4 Rock Star Pairs Who Hated Each Other

Anyone who has been in a band knows that it’s rarely ever sunshine and rainbows. Egos get in the way, creative differences happen, and sometimes (especially back in the day), drugs can make difficult situations in a band even worse. And often, there are two heads that tend to butt the most. Let’s look at a few famous examples of rock star pairs who hated each other at one point in their careers, shall we?

Paul Simon vs. Art Garfunkel

This particular beef has always been interesting to me, considering how beautiful, ethereal, and soothing Simon & Garfunkel’s music is. However, things weren’t great behind the scenes when this duo was together. 

These two often clashed in terms of creative ideas and communication. There may also have been some jealousy involved that fueled the fire. Simon himself said the pair were best friends until Bridge Over Troubled Water, and they publicly have had issues with one another as recently as 2010. As of 2024, it looks like the pair has made up.

Mike Love vs. Brian Wilson

Sometimes, being in a band with family members can add a whole new level of complexity, and not always in a good way. The late great Brian Wilson and Mike Love of The Beach Boys feuded for decades over creative differences. Wilson wanted to get more experimental, and Love wanted to maintain the band’s surf rock roots. Wilson had a few choice words about Love’s singing ability, too. Lawsuits flew back and forth for a while over songwriting credits as well. 

Apparently, the two cousins more or less made up before Wilson passed away in 2025. At least there’s a happy ending there.

Ray Davies vs. Dave Davies

Here’s another famous example of rock star family members who just couldn’t stand each other. Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks famously butted for years while the band was together, and they’re probably still beefing today. Their tense relationship contributed to the band’s breakup in 1996. Don’t expect a reunion anytime soon.

Morrissey vs. Johnny Marr

The Smiths were an iconic rock band, and Morrissey and Johnny Marr were one of the most famous rock star pairs of the 1980s. Sadly, though, their relationship has since become strained. The two have had more than a few disagreements, which partly led to the band’s breakup in 1987. In the years since, the two have been duking it out over whether Marr should be allowed to use The Smiths’ name. Politics got between them as well.

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