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From banned songs to scandalous videos, we're exploring the most shocking, debated, and eyebrow-raising moments in music history! Join us as we examine controversial songs that stirred outrage, music videos that changed pop culture, albums that ignited firestorms of criticism, and industry scandals that shook fans to their core. Where's the line between artistic expression and going too far?
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00:00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a special look at the most shocking, debated, and eyebrow-raising moments in music history.
00:00:12And we're starting with songs that didn't just top the charts, they stirred up plenty of controversy.
00:00:19Y'all just got a snapshot of how Americans really feel. We gave the people a voice.
00:00:24Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 most controversial songs ever.
00:00:32The boy must have been pretty messed up before he ever heard an Aussie record. I mean, I can't help that, you know.
00:00:38For this list, we'll be looking at infamous tracks that attracted negative attention or public outcry at the time of their release.
00:00:45Did we leave any out?
00:00:47Number 10. Blurred Lines.
00:00:50Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams.
00:00:53This single from Robin Thicke was controversial right from the jump thanks to a scandalous music video.
00:01:00An uncensored version was once removed from YouTube because it featured women bearing parts of their bodies.
00:01:09As an added layer of frustration for viewers, the lyrics to Blurred Lines were seen as sexist and misogynistic.
00:01:16You, a married 37-year-old, just performed a song about coercive sexual advances.
00:01:21If all that wasn't bad enough, there was controversy behind the actual composition of the song.
00:01:27I did not go in the studio with the intention of making anything to feel like, to sound like Marvin Gaye.
00:01:33The estate of Marvin Gaye argued that Blurred Lines shared too many similarities to the Soul Legends track, Gotta Give It Up.
00:01:40After Thicke and Williams were hit with a copyright infringement ruling, Gaye was listed as a songwriter for the 2013 single.
00:01:54There was seemingly no aspect of Blurred Lines that didn't attract controversy.
00:01:58There's no comparison between the minor bluesy chords he was playing and my major bluesy chords.
00:02:04And that's a very plain to see.
00:02:05Major bluegrassi.
00:02:06Major bluegrassi chords.
00:02:08Very big difference, boss.
00:02:09Number 9.
00:02:10Kim.
00:02:11Eminem.
00:02:13Rapper Eminem has a history of releasing hardcore lyrics that turned some heads.
00:02:17Come on!
00:02:18Look, I'm going for a ride, bitch!
00:02:19No!
00:02:19Sit up front!
00:02:21We can't just leave Hayley alone!
00:02:23What if she wakes up?
00:02:24He certainly held true to that tendency at the turn of the millennium with two very high-profile hits.
00:02:30With Stan, Eminem was criticized for lyrics that seemed to be anti-gay.
00:02:34I hope you get this, man.
00:02:35Hit me back.
00:02:36This is the chat.
00:02:36It's only yours.
00:02:37Your biggest fan.
00:02:38This is Stan.
00:02:39But the bigger controversy came with Kim.
00:02:42During this track, Eminem expressed his dark feelings about his wife with graphic lyrics that end with him taking her life.
00:02:48Don't make me wake this baby.
00:02:50She don't need to see what I'm about to do.
00:02:52Quit crying, bitch!
00:02:53Why do you always make me sound at you?
00:02:55It's the grim nature and violence of Kim that made it shocking then and now.
00:03:00Eminem's committed delivery gradually gains steam and energy until it sounds as if the rapper has fully given himself up to the imaginary scenario.
00:03:09It can be truly chilling to listen to.
00:03:11No one can hear you!
00:03:13Now shut the f*** up and get what's coming to you!
00:03:16Number 8.
00:03:17The Pill
00:03:18Loretta Lynn
00:03:19The story of Loretta Lynn and her song, The Pill, came from one of country's most beloved ambassadors.
00:03:26However, the track still stirred up a bit of drama.
00:03:29You and me, and I'll make, when I was your girl.
00:03:35After becoming a mother, Lynn's The Pill celebrated the fact that birth control allowed women to choose when they had children.
00:03:41Her openness on the topic was seen as too taboo for certain fans and even a few country music stations.
00:03:48Yeah, I'm making up for almost years since I've got the pill.
00:03:53Despite being banned in certain places, The Pill still found success in countries like Canada.
00:03:58Tonight's too good to be real.
00:04:01Oh, but daddy, don't you worry, nanny, cause mama's got the pill.
00:04:07To this day, several organizations and fans praise Lynn for facing backlash to talk honestly about birth control.
00:04:14I definitely couldn't be doing what I'm doing unless she had broken down those barriers.
00:04:18Number 7.
00:04:20Get Your Gun
00:04:20Marilyn Manson
00:04:22When Marilyn Manson released Get Your Gun, the message of the song was to express his anger against the person who took the life of a pro-choice doctor.
00:04:36While it initially received praise for its lyrics, the song would be seen in a different light.
00:04:42The tragedy that happened at Columbine High School five years after the song's release was linked to the song.
00:04:47During the media coverage, Manson's song was blamed for inspiring the violent events that occurred.
00:04:58They were people who believed the track was meant to encourage harm from the beginning.
00:05:02This is perhaps the sickest group ever promoted by a mainstream record company.
00:05:08While arguments for and against Get Your Gun rage today, it's still one of Manson's best-known songs.
00:05:14The president was shooting bombs overseas, yet I'm a bad guy because I've sang some rock and roll songs.
00:05:24Number six, Lemon Incest, Serge Gainsbourg and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
00:05:30Serge Gainsbourg was a French singer and songwriter who was immensely popular and influential,
00:05:36and never far away from controversy.
00:05:39The single named after a fruit was a late period hit in his career.
