Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 18, 2025 · Entertainment

Madonna's Most Memorable Feuds: From Gwen Stefani to Patti LuPone!

Madonna's legacy isn't just built on chart-topping hits - it's also marked by a trail of unforgettable celebrity clashes

The Queen of Pop's Feud Frenzy: A Juicy Rewind of Madonna's Most Iconic Beefs

In a world where drama and controversy reign supreme, there's one queen who knows how to stir up a storm - none other than the one and only Madonna! The Material Girl has been making headlines for decades with her chart-topping hits, provocative performances, and, most memorably, her infamous feuds. In this exclusive article, we're diving into the depths of Madonna's most iconic beefs, from her fiery rivalries to her hilarious put-downs.

The OG Feud: 50 Cent vs. Madonna

The real reason Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna 's once-tight friendship fell apart centers on Madonna's treatment of her daughter Lourdes, a new tell-all claims; (pictured 2010)

In a bizarre turn of events, the "Like A Virgin" singer got into a social media showdown with none other than 50 Cent! After posting a series of racy shots showcasing her signature style, the rap mogul slammed her age and called her a "grandma." But Madonna wasn't having it! She fired back with a sassy response, calling out 50 Cent for his tendency to attack others online. The drama reached new heights when 50 Cent reposted an article about Madonna's lip-syncing video, captioning it: "I told y'all grandma was on bulls**! like a virgin at 64. LOL"

The Spice of Life: Gwen Stefani vs. Madonna

In 2005, Madonna blasted No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani for "copying" her style, claiming she'd ripped off her iconic looks and aesthetic. But Stefani wasn't one to back down! She hit back with a sly remark, saying: "Some people say that I copy her... but show me one girl my age who was not influenced by her." The feud may have fizzled out over time, but the sparks flew when Madonna accused Stefani of trying to emulate her style.

Brutal! Believe icon Cher has never made any secret of her disdain for Madonna - in 1991 she said the Like A Prayer songstress is 'not beautiful' and 'not unbelievably talented' during a TV interview

The Ultimate Shade: Patti LuPone vs. Madonna

In a candid interview with Howard Stern, Pink spilled the beans on her tumultuous relationship with Madonna. It turns out that the Queen of Pop doesn't exactly see Pink as a BFF material! According to Pink, Madonna tried to "play" her during an appearance on Regis and Kelly, which led to a joke that went awry. When asked about the infamous three-way kiss at the 2003 VMAs, Pink revealed that Madonna had initially wanted her to participate - but she was busy having fun in Costa Rica with boyfriend Carey Hart!

The Fashion Face-Off: Pink vs. Gwen Stefani

Way back when: Cher previously said in the 90s to Steve Kmetko: 'I remember having her over to my house a couple of times, because [Sean Penn] and I were friends, and she just was so rude to everybody.' (Madonna and her ex-husband Sean Penn pictured in 1988)

In a shocking twist, Pink and Gwen Stefani got into a heated debate about fashion! It all started when Pink accused Stefani of trying to copy her style, claiming she'd ripped off her iconic looks. But Stefani hit back with a sassy response, saying: "I don't think I've ever copied anyone's style... I just like what I like." The drama reached new heights when Madonna chimed in, calling out Pink for being too dramatic.

The Legacy of Feuds: 50 Cent vs. Lady Gaga

But the drama doesn't stop there! In a bizarre twist, 50 Cent got into a feud with none other than Lady Gaga! After calling her a "fake" during an interview with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Lady Gaga responded by slamming his rap skills. The beef continued to escalate until both parties ultimately decided to call it quits.

All is forgiven? The two pop legends are seen happily posing up together in 2017 at the Women's March on Washington

The Queen of Pop's Legacy: Madonna vs. the World

As we take a step back and gaze upon the drama-filled world of pop culture, one thing is clear - Madonna reigns supreme! With her legacy spanning decades, she's proved that even in the face of adversity, she can still bring it. From her chart-topping hits to her iconic performances, Madonna has cemented her place as a true legend in the music industry.

The Scholarly Note: A Special Tribute

Madonna and Elton John have finally buried the hatchet following a decades-long feud

In honor of the Queen of Pop's most iconic feuds, we're giving you a special treat! For your reading pleasure, we've compiled a list of the most epic pop culture showdowns of all time. From Britney vs. Christina to Justin vs. Kanye, get ready for a wild ride!

Stay Tuned for More Feud Frenzy Fun!

In our next installment, we'll be diving into the world of reality TV and exploring the juiciest feuds between stars like Khloe Kardashian and Jordyn Woods. Don't miss out on the drama!

