The 17 Biggest Pop Star Feuds of All Time
When stars are as big as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Madonna, it doesn’t take long for feuds to start popping up here and there. After all, there’s a lot of money and ego involved.
So, of course, over the years, even the most seemingly unproblematic stars, like Selena Gomez or Elton John, have been involved in some nasty long-spanning feud. Taylor Swift, for example, has had more feuds than we can count. From her feud with Kanye West which infamously started at the 2009 VMA Awards, to her longstanding beef with Katy Perry because of one reported dancer being poached, Swift is not afraid to speak her mind or hold a grudge for the sake of her career.
Most recently, Charli XCX and Lorde, who were long-rumored to be not on good terms, proved they can let go of the past and move on from their differences as they released their new song “Girl, So Confusing.”
In honor of their recent make-up, take a look at some of the biggest pop star feuds over the years below!
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Charli XCX & Lorde
In one of the most recent celebrity feuds to get resolved, Chali XCX and Lorde put their past behind them as they collaborated on their new song, “Girl, So Confusing.”
In the original version, XCX had talked about being compared to a fellow singer that fans were sure was Lorde. “Yeah, I don’t know if you like me / Sometimes I think you might hate me / Sometimes I think I might hate you,” XCX sings, per Elle.
In the new song, however, the two seemingly hash out their differences, and put away any jealousy between them. “People say we’re alike / they say we’ve got the same hair / it’s you and me on the coin / the industry loves to spend / and when we put this to bed / the internet will go crazy / I’m glad I know how you feel,” they sing.
Good for them for making amends!
Taylor Swift & Kanye West
In one of the most public fights in this list, Taylor Swift’s beef with Kanye West began when he interrupted the singer at the 2009 Video Music Awards when Swift won Best Female Video for “You Belong with Me,” beating Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” visuals. West, upset with the result, went up to the stage and talked about how Beyoncé deserved it instead.
“Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time,” West notoriously said.
After initially burying the hatchet, the feud was reignited in February 2016 when West released his song “Famous.” In it, West talks about getting intimate with Swift. “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous,” he sings.
Following the lyrics, Swift declared she didn’t know the full extent on the song and did not approve it before its release. West, and his wife at the time Kim Kardashian then provided proof of a video conversation between them.
Since then, Swift has gone on to shade West in lyrics over the years, in songs including “Look What You Made Me Do” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.”
Taylor Swift & Katy Perry
While Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were once friends, their days of friendship didn’t last long. When Swift’s cryptic Rolling Stone interview hinted at a certain famous mean girl that tried to sabotage her tour, signs pointed to Perry, who allegedly tried to recruit Swift’s dancers for her tour. Snide tweets from Perry about a certain person being a “Regina George in sheep’s clothing” meant the feud was on.
Nicki Minaj & Miley Cyrus
After Minaj expressed frustration about her “Anaconda” video not being nominated for Video of the Year at the VMAs — something she believed was due to the award show’s preference for white, thin artists — Cyrus told The New York Times that she didn’t appreciate Minaj’s anger.
Minaj then clapped back during the VMAs by calling out Cyrus as “that b— who was talking about me in the press. Miley, what’s good?”
Years later, in 2019, Cyrus proved their feud was still alive and well when she released her new song, “Cattitude.” “I love you Nicki, but I listen to Cardi,” Cyrus sings.
Rihanna & Ciara
Rihanna and Ciara’s feud started in 2011 after Ciara told Fashion Police that Rihanna wasn’t nice to her when they met at a party. “I ran into her recently at a party, she wasn’t the nicest,” Ciara said, per BET. “It’s crazy because I’ve always loved and respected what she’s done in fashion. It wasn’t the most pleasant run-in.”
Rihanna fired back on Twitter, and the two exchanged less-than-friendly words. “My bad Ci. Did I 4get to tip u?” the “Umbrella” singer wrote. “U gangsta huh? Haaa.”
Fortunately, Rihanna called a ceasefire, and the two agreed via Twitter to chat in person instead.
Calvin Harris & Zayn Malik
This feud started when the Scottish DJ Calvin Harris came to his then-girlfriend, Taylor Swift’s, defense. When the former One Directioner posted a meme criticizing Swift’s refusal to put her songs on Spotify, Harris lashed out at Malik, arguing that he wasn’t thinking about up-and-coming artists the way Swift was.
“If u don’t get what it means when a successful artist uses their celebrity to benefit every other musician and songwriter in the industry… …stay out my f— mentions pls,” Harris wrote, per Billboard.
“@CalvinHarris ha you just made an absolute fool of yourself mate,” Malik then responded. “You clearly didn’t understand what I just said either … so i suggest you calm your knickers before them dentures fall out.”
The back and forth got pretty heated, but eventually simmered down.
