15 Times Singers And Bands Revealed Their Backstage Demands

A rider is a list of venue requirements for an artist's performance. One of the most speculated-about aspects is the dressing room requests. Most artists' riders are fairly tame, but sometimes, they include a wildcard request.

Here are 15 times singers and bands revealed what's on the riders:

1.In 2016, Joe Jonas told Australia's Nova 96.9, "I've had 12 puppies on the rider for a while. Every once in a while, a city will show up with 12 puppies."

Joe Jonas on stage holding a microphone, wearing a leather jacket and dark pants, with a bassist playing in the background
Medios Y Media / Getty Images

2.In 2021, The Kid LAROI told Sirius XM's Morning Mash Up about the surprising request at the top of his rider.

The Kid LAROI says he has a ball pit at the top of his rider, and he's gotten it every time
Sirius XM / Via tiktok.com

Watch the full clip below:

Sirius XM / Via tiktok.com

3.When Pharrell Williams visited Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2017, the host showed his "very reasonable" rider, highlighting a particular request.

Jimmy highlights the request for a framed picture of Carl Sagan, and Pharrell says how much he admires Carl Sagan and his work
ABC / Via youtube.com
Pharrell Williams explains that the strange request is a prank his team pulls on him, despite him asking them to stop
ABC / Via youtube.com

Watch the full clip below:

4.In 1995, Dave Grohl shared the Foo Fighters' very hydrating rider with Blender magazine.

Dave Grohl lists the drinks on the band's rider, including carbonated water, spring water, fruit juice, Coke, Sprite, coffee, and tea, and he jokes that he drinks it all and pees for an hour after the show
Blender / Via youtube.com

Here's the full clip:

5.On a 2016 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen DeGeneres read off Rihanna's dressing room rider.

RihEllen reads a list of items Rihanna requests in her dressing room: regular Cheetos, hot Cheetos, Golden Grahams cereal, Oreos, Cup Noodles, regular and white wine, vodka, soda, Frappuccinos, and garlic olives
WAD Productions, Inc / Via youtube.com

Here's the full clip, with this part starting at the 2:46 mark:

6.5 Seconds of Summer revealed what's on their rider when they appeared on A Little Late with Lilly Singh in 2019.

Michael thanks Lilly for providing animal cookies, and Luke says they're low maintenance. Lilly says that's funny because she has a copy of their long rider
NBC / Via youtube.com

Then, Lilly showed their full rider and hilariously roasted them over it.

Lily and the band discuss items on screen, including fresh ginger and ripe avocado. Lily jokes about pronouncing a specific wine
NBC / Via youtube.com
Michael points to "12 small black towels," and Lilly mocking asks if they ever got upset at being given medium towels
NBC / Via youtube.com

Here's the full clip, with this part starting at the 1:13 mark:

7.In 2024, Jelly Roll told Taste of Country Nights about his favorite backstage luxuries.

Jelly Roll says he has new socks and "rich people water" in glass bottles on his rider, and he's taking a sauna and cold plunge on tour
Taste of Country / Via youtube.com

Here's the full video, with this part starting at the 9:26 mark:

8.In 2023, Tate McCrae told Sirius XM Hits 1 that her mom put together "literally the worst rider ever."

Tate says her mom took over her rider and added things like rice cakes, water, and broccoli, which her friends complain about
Sirius XM / Via youtube.com

Watch the full clip below:

9.In 2022, Jack Harlow told The Bootleg Kev Podcast about his "bland" snack choice.

Jack Harlow says he's eaten too many Nature Valley bars, so it's time to "razzle it up" to impress people
Bootleg Kev / Via youtube.com

Here's the clip, with this part starting at the 0:38 mark:

10.In 2023, Megan Moroney told Taste of Country Nights that she likes sunflower seeds so much, her team won't let her put them on her rider every night.

Megan Moroney discusses her habit of eating too many sunflower seeds during tours, saying she makes herself sick from overindulging
Taste of Country / Via youtube.com

Here's the full video, with this part starting at the 5:23 mark:

11.In 2018, Roy Woods told Hot New Hip Hop that his rider includes something he actually can't stand.

Roy Woods says his rider includes fruit, water, two bottles of Henny, Red Bull, and Grape Crush, and his manager adds Golden Oreos, which he hates
Hot New Hip Hop / Via youtube.com

Here's the full video, with this part starting at the 6:47 mark:

12.In 2017, Anne-Marie told The Adam and Eve Show about her "boring" backstage requests.

Anne-Marie in a patterned top and coat, saying, "Mine's quite boring..." "Right now, all I ask for is a toaster and some peanut butter."
The Adam and Eve Show / Via youtube.com

Here's the full video, with this part starting at the 1:33 mark:

13.In 2023, Riley Green told Taste of Country Nights about the drink of choice that's taken some people by surprise.

Close-up of Riley Green discussing putting white wine on his rider in an interview. The text details his story about adding Kim Crawford wine to his rider, surprising a promoter
Taste of Country / Via youtube.com

Here's the full clip:

14.In 2024, Sara Bareilles told Playbill why bourbon is a must-have for her backstage.

Sara says her bare minimum is bourbon, something to make tea with, and a protein bar, and she drinks bourbon because it warms her throat up and she enjoys getting drunk
Playbill / Via youtube.com

Here's the full video, with this part starting at the 4:18 mark:

15.And finally, in the '80s, Van Halen's rider infamously requested a bowl of M&Ms but "absolutely no brown ones." However, in his 1997 memoir Crazy from the Heat, lead singer David Lee Roth revealed that item was actually a "test" to ensure venues were actually reading the band's entire contract for safety reasons.

Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, and Michael Anthony pose with instruments, dressed in eclectic 80s rock attire, backstage at a concert