During a live show, Billy Joel took a hard fall after tossing his microphone stand and tripping over it. The seemingly minor mishap had serious consequences, forcing him to postpone several tour dates. It was a clear reminder that even a veteran performer's simple misstep can have a major impact. | © Conan O'Brien / YouTube
During a 2022 tour stop, Post Malone accidentally stepped into an uncovered trapdoor on stage, plunging several feet. The fall left him with badly bruised and weakened ribs. He later apologized to fans and promised a make-up show, highlighting how even the most polished productions can have dangerous oversights. | © Post Malone / YouTube
Country star Thomas Rhett took an awkward tumble while walking to the stage for a surprise duet in Nashville. He injured his ankle so badly that he needed a wheelchair to leave the venue. Despite the painful spill, Rhett pushed through and finished his performance. | © Smooth Radio / YouTube
During a 2016 show in his home country of Canada, Justin Bieber unexpectedly disappeared into a hole that was part of the stage design. The singer managed to recover almost instantly from the surprise fall. He brushed himself off and continued with the performance without missing a beat. | © Justin Bieber / YouTube
Steven Tyler took a serious tumble during a 2009 performance in Sturgis, falling right off the stage and injuring his head and neck. This wasn't even his only incident, as he took another spill during a show in New Orleans just a few years later. The Aerosmith frontman's high-energy performances have clearly come with their share of risks. | © PowerfulJRE
During a 2017 show in New York, a large, heavy stage prop fell directly onto Marilyn Manson as he performed Sweet Dreams. The dramatic collapse brought the concert to an abrupt halt as crew members rushed to his aid. The injured singer was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. | © Channel 4 News / YouTube
During a show in Melbourne, Olivia Rodrigo unexpectedly fell through an open trapdoor on stage. She immediately climbed out, reassured the audience, and finished the performance before going to the hospital for checks. Rodrigo said the fall was terrifying, but found it meaningful that the nurse who treated her shared her late grandfather's name. | © Vogue / YouTube
Ava Max faced a shocking violation when a concertgoer rushed the stage and slapped her across the face. The impact was so severe that it scratched the inside of her eye. The singer later stated that the individual would never be allowed at one of her shows again. | © Zach Sang Show / YouTube
Dave Grohl cemented his legendary status after a 2015 fall in Sweden, where he tumbled right off the stage. He calmly announced he had broken his leg, received brief medical attention, and then returned to finish the show. True to his spirit, he completed the entire tour seated on a custom throne made of guitars. | © Apple Music / YouTube
Rapper Killer Mike suffered a serious shoulder tear while defending his Run the Jewels partner, El-P, from a fan who rushed the stage. His doctor advised him to cancel the tour to recover from the injury. Killer Mike refused, insisting, "I'm not leaving the road – the tour goes on." | © Club Shay Shay / YouTube
Harry Styles was hit directly in the eye by an object thrown from the crowd during a 2023 concert in Vienna. He doubled over in pain, rubbing his eye, but continued with the show. This wasn't his first time being struck by a fan-thrown object, and his team later asked audiences to please stop throwing things. | © Harry Styles / YouTube
Enrique Iglesias learned a painful lesson about technology during a 2015 concert in Tijuana. While attempting to grab a camera drone for a crowd shot, his hand was caught in the device's fast-moving propellers. The severe cuts fractured his hand, requiring reconstructive surgery and leaving him with permanent numbness in his fingers. | © Lorraine / YouTube
Kesha once faced a terrifying and unusual hazard during a live show. While incorporating power tools and pyrotechnics into her act, she accidentally received an electric shock. The singer later explained she was "getting electrocuted" in a very sensitive area while grinding on the equipment, calling the experience intense and scary. | © Apple Music / YouTube
During a 2012 performance in New Zealand, a heavy piece of metal stage equipment swung back and struck Lady Gaga in the head. She left the stage briefly to be checked, then returned to address the crowd. Gaga apologized to the audience, explaining she thought she had a concussion but was determined to finish the show for them. | © Apple Music / YouTube
During a 1992 concert, James Hetfield accidentally stepped directly over a pyrotechnic canister just as it ignited. The Metallica frontman was instantly engulfed in a "big colored flame," suffering severe burns to his arm, face, and back. He later recalled watching the skin on his arm rise, with the damage going completely down to the bone. | © PowerfulJRE / YouTube
A live performance is all about energy and spectacle, but sometimes that spectacle can get a little too real. From pyrotechnic misfires to unexpected falls, these famous artists learned that lesson the hard way. This is a look at the moments the music nearly stopped due to an on-stage injury.
