25 Rock Stars Who Did Time in Prison

Rock ‘n’ roll has always been a lightning rod for rebellion, excess, and living on the edge. The genre thrives on pushing boundaries—musically, socially, and sometimes legally. With that wild lifestyle comes a long trail of arrests, court appearances, and stints in jail. From petty offenses to serious felonies, many of the most legendary figures in rock history have found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

1. Mick Jagger (The Rolling Stones)

In 1967, Mick Jagger was arrested and jailed for three nights for possession of amphetamines. The case became a symbol of the establishment cracking down on youth culture, and his brief time in prison only solidified his rebellious image.

2. Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)

Richards had his fair share of run-ins with the law. In 1977, he was arrested in Toronto for heroin possession—a charge that could have resulted in years of prison time. He avoided a harsh sentence by agreeing to play a benefit concert for the blind.

3. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)

In 1980, McCartney was arrested at the Tokyo airport after customs officers discovered nearly half a pound of marijuana in his luggage. He spent 10 days in a Japanese jail before being deported.

4. Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)

In 1982, Ozzy was arrested for public intoxication in San Antonio, Texas, after urinating on the Alamo (actually, a nearby monument). He was banned from the city for a decade.

5. David Bowie

Bowie was arrested in 1976 alongside Iggy Pop in Rochester, New York, for marijuana possession. Though the charges were eventually dropped, mugshots of the Thin White Duke in his prime quickly became iconic.

6. Glenn Frey (The Eagles)

The late Eagles guitarist was arrested in the 1980s for drug possession and resisting arrest, further feeding into the band’s reputation for hard partying and conflict.

7. Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols)

John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) was arrested in 1980 after a pub brawl in Ireland. Though known for his confrontational punk image, his time in jail revealed a different side—more quiet defiance than violent rebellion.

8. James Brown

The “Godfather of Soul” had a long history of legal issues, including a high-profile 1988 arrest after a wild police chase that led to a six-year prison sentence for aggravated assault and failing to stop for law enforcement.

9. Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses)

Before achieving fame, Axl Rose had several brushes with the law for minor offenses including public intoxication and battery. His fiery temper and unpredictable behavior would continue into his years of stardom.

10. Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

In 1986, long before Nirvana’s rise, Cobain was arrested for trespassing while intoxicated in Aberdeen, Washington. Later, in 1992, he was arrested again for allegedly assaulting Courtney Love during a domestic dispute.

11. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)

In his youth, Tyler was arrested for drug possession. Though the details have been kept relatively quiet, Tyler has admitted to run-ins with the law in his early years of debauchery.

12. Joe Strummer (The Clash)

One of the more bizarre arrests on this list, Joe Strummer was booked for stealing a pillowcase from a hotel. It’s a minor crime, but one that adds to the lore of punk rock’s disdain for rules and convention.

13. Frank Zappa

In 1965, Zappa was the victim of a sting operation where an undercover cop solicited him to make a fake pornographic audio tape. He was charged with conspiracy to produce obscene material and spent 10 days in jail.

14. Chuck Berry

Berry’s legal troubles were well-documented. Most notably, he served prison time in the early 1960s for violating the Mann Act by transporting a 14-year-old girl across state lines. He also served time for tax evasion and drug possession.

15. Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols)

Vicious was arrested in 1978 for the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. He was released on bail but died of a heroin overdose before the case went to trial, making it one of rock’s most infamous tragedies.

16. Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe)

Lee has served time for multiple offenses, including a six-month stint in 1998 for spousal abuse against then-wife Pamela Anderson. He’s also been arrested for inciting riots and violating parole.

17. Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe)

In 1984, Neil was involved in a drunk driving accident that killed Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley. Neil served 15 days in jail after being convicted of vehicular manslaughter.

18. Pete Doherty (The Libertines, Babyshambles)

Known more for his criminal record than his music at times, Doherty has been arrested countless times for drug offenses. He’s spent short stints in jail on numerous occasions.

19. Jim Morrison (The Doors)

Morrison’s confrontational stage presence landed him in legal trouble several times. In 1969, he was arrested in Miami for allegedly exposing himself on stage, leading to a highly publicized trial and conviction (later pardoned).

20. Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)

In 2003, Armstrong was arrested for drunk driving after being pulled over in Berkeley, California. Though it was a brief stay in jail, it made headlines due to Green Day’s mainstream popularity at the time.

21. Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots)

Weiland had multiple arrests over his career, largely due to drug possession and probation violations. He served time in 1999 and again in 2001 as his addiction struggles escalated.

22. Liam Gallagher (Oasis)

In 2002, Gallagher was arrested in Munich after a bar fight in which he allegedly kicked a police officer. He lost several teeth in the brawl and spent the night in a German jail.

23. Rick James

Funk legend Rick James served over two years in prison after being convicted in the early ‘90s of kidnapping and assaulting a woman during a cocaine-fueled binge. His incarceration was a low point in a career defined by excess.

24. Phil Spector

Though more of a producer than a rock star, Spector was instrumental in shaping rock music. In 2009, he was convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. He was sentenced to 19 years to life and died in prison in 2021.

25. Gene Simmons (Kiss)

Unlike many others on this list, Simmons has never been sentenced to jail time—but in the early ’70s, he spent a night in a Detroit jail after being accused (falsely, he claims) of indecent exposure at a concert. The charges were dropped, but the story added to Kiss’s outlaw reputation.