10 Hated Musicians Who Think They're Still Loved

10 Hated Musicians Who Think They’re Still Loved

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 10 musicians who don’t seem to realize just how disliked they are by the general public.

Colson Baker/Machine Gun Kelly

Is it the music itself? Or perhaps it’s his constant attempts to be edgy? Could it be the hopeless hip-hop beefs and totally bizarre pivot to pop-punk? Well, whatever your reason is for hating on Colson Baker, formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly, you’re probably not the only one. His stock has arguably continued to plummet ever since he left hip-hop behind him in favour of other genres. The funny thing, though, is that MGK seems to think that he’s somehow ahead of his time, a trend-setter who is only receiving hate because people don’t understand what he’s doing. The critics aren’t interested and the general public are losing patience by the day.

Kid Rock

Kid Rock doesn’t care what you think of him. Plus, he seems to understand that he’s got a diehard fanbase who won’t leave his side, no matter how outrageously he behaves. But despite the loyal audience, Robert Ritchie has seemingly chosen to ignore the legions of listeners who would prefer to never listen to his songs again. Country-tinged rap-rock might have been cool about 20 years ago, if ever. But these days, Kid Rock’s sound is pretty dated. And the fact that he’s alienating half the country with his lyrics doesn’t help things either. Knowing him, though, he might think his popularity is currently at an all-time high.

Axl Rose

Axl Rose is best known for being the only consistent member of Guns N’ Roses since they began in the 1980s. And from what we gather, he’s been pretty consistently difficult to deal with during that period. When GNR were at their peak, Rose had absolutely no issues with turning up extremely late to his own gigs and was a controversy magnet in the media. In other words, he was the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll diva. Of course, that meant that he was totally oblivious to the fact that his ego was out of control. But there are too many instances of Axl Rose angering his fans, his bandmates, or his fellow artists to list here. He was truly one in a million.

Will.i.am

It might seem like decades ago, but Will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas were a lot less in-your-face mainstream than they later became. To say that the once-humble hip-hop and funk fusion act sold out would be putting it lightly. But for as much as the money rolled in, Will.i.am had a real knack for putting himself on a pedestal. Whether it was launching a new tech product that was insanely overpriced, or how he couldn’t help but see himself as a visionary, Will.i.am clearly had some notions about himself that most of us didn’t share. Most people would agree that whatever shred of “cool” Will.i.am once had is long gone.

Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich is one of the biggest divas in the history of metal. Sure, he just so happens to be the drummer for one of the greatest bands in the genre, but most fans would agree he behaves like a spoiled teenager. Ulrich has the type of rockstar ego that would make most of his contemporaries look humble by contrast. Need proof? Check out the Metallica documentary “Some Kind Of Monster,” a film that chronicles the band struggling through a real creative lowpoint. And let’s not forget the common criticism of Ulrich’s drumming style. In fact, even Metallica fans can’t help but ridicule his dodgy fundamentals. To this day, Lars seems oblivious to it all.

Morrissey

Morrissey has always been something of a provocateur, someone who will say or do anything to get attention. Morrissey’s post-The Smiths career, in particular, saw him truly let his ego get out of hand. He is living proof that politics and music should not mix, or at least they shouldn’t mix in the way he’s been doing it. He expresses views all across the spectrum, cancels shows for no good reason, and bashes absolutely anyone who crosses him in the media. It can be hard to tell if Morrissey is playing a character or if he’s genuinely that full of himself. Either way, don’t expect him to mellow out any time soon.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry’s career trajectory has been an odd one. The one-time Christian rocker broke out with some instantly catchy and fun pop hits, but over the years, it all got out of hand. These days, Perry is known best for her totally over-the-top stage shows, needlessly excessive costume changes, and some pretty inappropriate on-stage behaviour. Perry’s shows are widely attended by people of all ages, but it seems like the whole thing has become one playground for her ego. Her commercial success has also slowed down in the 2020s, but it doesn’t appear to have made a difference. These days, Perry remains one of the easiest and most popular targets for fan backlash.

Chris Brown

Chris Brown’s career somehow survived being charged with assaulting one of the most beloved pop-stars on the planet in 2009. But even though Rihanna’s fans will never forgive him, Brown was able to rebound with an extremely successful career. The legal issues didn’t stop there, though - with several instances of violence littered throughout his time in the spotlight. But Brown has made countless efforts to paint himself as a misunderstood, and in some ways, tragic hero of his own story. The fact that, in spite of everything, he’s still a relevant and successful artist is enough to drive millions of people crazy.

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons is truly living in a world of his own, where Kiss are God’s gift to music and he himself is a gift to women. To say that Simmons has a big ego wouldn’t quite cut it. He is a trailblazer in terms of arrogance, and can’t help but take shots at any other musicians he might consider a threat. When asked how he felt about being so divisive, he very humbly responded that “not everybody likes Jesus either.” Sure, Kiss have more than enough fans to keep Simmons living in his own little world, but the amount of people who can’t stand him is growing.

Kanye West

Kanye West’s career trajectory has seen him go from volatile genius to public enemy number one. No-one can deny that the man has changed hip-hop in more ways than one, but Ye’s god complex has gone past the point of no return. As his fame grew, the music became more boisterous, and the live shows more elaborate. But it was Kanye’s outspoken bigotry and eccentricities that grew even more unbearable. Some have pointed to his struggles with mental illness as a factor in these outbursts. Of course, there is no defending his particularly crude actions and self-aggrandizement. West himself likely thinks he’s still at the very peak of his powers, and it’s getting a little hard to watch.

What other musicians just don’t seem to realize how hated they are? Let us know in the comments below.