Top 10 Most Controversial Music Artists of the 21st Century

You can include ones that were active before 2000, as long as they were still active in 2000.

1. Marilyn Manson

   

   Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician, songwriter, actor, painter, multimedia artist, author, and former music journalist. He is the lead singer and only constant member of the band Marilyn Manson, which he formed in 1989.... read more

   He's not nearly as scary as I first thought, since I discovered he likes art and poetry. He's the most normal abnormal person around. I mean, his name is Brian. Doesn't get more suburban and normal than that, does it?

   His creepy appearance, the music videos with nightmarish content, his lyrics, and his onstage behavior made him a pariah of parents all over.

   Yes, he's controversial, but probably one of the most in the rock and roll community. He gets blamed for shootings because he sings some rock, when other artists like Eminem talk about taking kids from schools but somehow they aren't blamed. Love Manson.

2. Kanye West

   

   Ye (born Kanye Omari West. June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. He is regarded as one of the most influential and controversial artists of the 21st century.

   Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West initially gained fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella... read more

   He has a strange admiration of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in general. That alone should put him in the top 5 of this list.

   Kanye is controversial due to claiming he is a god-like figure, similar to Jesus Christ.

   Kanye West has a Messiah complex and interrupted Taylor Swift while she was accepting her award at the VMAs.

3. R. Kelly

   

   Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967), known professionally as R. Kelly, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and convicted sex offender. He has been credited with helping to redefine R&B and hip hop, earning nicknames such as "the King of R&B," "the King of Pop-Soul," and the... read more

   In 2002, R. Kelly urinated on an underage girl. In 2019, a damning documentary series revealed he was running a sex cult and holding underage women against their will.

   Holy crap, this guy is low on the list. After the stuff he did, he needs to be higher on the list.

4. Michael Jackson

   

   Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, which was ruled a homicide. Jackson is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures... read more

   He was accused of molesting children, which made him scrutinized by the media, who called him "Wacko Jacko".

   Controversial for child molestation accusations and many other things.

   He was never proven guilty of crimes, yet he was still treated like a criminal.

5. Eminem

   

   Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is an American rapper, actor, and music producer born on October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem has sold over 220 million records, making him the best-selling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he was a member of D12 and (with... read more

   Ngl the dude is past his prime now. I love some of his earlier songs, but his flow is getting lazier, and the type of songs he makes now are pretty hit or miss.

   I liked Killshot and maybe Fuel, but I think he's already reaching his retirement era, and the last tolerable album he made was Marshall LP 2. Revival sucked, Kamikaze was mid, and The Death of Slim Shady was just plain unnecessary.

   Eminem has been the subject of controversy due to offensive and profane lyrics. He addresses this in his song "Without Me".

6. Lady Gaga

   

   Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress.

   Early in her career, she performed at Lollapalooza on August 4, 2007, as part of "Lady Gaga & The Starlight Revue," where she was noticed by Interscope Records executive Vincent... read more

   Lady Gaga, in the last few days, has almost broken down psychologically. She is condemning the insanity of outrageous, boundary-busting stardom and is trying to become "normal" again. Before her superstardom, she was a very good supper club jazz singer, but she laments that "class" does not sell these days.

   People on the far right accuse her of being Satanic for perceived Illuminati symbolism.

   Appreciate how she used controversy to direct more attention towards her. Such a smart move.

7. Ronnie Radke

   

   Ronald Joseph Radke is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, musician, and record producer from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Falling in Reverse.

   Before forming Falling in Reverse, he was the original lead singer of Escape the Fate. He recorded one... read more

8. Miley Cyrus

   

   Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus), known professionally as Miley Cyrus, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus. Her voice type is popularly described as a lyric mezzo soprano, with a vocal range... read more

   Her BANGERZ era's music videos sparked controversy around the world because she was considered a Disney teen idol. Also, the 2013 VMA awards performance.

9. Chris Brown

   

   Christopher Maurice "Chris" Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Born in Tappahannock, Virginia, he participated in his church choir and several local talent shows from a young age. He gained international notoriety in 2009 for his physical assault of singer... read more

   What do you mean by accused? It actually happened. She had the marks that proved it.

   Chris Brown was accused of severely beating his then-wife, Rihanna, in 2009.

10. Danielle Cohn

    
The Newcomers
11. ?

    Sean Combs

    

    Sean John Combs, also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy, Love, and Brother Love, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, entrepreneur, and convicted felon.

    In September 2024, Combs was arrested on federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering... read more

12. ?

