The iconic American broadcaster and media personality Howard Stern first rose to global prominence in the 1980s, presenting his popular radio feature The Howard Stern Show. Airing between 1986 and 2005, the show became a cultural staple, known for its irreverent humour, boundary-pushing interviews, and Stern’s unapologetic approach to discussing taboo topics.

Despite his uncompromising persona and larger-than-life reputation, Stern’s journey to stardom began humbly as he cut his teeth on small, local stations while studying at Boston University in the 1970s. He had dreamt of becoming a radio personality since his early childhood when he accompanied his father at his job as a studio engineer.

“When I saw my father as a recording engineer, I was enamoured,” Stern told Billboard in 2014. “Looking at how my father was so reverential to those people, I thought that maybe he could look at me with that kind of respect if I could get behind a microphone.”

Since 2006, Stern has continued to DJ on Sirius XM Radio. In addition to his work on the airwaves, Stern raised his visual profile as a judge on America’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2015.

In all endeavours, Stern’s passion for music has remained a constant driving force. Through his engaging and often controversial conversations, Stern provides listeners with a unique blend of comedy and insight, attracting some of the biggest names in global entertainment. However, his bullish approach and schoolboy sense of humour have alienated some of his famous guests over the years.

Below, we discuss five musicians that Howard Stern rubbed up the wrong way.

Five musicians who hate Howard Stern:

Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar, known as the Red Rocker, rose to prominence in the 1970s as the frontman of the Californian hard rock band Montrose. However, he achieved global acclaim in 1985 when he replaced David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s lead vocalist. Stern, who was a fan of Van Halen, wasn’t best pleased with Hagar’s appointment.

Hagar’s “big beef with me is that I don’t enjoy him in Van Halen,” Stern wrote in his 1993 book Private Parts. “That’s pretty pathetic, isn’t it? Now he’s walking around, strutting his stuff, ‘I’m gonna kick his ass.’ He’s not kicking anybody’s ass. A millionaire who’s smart enough not to kick anyone’s ass, who’s he fooling? But he’s going to come off as some scrappy young rock star. He’s full of shit. He’s a phony.”