From Taylor Swift to Cardi B: Famous celebrity feuds that shook pop culture

From global superstars like Taylor Swift to industry icons such as Kanye West, Madonna, and Elton John, even the biggest names in entertainment aren’t immune to drama.

It is noted that nothing grabs headlines quite like a celebrity feud.

Whether it’s a shady award show moment, a fiery interview, or a full-blown public clash, fans can’t help but tune in.

Here are some of the celebrities feuds that shocked fans:

Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry:

The feud between musical stars Taylor Swift and Katy Perry was one of the most publicized pop feuds of the 2010s, reportedly inspiring Taylor Swift’s hit song “Bad Blood.”

The drama began over backup dancers and coinciding tour schedules, but the tension finally eased years later.

However, things changed in 2018 when Katy Perry sent Taylor a literal olive branch as a peace gesture before her Reputation Tour kickoff.

“So I just got to my dressing room and found this actual olive branch,” Taylor shared in an Instagram video. “This means so much.”

She captioned the clip simply: “Thank you Katy.” With that, the two megastars put the feud behind them.

Madonna vs. Elton John:

The two music legends have been involved in a very long-running feud. Elton John first blasted Madonna publicly at the 2004 Q Awards while accepting the Classic Songwriter Award.

“Madonna, best f****** live act? F*** off!” he told the audience.

“Since when has lip-syncing been live? Sorry about that, but I think everyone who lip-syncs in public on stage, when you pay like 75 quid to see them, should be shot.”

Over the years, their rivalry has sparked headlines multiple times, which makes it one of pop culture’s most iconic celebrity spats.

Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B:

The rap world shook during New York Fashion Week in 2018 when Nicki Minaj and Cardi B got into a heated altercation at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party.

A month later, Cardi explained the tension in W magazine, saying, “For a while now she’s been taking a lot of shots at me. I spoke to her twice before, and we came to an understanding. But she kept it going.”

The breaking point came when Cardi believed Nicki had liked, and then unliked, a tweet questioning her parenting skills, something Nicki denied.

Cardi said, “I was going to make millions off my Bruno Mars tour, and I sacrificed that to stay with my daughter. I love my daughter. I’m a good f***** mom. So for somebody that don’t have a child to like that comment? So many people want to say that party wasn’t the time or the place, but I’m not going to catch another artist in the grocery store or down the block.”

Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift:

The feud between Kanye West and Taylor Swift began in 2009 when West infamously stormed the stage during Taylor Swift’s MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech. Although the two later reconciled, their fragile peace crumbled again in 2016 following the release of Kanye’s song Famous, in which he referenced the singer by name.

Fast forward to February 2025, on the eve of the Grammys, Kanye reignited speculation by suddenly following only Taylor on Instagram. He added no explanation, and Taylor didn’t publicly respond.

Their relationship remains one of the most dramatic and unpredictable sagas in pop culture.

Sharon Osbourne vs. Ashton Kutcher:

In September 2023, Sharon Osbourne didn’t hold back when asked about the rudest celebrity she’d ever met. While playing Stir the Pot with her daughter Kelly Osbourne on E! News, she singled out Ashton Kutcher.

“He’s a rude, rude, rude, rude little boy,” she declared, also calling him a “dastardly little thing.”

Kutcher never publicly responded, but this wasn’t Sharon’s first complaint. Back in 2018, she told Larry King that when Ashton appeared on The Talk in 2014, he showed up with an “attitude” after she mispronounced his name.

“He goes, ‘What are you, what have you done in this industry?’” Sharon recalled. “And I was like, ‘Kid, don’t start with me, because I’m gonna eat you up and s--t you out.’ So I was just like, ‘You don’t know what you’re dealing with, kid.’”