Tour riders are often some of the most interesting parts of any artist or band’s tour. They often offer an inside look into just how high-maintenance some artists can be. This is often exemplified by how specific their requests might be.

Some rock stars require specific kinds of food and drink, while others clearly want a dressing room that sets a certain mood. Some tour riders feature requests so outrageous they must be a joke. Other tour riders — like one infamous one at the very end of our list — feature details that are actually requests to see if you read the rider at all.

Our list below highlights eight tour riders. The first from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is the latest to make headlines. (Make no mistake: When a tour rider is leaked, it almost always makes headlines. There are at least a few items on it that leave you asking, “Umm…really?!”)

Without further ado, keep scrolling and find out which of your favorite rock stars have interesting requests on their tour riders.

• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

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  The tour rider for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that leaked is a whopping 37 pages. It features a wide range of requests. For starters, did you know that The Boss' pre-show meal is chicken soup "with lots of broth"? You do now! Also, his dressing room must have two 99-cent bags of Rold Gold pretzel ("no substitutions"). Interestingly, there needs to be a manicurist on stand-by to "do a man's and a woman's acrylic nail" at every venue. Additionally, there needs to be a massage therapist on stand-by who can perform a "deep tissue/sports massage" if need be.

• Mick Jagger

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  Mick Jagger has a very unique request when it comes to the mattress in his hotel. According to a report from 'The Daily Mail,' Jagger "asks for a new mattress in his room, no matter how posh the hotel. But he insists the plastic wrapping stays on while someone sleeps for one night on the mattress to break it in."

• Prince

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  Speaking of plastic wrap, Prince had on his 2004 tour rider that “all items in dressing room must be covered by clear plastic wrap until uncovered by main artist. This is absolutely necessary.” This feels a little extra, but honestly, this request wasn't terribly shocking considering how particular the late music icon was.

• Paul McCartney

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  Paul McCartney's past tour riders have been lengthy, but considering his legend, they seem rather tame. Many of his requests have to do with his vegan lifestyle, so no furniture backstage made from animal skin (leather) nor is faux leather or animal prints are allowed.
• Jack White

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  Jack White got a lot of attention for his tour rider when he was out supporting his album 'Lazeretto,' because it included a request for a bowl of "fresh home-made guacamole" and included a very specific recipe that included directions on how to cut the avocado. (FYI: It's "3 or 4 slits down, 3 or 4 slits across.)

• Iggy Pop

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  Iggy Pop's 2006 tour rider was 18 pages, but it clearly wasn't taking itself too seriously. Some of his requests included "somebody dressed as Bob Hope" and "a copy of 'USA Today' that's got a story about morbidly obese people in it." What a legend!

• Foo Fighters

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  Foo Fighters have taken joke tour riders to another level. In 2011, their tour rider had a coloring book theme complete with a word search and a maze. It also included a list of non-permitted items in the venue which included "light sabers" and "garden gnomes." However, maybe we're wrong. Perhaps, there was a bizarre incident at a past show involving light sabers and garden gnomes.

• Van Halen

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  Ah, yes...how could there be a tour rider list without mentioning Van Halen and the whole "no brown M&M's" request? Believe it or not, the band wasn't really being divas back then. The legend of the M&M's has since been cleared up. The reason why that detail was included was to see if promoters actually read the band's performance contract. David Lee Roth said in a 2012 interview, "Van Halen was the first to take 850 par lamp lights — huge lights — around the country. At the time, it was the biggest production ever. If I came backstage, having been one of the architects of this lighting and staging design, and I saw brown M&Ms on the catering table, then I guarantee the promoter had not read the contract rider, and we would have to do a serious line check."
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

  Share

  The tour rider for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that leaked is a whopping 37 pages. It features a wide range of requests. For starters, did you know that The Boss' pre-show meal is chicken soup "with lots of broth"? You do now! Also, his dressing room must have two 99-cent bags of Rold Gold pretzel ("no substitutions"). Interestingly, there needs to be a manicurist on stand-by to "do a man's and a woman's acrylic nail" at every venue. Additionally, there needs to be a massage therapist on stand-by who can perform a "deep tissue/sports massage" if need be.

• Mick Jagger

  Share

  Mick Jagger has a very unique request when it comes to the mattress in his hotel. According to a report from 'The Daily Mail,' Jagger "asks for a new mattress in his room, no matter how posh the hotel. But he insists the plastic wrapping stays on while someone sleeps for one night on the mattress to break it in."

• Prince

  Share

  Speaking of plastic wrap, Prince had on his 2004 tour rider that “all items in dressing room must be covered by clear plastic wrap until uncovered by main artist. This is absolutely necessary.” This feels a little extra, but honestly, this request wasn't terribly shocking considering how particular the late music icon was.

• Paul McCartney

  Share

  Paul McCartney's past tour riders have been lengthy, but considering his legend, they seem rather tame. Many of his requests have to do with his vegan lifestyle, so no furniture backstage made from animal skin (leather) nor is faux leather or animal prints are allowed.
• Jack White

  Share

  Jack White got a lot of attention for his tour rider when he was out supporting his album 'Lazeretto,' because it included a request for a bowl of "fresh home-made guacamole" and included a very specific recipe that included directions on how to cut the avocado. (FYI: It's "3 or 4 slits down, 3 or 4 slits across.)

• Iggy Pop

  Share

  Iggy Pop's 2006 tour rider was 18 pages, but it clearly wasn't taking itself too seriously. Some of his requests included "somebody dressed as Bob Hope" and "a copy of 'USA Today' that's got a story about morbidly obese people in it." What a legend!

• Foo Fighters

  Share

  Foo Fighters have taken joke tour riders to another level. In 2011, their tour rider had a coloring book theme complete with a word search and a maze. It also included a list of non-permitted items in the venue which included "light sabers" and "garden gnomes." However, maybe we're wrong. Perhaps, there was a bizarre incident at a past show involving light sabers and garden gnomes.

• Van Halen

  Share

  Ah, yes...how could there be a tour rider list without mentioning Van Halen and the whole "no brown M&M's" request? Believe it or not, the band wasn't really being divas back then. The legend of the M&M's has since been cleared up. The reason why that detail was included was to see if promoters actually read the band's performance contract. David Lee Roth said in a 2012 interview, "Van Halen was the first to take 850 par lamp lights — huge lights — around the country. At the time, it was the biggest production ever. If I came backstage, having been one of the architects of this lighting and staging design, and I saw brown M&Ms on the catering table, then I guarantee the promoter had not read the contract rider, and we would have to do a serious line check."

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