17 Musicians Whose Careers Had been Ruined

1.

Natalia Kills was slowly rising in fame over the early 2010s, opening for acts like Kesha, the Black-Eyed Peas, and Katy Perry, in addition to that includes on an LMFAO tune.

2.

Willy Moon was equally rising within the music scene after going viral for his hit “Yeah Yeah.” The 2, who had been married, each seemed to be getting extra notoriety with their first foray into actuality tv as judges on The X Issue New Zealand.

Nonetheless, of their very first dwell present, Kills and Moon made such merciless feedback to a contestant that each of their careers had been virtually instantly ruined. After contestant Joe Irvine sang “Cry Me a River,” Kills known as Irvine out for dressing like Moon, with Moon becoming a member of in. The viewers booed, and the opposite judges tried to step in, however they saved going.

Natalia later issued an apology, saying, “Lots goes on behind the scenes of a actuality TV present and [what] you see isn’t all the time the entire story. … I used to be inspired to be outspoken, and issues obtained out of hand. … Joe, I hope you may forgive me and I want you all one of the best!” however the harm was executed. The duo was let go from the present after a viral petition to get them fired. Natalia did proceed her profession, however she modified her title and began a distinct band with Moon, which nonetheless has not launched their debut album (although they do have an EP).

3.

R&B duo Milli Vanilli reached worldwide fame within the late ’80s with their debut album, main them to win the award for Finest New Artist on the 1990 Grammy Awards. Nonetheless, their careers shortly took a nosedive when their producer Frank Farian revealed they did not sing any of the album, which was confirmed by member Rob Pilatus. The Grammys swiftly revoked their award.

Pilatus and co-member Fab Morvan tried a comeback within the early ’90s, however the scandal adopted them, they usually had been unable to realize traction. They tried a second comeback within the late ’90s, however Pilatus died in 1998, which ended that try. Morvan has continued to make music, even releasing a solo album, however continues to be finest recognized for his time in Milli Vanilli.

4.

Billy Squier skyrocketed to fame within the early Nineteen Eighties, however by 1984, his profession had taken a nosedive. Why? The blame lies with the music video for his tune “Rock Me Tonite,” which was so unhealthy many claimed it singlehandedly tanked his profession. Even Squier mentioned so: “The video had a deleterious impact on my profession. The tour earlier than, I used to be promoting out arenas sooner than Sinatra, and as quickly as that video got here out, I used to be taking part in to half homes,” he mentioned in 2011, based on I Need My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution.

The tune itself was a serious hit, however the video — which largely featured Squier dancing round in a bed room, rolling on the ground, and ripping his shirt off — made folks scratch their heads. “The video misrepresents who I’m as an artist,” Squier informed the authors of I Need My MTV. “I used to be a handsome, attractive man. That actually did not harm in selling my music. However on this video, I am type of a fairly boy. And I am preening round a room. Individuals mentioned, ‘He is homosexual,’ or ‘He is on medicine.’ It was traumatizing to me.” Squier launched a number of albums afterward, however none had been as profitable as his earlier music had been.

5.

Vanilla Ice rose to fame extremely shortly with “Ice, Ice, Child” in 1990, however he attracted controversy simply as shortly. First, reported particulars about his previous (specifically that he had a tough background) had been confirmed false. His music was additionally criticized for being white-washed and “mainstream.” Then, Jim Carrey parodied him on In Residing Colour, he had a disastrous look on The Arsenio Corridor Present, and he was the topic of a diss observe by third Bass. Lastly, he starred within the panned movie Cool as Ice, which successfully ended his film profession earlier than it started.

He then tried a profession in motocross and jet snowboarding, in addition to in actuality TV (the place he discovered average success), and had a number of run-ins with the regulation. Whereas he did try a comeback, it was unsuccessful, and his music profession by no means obtained again to what it was.

6.

Iggy Azalea appeared like she was going to change into large after the success of “Fancy.” With “Downside” and “Black Widow,” Azalea proved she wasn’t only a one-hit marvel. However her profession stalled after continued accusations of racism and profiting off of Black tradition — together with utilizing a “Blaccent” — in addition to her perceived lack of ability to freestyle and public feuds. She finally canceled her debut tour. She continued to make music, however acknowledged her profession had “fallen off a cliff,” and by no means returned to her “Fancy” degree of success.

Azalea introduced she was retiring from music final yr and has since moved into enterprise ventures, which has included launching her personal meme cryptocoin.

7.

CeeLo Inexperienced went massively viral along with his hit tune “Fuck You” in 2010, which was adopted by a stint as a guest-host on The Voice, together with performing on the Tremendous Bowl halftime present. However allegations of drugging and sexually assaulting a lady in 2012 derailed his profession earlier than he may change into an A-Listing star.

Rape prices weren’t filed attributable to an absence of proof, and his prices had been decreased to supplying ecstasy to the girl. Inexperienced pled no contest, and was sentenced to a few years of probation. Inexperienced might have continued his profession — his lawyer claimed the encounter was consensual — however then he took to Twitter to write issues comparable to “If somebody is handed out they’re not even WITH you consciously! so WITH Implies consent” and “Individuals who have actually been raped REMEMBER!!!”

Inexperienced stop The Voice (reportedly believing he’d be fired, although he later mentioned, “I ran my course there simply naturally”), and his actuality present, The Good Life, was canceled. Inexperienced continues to be round and making music as we speak, however he isn’t even near the extent of fame or success he had within the early 2010s.

8.