Mariah Carey & Nick Minaj
Two divas on the judging panel for American Idol felt like a bad idea to begin with. These two divas couldn’t stop fighting during their judging gig on Season 12. And while some thought the feud was for the ratings, the eye-rolling and screaming matches seemed totally legit.
Taylor Swift & Demi Lovato
Though both Lovato and Swift had close friendships with Selena Gomez, Lovato was never close to joining Swift’s girl squad. After Swift made a donation to Kesha following her legal battle with producer Dr. Luke, Lovato called her out for using her wallet instead of her voice to speak out on feminist issues.
Lovato later told Refinery29 that she doesn’t think Swift is as much of a feminist as she claims to be. Let’s just say Lovato won’t be asked to join the “Bad Blood” sequel, should it happen.
Brandy & Monica
These two made everyone choose sides in the ’90s when they sang their duet “The Boy Is Mine.” Rumors swirled that the two couldn’t stand to be in the same room together and that they even got into a physical altercation at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1998.
In 2015, however, Monica admitted that both she and Brandy “played up” their feud for publicity and that though there was some tension between their fan bases, she wishes Brandy all the best.
Christina Aguilera & Pink
Christina Aguilera and Pink may have collaborated on their version of “Lady Marmalade,” but that doesn’t mean they’re friends. In fact, Pink told the press that she was annoyed by Aguilera’s “people” insisting that the “Genie In A Bottle” singer take the best singing part on their track.
Pink has blasted the singer a few times in recent years, and according to Radar Online, these tensions didn’t die down when Pink was asked to be an adviser on The Voice in May of 2016. Aguilera reportedly flipped when she heard her rival would be joining the show.
Mariah Carey & Jennifer Lopez
Rumors of the feud between Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey began when Carey was asked about Lopez in a TV interview. Carey responded with a flippant “I don’t know her,” prompting a decade-long meme to circulate the internet.
Not long after, Lopez revealed they’ve absolutely met before. “She’s forgetful I guess,” Lopez Wendy Williams in 2016, per W. “We’ve met many times! I don’t know her that well.”
Lopez was later seen texting during Carey’s performance at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. Both have thrown what could be interpreted as some subtle shade in interviews, but so far no one has come out to say what this alleged feud is actually about.
Madonna & Elton John
Madonna and Elton John have had a decades-long feud, though it appears to have simmered down in recent years.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the feud began in 2004 when John criticized Madonna’s lip-syncing on stage. John has since called Madonna a “fairground stripper” and advised her prior to her Super Bowl performance to “lip sync good.” In 2013, John buried that hatchet (kind of) by apologizing to Madonna and saying he should have “never said those things… in public.”
Madonna & Lady Gaga
Though Lady Gaga was clearly inspired by Madonna in her career, it’s clear that there’s no love between these two. When asked about Gaga’s hit “Born This Way” in an interview, Madonna said that the song “felt reductive,” hinting at the similarities between it and her tune “Express Yourself.” Gaga later told the press that she wished Madonna would help younger artists.
Chris Brown & Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. In 2012, she incited a feud with Chris Brown when she tweeted her annoyance at the fact that Brown scored two Grammys despite reportedly beating his ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown fired back, saying that she can “hate all [she] wants” because he scored the coveted award anyway. Lambert then held up a sign at her concert that said “Take notes, Chris Brown,” refusing to apologize for stirring the pot.
One Direction & The Wanted
Fans of boy bands One Direction and The Wanted know they had an ongoing battle for years, but the feud between the actual members was ignited when The Wanted’s Tom Parker and One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson started battling it out on Twitter over Tomlinson dissing The Wanted at a London gig. Even their respective girlfriend’s got in on the action, but truth be told, this whole thing reeks of a publicity stunt.
Azealia Banks & Iggy Azalea
There’s nothing rumored about this feud — Azealia Banks and Iggy Azalea two straight-up loathe each other. These two have sparred on Twitter over everything from plastic surgery to social issues. Though the “Fancy” singer received criticism for “dismissing” the “212” rapper following Banks calling Azalea out for not speaking up on the Black Lives Matter movement, Azalea insisted that their feud is more personal than that and that she was dismissing Banks, not the social issue.
In fact, in a 2014 interview with Elle Canada, Azalea stated that she “still hates” Banks, but wishes that she responded to her criticism in a way that let people know she wasn’t ignoring the real issue.
Selena Gomez & Lorde
The outspoken Lorde has made it clear she doesn’t love Gomez’s music. She criticized Gomez’s single “Come and Get It” by declaring, “I’m a feminist and the theme of her song is, ‘’When you’re ready, come and get it from me,’ [and] I’m sick of women being portrayed this way.”
The former Disney Channel star fired back at the “Royals” singer, saying in an interview on The TJ Show, “In my opinion, it’s not feminism if you’re tearing down another artist.” The two have since seemed to make amends and sat side by side at the AMAs in 2014, likely due to their shared friendship with Swift.
