Top 20 Biggest Girl Group Scandals

#20: Katseye

Put together after their success in the reality show “Dream Academy,” Katseye gained a reputation as a global girl group due to having members from several countries. However, not everyone was on board with that. In 2025, Katseye went public with receiving racist abuse and death threats. Lara Raj ended up deleting her X account due to comments. While appearing on 2024’s “Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE,” there was criticism of the editing that depicted Manon Bannerman in a bad light for missing training, while others in the group didn’t get the same experience. Bannerman described the treatment as unfair, especially as she’s Black. However, in 2026, Katseye announced Bannerman was taking a hiatus, seemingly due to the racist abuse she’s received.

#19: Sugababes

In the music world, it’s not unusual for acts to have members leave and new ones join. However, Sugababes have taken this to the extreme with six members in a trio group. Siobhán Donaghy was the first to depart, later claiming she left due to being tormented by Keisha Buchanan, who denied the allegations. Following Mutya Buena's departure in 2005, Buchanan was forced out in 2009, with a completely different Sugababes lineup until they disbanded in 2011. The original trio mended bridges and formed a new group named Mutya Keisha Siobhán. Yet, they fought to get the rights back to the Sugababes brand. In 2019, they were successful, eventually releasing the album “The Lost Tapes” in 2022 under their former Sugababes moniker.

#18: Mamamoo

Formed in 2014, this South Korean group were beginning to carve out their name in K-Pop when a PR disaster struck. In 2017, Mamamoo were performing a gig in Seoul when they decided to play a video to the audience. Within it, the quartet featured a clip of them homaging Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’s 2014 hit “Uptown Funk.” However, instead of it being a cheery memory for the fans to take home, it became one of discomfort. The group dressed up like Mars from the music video, including doing blackface. As outrage spread, the members of Mamamoo released multiple apologies for what they did, as the clip was removed from the video for the remaining concerts.

#17: T-ara

Not long after forming in 2009, T-ara began to take over South Korea’s music scene with a string of hits. Yet once 2012 rolled around, the group drastically decreased in popularity. That year, T-ara were performing in Japan when Ryu Hwa-young suffered an injury, requiring the others to cover. On social media, the other members seemingly took shots at her for missing performances, leading to accusations that Ryu was being mistreated. Days later, Ryu departed T-ara, downplaying that she was tormented. However, in 2017, she began claiming she was abused by the other members. Yet this led to allegations that Ryu and her sister, Ryu Hyo-young, were the abusive ones as the staff leaked texts Hyo-young had sent, which she admitted she wrote.

#16: Danity Kane

Musicians can be a passionate bunch. Yet Danity Kane fans probably wished the group had kept the passion restrained in 2014. A year after four of the original five reunited, the group was at a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, when it got heated. According to Dawn Richard's account, Aubrey O’Day and Shannon Bex accused her of monopolizing the vocals on their album. So, they went behind her back to edit tracks, leading to an argument. This reportedly sparked Richard to punch O’Day on the back of the head. Days later, DK disbanded again, despite releasing an album the month after. O’Day and Bex formed the duo Dumblonde before making amends with Richard for a third DK reunion in 2018.

#15: The Cheetah Girls

Before there was a “High School Musical” franchise, there was 2003’s “The Cheetah Girls” to get that Disney musical fix. With its success, the film’s stars formed a girl group with the same name, going on to release two albums and multiple singles. However, in 2007, Raven-Symoné left the group and didn’t return for the third film. Immediately, there were reports of tension on the set of the sequel, 2006’s “The Cheetah Girls 2.” Raven-Symoné stated that she felt “ostracized” from the group during production in Spain. By 2008, the Cheetah Girls disbanded. During an Instagram Live session in 2020 with Raven-Symoné and Kiely Williams, the duo put their rift to bed, while alluding to remaining issues with Adrienne Bailon-Houghton.

#14: The Dixie Chicks

While they later shortened their name to the Chicks, in 2003, the country trio saw their careers collapse. That year, for their world tour, they performed in London, England. At one point, the band stated they were ashamed of then-US President George Bush and criticized the US invasion of Iraq. Many of the Chicks’ supporters in the States turned on them, causing multiple radio stations to ban the trio, which caused their music to fall down the charts and sponsors to leave. In the immediate aftermath, the Chicks apologized. Yet in 2006, they took that back and criticized Bush again. That same year, the band returned to stardom with “Not Ready to Make Nice,” which alluded to their 2003 backlash, helping them win three Grammys.

