After her breakup with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez requested that anyone on her team named “Justin” had to change their name
We all know that being famous has major perks. One of them is that you can make demands of the places you are going to perform or otherwise work.
In showbiz, it’s known as the rider. The idea is that a celebrity outlines the accommodations necessary for them to be comfortable working in this environment.
For some celebrities, this comes down to requesting certain salads for lunch or a particular brand of water. But some celebrities have gone really off the wall with it.
1. The legend that is the celebrity rider came into infamy in 1982, when news that Van Halen requested a bowl of M&M’s await them at each tour stop with the brown ones picked out.
Cristina Ionescu / Getty Images/iStockphoto
If it sounds a little diva for a rock band, you might be missing its greater purpose. The band later claimed the detail was in there so they could determine which venues actually read the rider and which did not.
Paul Natkin / Getty Images
2. For a period of time, Weird Al Yankovic was asking for “one garish Hawaiian shirt” at every appearance. He stopped after accumulating too many, and his wife has since donated some of the stash.
Bob Riha Jr / Getty Images
3. Cher likes to have a separate room just for her wigs.
Dominik Bindl / Getty Images
4. Pharrell started asking for a framed photograph of astronomer Carl Sagan as a joke, but now it’s become a staple in his rider.
Johnny Louis / WireImage / Getty Images
5. Britney Spears tinkered with her rider depending on where her tour stop was. At an October 2011 show in London, she requested McDonald’s cheeseburgers without the buns, 100 figs and prunes, toothpaste, fish and chip dinners, and last but not least, a framed picture of Princess Diana.
Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images
6. Paul McCartney’s rider makes sure his needs are met as a vegetarian. While he makes sure there’s no real or vegan leather in sight, his request for a brand of soap with traces of animal fats turns the demands on their head.
Mike Coppola / Getty Images
7. Katy Perry got dragged online in 2011 for her concert rider, which included very specific furniture requirements and absolutely no carnations.
Edward Berthelot / Getty Images
8. Kanye West asked for an alcoholic slushie machine on his 2016 The Life Of Pablo tour. One side had Hennessey and Coke for Kanye, the other had Grey Goose and lemonade for then-wife Kim. Simpler times.
Victor Boyko / Getty Images For Kenzo
9. Jennifer Lopez prefers having an all-white dressing room to keep her mind and spirit at ease. For those setting up, that means white candles, tables, couches, drapes, tablecloths, and flowers.
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
10. Rihanna loves having a plush, animal-print rug to walk barefoot on.
Marc Piasecki / WireImage / Getty Images
11. Right after Selena Gomez’s 2014 breakup with Justin Bieber, she requested that no one on her team go by the name “Justin.” The Justins who did work for her each chose different monikers to use when the pop star was around.
Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images
12. Justin Timberlake has someone sanitize doorknobs he’ll come in contact with every two hours during his time there.
Jmenternational / Getty Images
13. Beyoncé likes to have her dressing room set to a steamy 78 degrees. She also likes to have well-seasoned chicken in her Southern girl bag at all times.
Medianews Group / MediaNews Group via Getty Images
14. On his 2009 tour riders, Jay-Z required not one but SEVEN dressing rooms, and some “high-quality” peanut butter and jelly.
Paras Griffin / Getty Images
15. During their 2004 tour, Metallica called for bacon to be served with every meal. Non-stop bacon.
Gie Knaeps / Getty Images
16. Christina Aguilera requires a police escort so that she under no circumstances has to sit in traffic.
Todd Williamson / NBCUniversal / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
17. Prince asked that all his food come to him wrapped in plastic because he enjoyed unwrapping his food himself.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
18. Jennifer Lawrence asked for a happy reprieve from the intensity of mother!, so the crew sent her a “Kardashian tent,” with the family’s show streaming and photos of them as a way to escape from the film’s subject matter.
Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Netflix
What would you have in your tour rider if you were super famous? Who’s being unreasonable and who had some points? Let’s hear it in the comments.
BuzzFeed Daily
Keep up with the latest daily buzz with the BuzzFeed Daily newsletter!
:quality(85):upscale()/2026/02/02/039/n/1922564/64cfff5c698139b8e3a320.43487307_.jpg "Let's Be Honest: Your Outfit Is the Most Important Part of the Super Bowl")
:quality(85):upscale()/2025/02/12/809/n/1922564/0bad645867ace78c3a1764.72612350_.png "Your Valentine's Day Underwear Can Affect Your Romantic Luck in 2026")
