Elvis Costello
This has to be one of the most well-known musical moments on the TV show. In 1977, Elvis Costello defied the orders of his record company, who asked him to play “Less Than Zero.” He instead started singing “Radio Radio.” Even though it was fun to watch him perform it, this stunt did not please the producers who had not been alerted of the change. He was banned from the show for over a decade, but he has since come back and even joked about what happened at the 25th Anniversary Special!
Elvis Costello
Ashlee Simpson
This singer is responsible for what must be the most famous Irish jig ever to grace our screens. In 2004, she appeared on the show and broke into the dance after they started to play “Pieces of Me, vocals and all, over the intro of her second song. This revealed that her performance was lip-synced! She initially blamed the band, then acid reflux, for what transpired. However, the damage to her reputation was already done by then. She returned to the show in 2005, so she must not have gotten banned for life like many other people on this list.
Ashlee Simpson
