Lip-syncing has altered the essence of live music and performances. The idea of lip-syncing has become normalized in the world of live performances. While lip-syncing can ensure a flawless performance vocally, lip-syncing takes away from the authenticity of a performance. Audiences may feel disconnected from the performer, as well as question their vocal abilities. 

The popularity of 80s R&B duo, Milli Vanilli, came crashing down after a lip-syncing fail in the late 80s. During a performance in Bristol Connecticut, a technical malfunction with the backing track of their hit “Girl You Know It’s True” caused their truth to be revealed. The track caused the singers line to skip, repeat, and jump, resulting in the exposure of their lip-syncing. The performance was broadcast on MTV, which allowed for widespread visibility of their vocal lies. 

Due to this scandal, it was later revealed that the duo had never sung any of their songs, and that other musicians handled the vocals. They faced legal consequences, lost their Grammy, and became known for their lack of authenticity. 

While some artists are in favor of lip-syncing, others are highly against it. The iconic group from the 60s, The Mamas & The Papas, fought against lip-syncing during a taping of The Ed Sullivan Show. The show rarely relied on back tracks, but they would have to use them due to technical difficulties. When The Mamas & The Papas were due to perform, they were informed they had to lip-sync. Instead of delivering a serious performance, they decided to poke fun at the idea of lip-syncing. In protest, vocalist Michelle Phillips, took a banana on stage and ate it during the performance. Later on in the performance, she began to use her banana as a microphone. 

At this time, rebellious acts within folk and rock music were on the rise, and so this performance on The Ed Sullivan Show could have been seen as a rejection of social values. This protest also poked fun at shows that insist on removing the authenticity of live performances. 

While some artists see lip-syncing as beneficial, it takes away from the essence of live performances. Performances with lip-syncing lose the authenticity and beauty of live music.