Ben Hopkins of Pwr Bttm additionally noticed their profession derailed by sexual misconduct allegations. Simply because the group was gaining traction, days earlier than the discharge of their second album, Hopkins was accused of being a sexual predator. Their label dropped them, streaming platforms eliminated their music, and their upcoming tour was canceled. Hopkins says the nameless accusations are false and finally launched music as a solo artist in 2020 after taking a break from the general public eye. Nonetheless, they’ve but to launch a brand new album or make a full comeback.

9.

Rapper and actor Mystikal steadily rose in fame over the ’90s and early 2000s. In 2003, he appeared on prime of the world, gaining his first-ever Album of the 12 months Grammy nomination and starring within the movie 13 Useless Males. Nonetheless, in early 2004, he was convicted of sexual battery and sentenced to 6 years in jail.

Mystikal tried to make a comeback when he was launched in 2010 and located some success in early performances. Nonetheless, he continued to have run-ins with the regulation, being accused of rape and home battery, amongst different prices, and he’s at the moment going through a life sentence (he pleaded not responsible to all prices, and his former lawyer proclaimed his innocence). He has not launched a solo album since 2001, and he’s nonetheless in jail.

10.

Canadian-Chinese language singer Kris Wu rose to fame by the Canadian-Korean boy band Exo earlier than discovering main success as a solo artist. He additionally made waves as an actor, showing in the Vin Diesel movie XXX: Return of Xander Cage, and appeared poised to interrupt into the American market. However in 2021, the 30-year-old Wu was accused of sexual assault of a 17-year-old two years prior. He denied the allegations, however was arrested and in the end sentenced to 13 years in jail, a conviction which was upheld upon attraction.

11.

One other musician whose profession was derailed by jail time is Tory Lanez. Lanez was a rising star who was discovering mainstream success within the late 2010s — after which he was accused of capturing Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. He was finally convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail. Time will inform if he makes an attempt to make a comeback after that.

12.

Regardless of authorized hassle, 6ix9ine shot to fame shortly within the late 2010s, however his involvement with the 9 Trey gang led to his arrest in 2018 on racketeering, theft, and firearm prices. He was in the end sentenced to two years in jail after testifying in opposition to different 9 Trey members, resulting in him being labeled a “snitch” and primarily ruining his credibility in hip-hop.

6ix9ine has launched music since then, with average to low success (nowhere close to his preliminary success), and has continued to generate controversy and have authorized troubles. He is at the moment going through potential jail time.

13.

Keri Hilson had a wildly profitable debut album and continued that success together with her second album. However she by no means reached the profession highs that had been anticipated for her — due partly to her allegedly shading Beyoncé and Ciara in a number of lyrics in her 2009 tune “Turnin’ Me On” (which Hilson denied). Hilson continued to face what she known as “verbal abuse” from Beyoncé followers for years and ended up taking a years-long break from music, later revealing she was coping with melancholy and the grief of her father’s passing.

This yr, Hilson finally launched her first studio album (properly, it is truly half one of a three-part album) in 15 years, We Have to Discuss: Love. This has marked a comeback for Hilson, although the album didn’t attain the heights of her earlier success.

14.

Fiona Apple was an ingenue when her debut album was launched to widespread acclaim, however public opinion turned swiftly in opposition to her when she received the MTV Video Music Award for Finest New Artist. She obtained up on stage and mentioned she hadn’t ready a speech, then famously mentioned, “This world is bullshit and also you shouldn’t mannequin your life … about what you suppose that we predict is cool and what we’re sporting and what we’re saying and every thing.” Apple was labeled afterward — in her personal phrases — a “brat bitch free cannon.”

She later mentioned she felt like a “sellout” when she received and have become “a paper doll as a way to be accepted.” Her notorious speech, together with storming offstage throughout a present in 2000, led her to be seen as “unstable,” which adopted her for her total profession. Whereas Apple has continued to have an acclaimed, Grammy-award-winning profession, she by no means once more reached her pre-2000 business heights.

15.

Pop duo Karmin had simply begun to seek out mainstream success (after making a reputation for themselves with YouTube covers) in 2012 with their EP Whats up. However their efficiency on SNL that very same yr is broadly cited as one of many worst SNL performances of all time. This successfully killed their momentum, they usually ended up disbanding the group and beginning a brand new music endeavor, Qveen Herby. This group nonetheless releases music and excursions, however is just not as well-known as Karmin.

16.

Whereas Robin Thicke was round for years earlier than “Blurred Traces,” the tune catapulted him into world superstardom and he turned a family title, getting nominated for his first non-production-related Grammy in 2014. However his efficiency of the tune with Miley Cyrus on the 2013 VMAs generated vital controversy, as did the lyrics and music video for Thicke’s tune (Thicke additionally misplaced a lawsuit concerning the tune’s similarities to Marvin Gaye’s “Acquired to Give It Up”).

Thicke might have been in a position to save his profession — however his extremely publicized divorce and ensuing album centered on getting his spouse again, which was a huge essential failure, cementing his ousting from the music trade A-list. His subsequent album wasn’t till 2021 and didn’t cement a comeback for Thicke. The principle factor he is at the moment recognized for is showing as a decide on The Masked Singer.

17.

And eventually, we’ll finish on Azealia Banks. Within the early 2010s, Banks appeared poised for a protracted profession within the music enterprise, however since then, her outspoken and problematic Twitter rants and feuds have meant that she’s extra well-known for her controversial on-line presence than her songs. Whereas she nonetheless performs, she actually has not achieved the extent of mainstream success she might need.