    Cardi B

    

    Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar (born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born and raised in New York City and first gained attention through Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as a cast member on the VH1 reality... read more

The Contenders

13. Woah Vicky

    

14. Ozzy Osbourne

    

    John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (December 3, 1948 - July 22 2025) was an English singer, songwriter, and television personality, often nicknamed "The Prince of Darkness." He rose to fame in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath.... read more

    In the 1980s, his music was accused of being satanic by parents and media. He also urinated on the Alamo and bit the head off of a bat.

15. Madonna

    

    Madonna Louise Ciccone, known professionally as Madonna, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She has influenced many artists, including Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Beyoncé Knowles, and Britney Spears. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pop," she has played a significant... read more

    Madonna's sexual performances have made her the subject of controversy. Additionally, her music video for the lead single off of "Like a Prayer" received immense backlash from the Catholic Church.

    She loves being controversial in all aspects. Sometimes she has taken it too far.

16. Varg Vikernes

    

    Louis Cachet (born Kristian Vikernes), more popularly known as Varg Vikernes, is a Norwegian musician, writer, and convicted murderer and arsonist. He is known as the sole member of the one-man band Burzum, named after a word in the Black Speech from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.... read more

    Varg Vikernes is a notable Satanist and white supremacist. He murdered the guitarist of Mayhem and claimed it was self-defense.

    Why is Eminem number 1 and Varg is all the way down here?

17. Bhad Bhabie

    

    Danielle Bregoli, known professionally as Bhad Bhabie, is an American rapper and internet personality. She first gained fame in 2017 after appearing on Dr. Phil and coining the viral phrase "Cash me outside." She is known for her music career, including songs like "Gucci Flip Flops" and "Geeked Up."

18. Peer Van Mladen

    

    Peer van Mladen, born on May 3, 1989, in Belgrade, Serbia, is a music producer and composer. He reportedly earns more than 8 million dollars annually from his work in the music industry. He is considered one of the most influential figures in music production.

19. Slipknot

    

    Slipknot is an American metal band that formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1996. They're recognized as a key force in the New Wave of American Alternative Metal from the late 1990s through the 2000s. The band is also known for their black and red jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks.... read more

    The band's image can be scary to some, and a stabbing in South Africa was linked to the band.

20. XXXTentacion

    

    Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy (January 23, 1998 - June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion and often referred to as X, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with his unique blend of genres including hip hop, rock, and R&B. Despite a controversial personal life and criminal... read more

    Extremely good artist with a noted history of violence.

    Helped so many people through their depression to remind them that they are not alone.

    An artist with a lot of potential but also highly controversial, even after his death.

21. Britney Spears

    

    Britney Jean Spears (born on December 2, 1981, in McComb, Mississippi) is an American former singer and actress. She was raised in Kentwood, Louisiana. As a child, she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows, such as The Mickey Mouse Club, before signing with Jive Records in... read more

22. Tyler, The Creator

    

    Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), better known by his stage name Tyler, The Creator, is an American rapper, record producer, and music video director. He has frequently addressed his strained and distant relationship with his father in multiple songs, including Answer from Wolf (2013), where... read more

    I love him, but his old stuff like Goblin and Bastard is a bit much.

    In many of his songs, he uses homophobic slurs.

    He said he had a threesome with just him and a girl, and now he makes Christmas music.

23. Nicki Minaj

    

    Onika Tanya Maraj, known professionally as Nicki Minaj (born December 8, 1982), is a Trinidadian-American rapper and pop artist. She is widely recognized for hits like "Anaconda," "Super Bass," "Starships," and her feature on "Bang Bang."... read more

    Seriously, you got people like N.W.A. and Michael Jackson, who isn't really '21st century', but you completely miss out on this. What even is this? She doesn't even make decent music.

    Controversial for being sexual and suggestive in lyrics and music videos.

24. Rihanna

    

    Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian-American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados. She began her music career in 2003 by recording demo tapes with producer Evan Rogers and eventually signed with Def Jam Records after an audition for Jay-Z. Rihanna... read more

25. N.W.A.

    

    N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most influential figures in the gangsta rap subgenre, widely regarded as one of the most seminal groups in hip hop history. Their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton played a pivotal role in shaping the sound... read more

26. Justin Bieber

    

    Justin Drew Bieber (born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He currently resides in Ontario, Canada, and is Christian. He is the son of Pattie Mallette, an author.

    Justin Bieber is best known for his songs "Baby" and "What Do You Mean?" As of mid 2025, 11 of... read more

    If you've been on this website before, you know that people hate Justin Bieber. However, he's improved since the days of "Baby," a fact that a lot of people still don't know.

27. Daylyt