Top 5 most controversial Madonna moments

by Brenna Rushing

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Spanning from the 1980s to just a few weeks ago, the Queen of Pop continues to make headlines wherever she goes.

In honor of Madonna's back-to-back shows at the American Airlines Center this weekend, we opened the Madonna vault and revisited some of her most controversial moments. See how many you can remember.

1. “Like A Virgin” MTV Video Music Awards Performance in 1984 – In the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna debuted her newest single in a white lingerie top and skirt meant to represent a virgin. She moved around the stage mostly without any eyebrow-raising movements – until the end of the performance. It was then that she dropped to her knees and begin to gyrate. It is now known as one of the most iconic VMA performances in history.

2. “Like A Prayer” video – Undoubtedly one of Madonna’s biggest hits, the 1989 music video helped propel the single into a controversial storm. It depicted Madonna witnessing a murder and running to a church for safety. She then praised a black saint named Martin de Porres (some thought he was representing Jesus) and kissed him. Burning crosses and sexual innuendos were peppered throughout the video as well. Days before the video was released, Pepsi used the song in a nationwide ad under their agreement with Madonna. The Vatican called for a boycott on all Pepsi products due to the anti-religious messages in the video, which caused Pepsi to drop the pop star.

3. Sex – This 1992 book was written by Madonna as an accompaniment to her Erotica album, which was released within the same week. Supposedly inspired by the 1930s actress Dita Parlo, the book featured many photographs depicting sexual acts, which classified it as soft-core pornography.

Even though it sold hundreds of thousands of copies, it was banned in some countries for its erotic images. The book is no longer in print, possibly due to the backlash Madonna received.

4. The Kiss – We all saw it. It was the most shocking moment of the 2003 MTV Music Video Awards. Madonna and Britney Spears locked lips in a passionate moment that no one expected. The media firestorm that ensued helped the short kiss live on well past the usual lifespan of a pop culture clip.

Oh yes: She also kissed Christina Aguilera directly after, which was a lackluster second.

5. “Black Muslim” Comment – In recent news, Madonna has continued to make headlines with her bold political opinions. At a Washington D.C. concert in late September, she stated, “For better or for worse, all right, we have a black Muslim in the White House, okay?" She was later quoted as saying that she meant it ironically and knew that President Obama is not a Muslim. Some missed the ironic punch line.

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