#13: t.A.T.u.

When Tatu burst onto the international scene with 2002’s “All the Things She Said,” the LGBTQIA+ community was delighted to have representation as the duo was showcased as lesbians. However, it wasn’t true. The gay persona was put together by their then-manager, Ivan Shapovalov, leading to accusations of queerbaiting. Tatu split in 2011 due to friction between them. Yet they reunited occasionally, including performing at the 2014 Winter Olympics. However, shortly after, Lena Katina released a video stating she was done working with Julia Volkova. Several months later, the rift was intensified when Volkova made homophobic remarks on a TV show. In response, Katina reaffirmed her support for the LGBTQIA+ community. By 2022, the duo had mended the feud by performing together multiple times.

#12: En Vogue

Formed in 1989, En Vogue has enjoyed an award-laden career. But beyond all the success are the many scandals. After Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson departed, the duo planned to release music together in 2012. While Robinson dropped out, Jones formed the group En Vogue to the Max. This sparked Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis to sue for rights to the En Vogue name, which the remaining members won. However, in 2015, Herron and Ellis were sued by Rufftown Records for $310 million, claiming the group had breached their contract by signing with Pyramid Records. The case was settled out of court. In 2025, further scandal emerged when Robinson released a video confessing that she’d been living in her car for the past three years.

#11: The Runaways

While the Runaways were only around for four years until 1979, they left a lasting impression as a trailblazing all-female rock band. In 2015, after the death of the band’s manager, Kim Fowley, Jacqueline Fuchs went public with her ordeal. Previously known as Jackie Fox, she was the Runaways' bassist until leaving in 1977. While partying with the band, Fuchs became intoxicated. Then, she was assaulted by Fowley. Fuchs also claimed other band members, such as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, saw the attack. Kari Krome supported Fuchs’s events, adding that she experienced something similar with Fowley, and later sued his estate in 2023. However, Jett and Currie denied seeing anything. Fuchs responded that she understood, as the incident was traumatic for everyone.

#10: The Pussycat Dolls

It’s a tale as old as time: music group members vying for lead vocals, center stage, and solo success. But in the case of the Pussycat Dolls, none of that was even a possibility for anyone but Nicole Scherzinger. Rather than being billed as her equals, the other girls often came off as glorified backup dancers. Scherzinger was usually the only one who sang on their albums, recording both lead and background vocals. Following a near decade-long hiatus, the group attempted a comeback in 2019. However, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, paired with legal disputes between Scherzinger and manager Robin Antin led to it being dead on arrival. Regardless of the situation, these Dolls just couldn’t seem to stickwit each other. Well, in 2026, PCD is attempting to embark on a comeback as a trio.

#9: 3LW

Girl group feuds have occasionally turned physical, but not a lot of them go down at a KFC. During a 2002 visit to the restaurant, an altercation broke out between 3LW members Naturi Naughton and Kiely Williams. According to Naughton, the bandmates had gotten into an argument, which culminated in Williams throwing a plate of food at her. Not long after, Naughton exited the group, although she claims that she was pushed out by their management. Both ladies have discussed their part in the incident over the years, but a public reconciliation between the two is yet to be seen. Meanwhile, Adrienne Bailon, who rounded up the trio, later reunited with Houghton on her talk show “The Real”, where she apologized for her role in the controversy.

#8: Little Mix

Regarded by Forbes as the 2010s’ answer to the Spice Girls, Little Mix became famous for their feminist anthems and sassy breakup songs. Many of their fans were, however, shocked when a rift formed between the seemingly tight-knit quartet. In 2020, following the release of their sixth album “Confetti”, it was announced that band member Jesy Nelson would be leaving the group. Her solo single “Boyz”, which featured Nicki Minaj, became a source of controversy, as the singer faced allegations of blackfishing and cultural appropriation from her appearance in the music video. Things took a turn for the worse after Nelson got on an Instagram Live session with Minaj, in which the rapper made disparaging comments about Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

#7: AOA

Several Korean girl groups have been mired in scandal, but few were quite as contentious as AOA. In July of 2020, former member Mina accused her bandmate Jimin of mistreatment going back years. The revelations left many in disbelief and shed light on the toxic and brutally competitive culture associated with South Korean music groups. In response, Jimin apologized to Mina and later announced that she will be exiting AOA, as well as retiring from the entertainment business altogether. It wouldn’t be the first time a Korean girl group was at the center of controversy. Back in 2014, actor Lee Byung-hun accused GLAM member Dahee of blackmail, resulting in the group’s disbandment the following year.