Long-running feud: The battle began in 2002, when Sir Elton called Madonna¿s track Die Another Day the ¿worst Bond tune ever¿  (pictured 1998)

Rant: It escalated in 2004 at the Q Awards, where Sir Elton won the Classic Songwriter Award and Madonna was nominated for Best Live Act. Accepting his accolade, he said from the stage: ¿Madonna, best live act? F*** off. Since when has lip-syncing been live?' (pictured 1995)

Defense: Elton said in his memoir: ¿I got that Gaga¿s single Born This Way definitely sounded similar to Express Yourself, but I couldn¿t see why she was so ungracious and nasty about it' (pictured with Gaga in 2016)

'Neat': Madonna famously slammed Kevin Costner in an iconic scene in 1991 documentary Truth Or Dare after he visited her backstage at a concert and called her show 'neat'

Material (hurl): After the star left, Madge pretended to stick her finger down her throat in disgust and said: 'Anybody who says my show is neat has to go'

Start of something: When Gaga first burst on the music scene, she and Madonna seemed close, posing together at a 2009 Marc Jacobs fashion show

Oh dear: However, relations between the pair went south after Gaga was accused of copying Madonna's song Express Yourself on her 2011 single Born This Way

Heyday: When asked by ABC News about the similarities, which were pointed out by many fans on the internet, Madge called the singer 'reductive' (pictured on the Girlie Show tour in 1992)

Marky Mark: Madonna and Mark Walhlberg's feud began in 1993 when a row erupted as the stars attended director Alek Keshishian's Hollywood birthday party (Mark pictured 1993)

Claim: It was claimed by Madonna's representative Liz Rosenberg that Wahlberg reportedly used a homophobic slur towards once of the singer's friends - resulting in a brawl dubbed 'the hip-hop version of the OK Corral' (Madonna pictured 1993)

Awkward! In what became one of the greatest on-air spats of all time, Madonna had an incredibly awkward chat with Courtney Love during the 1995 VMAs - sparked by the latter throwing a make-up compact at her

Friends again? The pair happily posed up in 1997 - 2 years after the interview

Anytime you need a foe! The battle of the divas kicked off in 1996 when Madonna told Spin she would rather 'kill myself' than sing 'silly' pop songs like Mariah (Mariah pictured 1996)

Carey then took a swipe at Madge's declining popularity, saying: 'I really haven't paid attention to Madonna since I was in seventh or eighth grade when she used to be popular' (pictured 1985)

Clash of the titans: Madonna and Janet Jackson perhaps inevitably clashed when both were fighting for the moniker, Queen of Pop during the height of their music careers (Jackson pictured 1993)

King and Queen of Pop: Jermaine Jackson's book claimed Madonna dated Michael Jackson in the early 1990s. During a dinner date, Madonna allegedly criticized Janet, which sparked the end of their romance (pictured 1991)

Swipe: When asked about comparisons between her and Madonna in the mid 1990s. Janet said: 'It¿s dance music, I¿ll say that, which is very similar. I think¿ How do I put this? I think what I do has class to it. I¿ll say that' (pictured 1989)

Barbed: But she took an apparent swipe at Jackson's wardrobe malfunction as she discussed her own half-time show in 2012, saying: 'You don¿t have to show nipples to be interesting or and it doesn¿t necessarily mean you¿re cutting edge if you do right?

'She's dead behind the eyes!': Patti LuPone, who'd played the title role in the 1979 original Broadway production of Evita laid into 'movie killer' Madonna back in 2017

Madge as Eva: Evita follows actress Eva Duarte as she sleeps her way to power via Juan Perón, whom she married in 1945, the year before his rise to the Casa Rosada

No holds barred: 'Madonna is a movie killer,' vamped Patti, 'She's dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be on - in film or onstage'

Happier times: In one of the pop icon's most bizarre feuds, she publicly rowed with rapper 50 Cent on social media after he branded her 'old' and a 'grandma' in response to her sexy snaps (pictured in 2003)

Expressing herself: The In Da Club rapper, 47, took to Instagram to criticize her video in which she angrily lip synced along to the track Vent by Baby Keem

Oh dear: 50 - real name Curtis James Jackson III - reposted an image if an article discussing Madonna's video and wrote: 'I told y¿all grand ma was on bulls**! like a virgin at 64. LOL'

Not happy: Madonna shared a 2003 photo of herself affectionately posing alongside the rap artist calling him out for phoniness. She said, 'Here is 50 Cent pretending to be my friend. Now you have decided to talk smack about me!'

50 Cent reposted a racy shot  of Madonna likening her to the Wicked Witch of the East from The Wizard of Oz, photoshopping her legs and backside under a house in a frame from the 1939 classic

Pals again? In 2005 Madonna blasted No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani for 'copying' her style, saying: 'She ripped me off. We work with a lot of the same people. She married a Brit, she's got long hair and she likes fashion (pictured 2009)

Don't Let (Madonna) Get Me! Pink spilled details on tension with her childhood musical hero Madonna in a candid new interview (pictured 2001)

Iconic: Pink also revealed that Madonna had originally wanted her to be a part of the iconic three-way kiss at the 2003 VMAs, which saw her lock lips with Britney Spears (pictured) and Christina Aguilera