Brothers on one of his songs. They sued him and won. He also got accused of doing nothing but cover songs instead of writing his own music.

Yep, but it was Black Box. They also got in trouble for that too but not so much as C&C did.

The early 90's really didn't have a lot going for it aside from some really good dance & club music. Mariah, Celine, Whitney and Michael Bolton were dominating the charts and those ballads really got old after a while because it was the only thing Top 40 radio would seem to play. Speaking of Michael Bolton, he got in trouble himself for sampling The Isley Brothers on one of his songs. They sued him and won. He also got accused of doing nothing but cover songs instead of writing his own music.

Black Box, that was the name. I've tried for block out all that horrid music. Yep C&C got in more trouble but if I recall they were a far more popular "band". There was good music during that time but most of it wasn't being played on top 40 radio. Top 40 was just so yucky. I actually remember that Michael Bolton controversy now that you mention it.

Speaking of Michael Bolton, he got in trouble himself for sampling The Isley Brothers on one of his songs. They sued him and won. He also got accused of doing nothing but cover songs instead of writing his own music.

I didn't know about Micahel Bolton sampling an Isley Brothers tune, but you shouldn't criticize him for covering songs - Joe Cocker does that all the time. You chould criticize Michael Bolton for how he covers them!

The early nineties did suck, but then Nirvana came along.

I didn't know about Micahel Bolton sampling an Isley Brothers tune, but you shouldn't criticize him for covering songs - Joe Cocker does that all the time. You chould criticize Michael Bolton for how he covers them!

The early nineties did suck, but then Nirvana came along.

Everytime I think of early 90's it makes me appreciate Nirvana more and more. I've always been a Nirvana fan and was thrilled they came around. Once they did so much of the trash disappeared. Of course after Nirvana came a lot of Nirvana knock off music but still better than the other music.

Everytime I think of early 90's it makes me appreciate Nirvana more and more. I've always been a Nirvana fan and was thrilled they came around. Once they did so much of the trash disappeared. Of course after Nirvana came a lot of Nirvana knock off music but still better than the other music.

Yes, then after the knock off music came N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys, Britney and Christina, and their ilk . . . and in 1999 we were back where we started. :mad:

Sad but true. However at least for a few years we had a break from that music.

Yes, then after the knock off music came N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys, Britney and Christina, and their ilk . . . and in 1999 we were back where we started. :mad:

I do like some 90's music, it just got ruined by 1997 once The Spice Girls came.

I still enjoy Hootie and the Blowfish.

Sad but true. However at least for a few years we had a break from that music.

:)