#6: Girls Aloud

“Love Machine” said it best: they’re living in two tribes, and heading for war. British pop group Girls Aloud was often split up into two factions: Cheryl, Kimberley Walsh, and Nicola Roberts on one side, with Nadine Coyle and Sarah Harding on the other. After the group went on a hiatus in 2009, Cheryl and Coyle embarked on solo careers, and soon got involved in a bitter public feud. Cheryl had also sparked controversy years before, when she was sentenced to 120 hours of community service after being found guilty of assaulting a nightclub employee. Thankfully, the ladies of Girls Aloud seem to have outgrown their differences, having patched things up following Harding’s untimely passing in 2021.

#5: Fifth Harmony

Despite the hint of teamwork in their name, Fifth Harmony always left something to be desired in the chemistry department. Formed on the U.S. version of “The X-Factor” in 2012, the quintet soon became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. But as their success grew, there appeared to be some underlying tension between Camila Cabello and the rest of the band. This became increasingly evident when Cabello announced half of her heart was in Havana, leaving them as a foursome. The group seemed to retaliate in a big way, throwing a Redwood of shade at Cabello in their 2017 VMAs performance. With an indefinite hiatus announced in 2018, it seems time has taken a sledgehammer to this once-captivating ensemble.

#4: Destiny’s Child

At the time of their debut, Destiny’s Child consisted of four members: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. The group rose to success in the late ‘90s, under the management of Beyoncé’s father Mathew. Early on in their career, Luckett and Roberson were forced out of the group after voicing out their dissatisfaction with Mathew’s management. This led to a highly publicized legal dispute that only made Destiny’s Child’s star power bigger. The two ladies were soon replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin, the latter of whom also dropped out from the band, citing the negative publicity and her lack of control. The remaining members eventually split in 2006, with their respective solo careers already underway.

#3: The Supremes

This group’s history is so legendary that it inspired a musical, and then a movie adaptation. Birthed by Motown Records, the Supremes were unprecedented in their success…and adversity. While the famous trio originally split lead vocals, Diana Ross was given more and more attention over time. This didn’t go over so well with bandmate Florence Ballard, who struggled with mental health issues and became heavily dependent on alcohol. The group’s name was eventually changed to “Diana Ross & the Supremes,” and Ballard was booted from the lineup after performing intoxicated. Even after their fallout, the tension continued in 1986 when founding member Mary Wilson detailed Ross’ alleged diva behavior in her memoir — which she’s since denied. Seems there ain’t no mountain high enough to top the Supremes’ drama.

#2: Spice Girls

Here’s the story from A to Z. With each Spice Girl’s personality tying so heavily into the group’s appeal, the surprise exit of Ginger Spice, aka Geri Hallwell, was a huge blow. Halliwell’s 1998 departure virtually came out of nowhere, as she was set to join her bandmates on a U.S. tour at the peak of their popularity. Pointing to exhaustion and artistic differences, she soon launched a successful solo career. While Halliwell seemed to be on good terms with her former group members, who released the song “Goodbye” in her honor, the move still devastated tons of young millennials. Thankfully, the Spice Girls’ reunions in latter years, with Halliwell in tow, saw 4 become 5 once again.

#1: TLC

Unlike their divine looks and vocals, our number one group had some seriously unflattering moments. Paramount among them was TLC rapper Lisa Lopes, or Left Eye’s, tumultuous relationship with footballer Andre Rison. In 1994, Lopes was charged with first-degree arson after burning down Rison’s house, allegedly as a result of their domestic disputes. Controversy also extended to TLC as a whole when they filed for bankruptcy in 1995, which they later opened up about at the 1996 Grammy Awards. The trio feuded internally as well, but pushed their beef aside after Left Eye’s tragic demise in a 2002 car accident. Despite their fiery attitudes (and sometimes actions), TLC clearly maintained love and respect for each other to the end.

Are there any shocking girl group and band scandals that we missed in the video? Let us know below!