00:05:44This duet with his daughter Charlotte practically dared audiences to listen to it without cringing.
00:05:56Throughout the song, the songwriter riffed on the phrase Lemon Zest with a song and video that was, well, anything but innocuous.
00:06:04His daughter's breathy delivery of the lyrics was enough to shock people.
00:06:14But the accompanying video was seen as pushing the envelope way too far.
00:06:20Today, a song and video combination like this would likely buckle under the weight of massive scrutiny.
00:06:26Number five, Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday.
00:06:30There are certain moments in history that just remain captivating in just how brave they are in their defiance.
00:06:36Strange Fruit was a fiery denouncement of injustice that made people pay attention to the racially motivated violence perpetrated against Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith.
00:06:47Southern trees bear a strange fruit.
00:06:53Written by Abel Mirapol, the lyrics describe the incident in graphic detail.
00:06:58The tragedy of the story is sung with heartbreaking beauty by Billie Holiday.
00:07:02This haunting combination courted controversy right from the get-go.
00:07:08The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth.
00:07:18Since Holiday's label was wary about her recording it, she had to get a brief reprieve from her contract to record it elsewhere.
00:07:25Holiday closed a number of sets with this powerful and stirring protest song.
00:07:29For the sun to rot
00:07:34For the trees
00:07:40To dry
00:07:45Number four, Suicide Solution, Ozzy Osbourne
00:07:53On its own, it's easy to see why the dark subject matter of this Ozzy Osbourne song would attract controversy.
00:08:04Although it was meant to reference a musician, the track became tied to a different tragedy.
00:08:10The parents of John Daniel McCollum claimed the song pushed him to take his own life four years after the song was released.
00:08:21No one explained it. The only thing we know is he was listening to this music.
00:08:26This grieving couple even took Osbourne to court for damages over the song.
00:08:30I feel very sad for the boy and I feel terribly sad for the parents because as a parent myself, I'd be pretty devastated.
00:08:37But the court ultimately ruled that there wasn't enough evidence to support their claim.
00:08:41Over the years, it's likely that this Osbourne track will continue to court controversy anytime it's played.
00:08:48Liquid, like a solution as a liquid, that's not a way out.
00:08:51Number three, Darling Nikki, Prince
00:08:54Hey, do you remember those parental advisory stickers that were affixed to the covers of basically every cool CD you owned?
00:09:01And it turns out that Prince had a little something to do with that.
00:09:11His Darling Nikki song described more than a few explicit and mature acts performed by the subject of the title.
00:09:18When Tipper Gore found one of her children listening to Darling Nikki, she decided to take action.
00:09:28She helped found the Parents Music Resource Center.
00:09:31An organization that helped identify particularly mature albums with infamous black stickers.
00:09:43This group also made sure to place Darling Nikki on their Filthy 15 list of songs.
00:09:48It's safe to say this Prince track wasn't played often at many early PRMC meetings.
00:09:53Number two, F the Police, N.W.A.
00:10:05N.W.A.'s raw and realistic approach to music stood in strict contrast to the more lighthearted and party-focused rap music of their era.
00:10:13As I leave, believe I'm stumped, but when I come back, boy, I'm coming straight out of common.
00:10:19This particular song about officers was their most blatant and boldest call to arms.
00:10:24Police coming straight from the underground.
00:10:27Your **** got it back because I'm brown.
00:10:29Throughout the track, lyrics protesting against racial profiling and police violence were passionate and angry as anything hitting the radio waves at the time.
00:10:37The unapologetic song caused the FBI to reach out to the group with their concerns.
00:10:46And over the years, the track has faced bans and even led to some arrests.
00:10:51It's the song's brutal honesty and its defiance that helped make N.W.A. pioneers and legends.
00:10:571. Cop Killer, Body Count
00:11:06How does an artist know that they've truly stirred the political pot with one of their songs?
00:11:12Well, how about when the President of the United States weighs in?
00:11:17Cop Killer!
00:11:20All eyes seem to be on Ice-T and Body Count back in 1992.
00:11:24Their song had everyone from George H.W. Bush to actor Charlton Heston out in force to express their anger and resentment over the lyrics.
00:11:33I got my 12-gauge sawed off.
00:11:35I got my headlights turned off.
00:11:37I'm about to bust some shots off.
00:11:40I'm about to dust some cops off.
00:11:42Police unions fumed, stores pulled the album from shelves,
00:11:45and the song was voluntarily removed from subsequent pressings of the band's debut.
00:11:49I know your mama's screaming, but tonight we get evening.
00:11:54The replacement track, however, said all the band needed to say in response.
00:12:00Freedom of speech.
00:12:01Can't you see, you alcoholic idiots?
00:12:04The more you try to suppress us, the larger we get.
00:12:07Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:12:07Parental advisory.
00:12:10Our next list is going to look at controversial music videos
00:12:14that shocked, offended, and changed pop culture forever,
00:12:18for better or worse.
00:12:20If that reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad.
00:12:26Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:12:28And today, we're counting down our picks for the top 20 most controversial music videos.
00:12:34For this list, we'll be looking at the most notable music videos that caused the greatest stir
00:12:42or generated the most heated conversations when they were released.
00:12:46Which of these shocks you the most?
00:12:49Number 20.
00:12:51Anaconda.
00:12:51Nicki Minaj.
00:12:53If you've seen this video, then you know that this song isn't about snakes.
00:12:57On Anaconda, Nicki Minaj samples Sir Mix-a-Lot's Baby Got Back,
00:13:01focusing on the song's butt-positive messaging.
00:13:04So the video isn't shy about centering matters of the derriere,
00:13:07with classic raunchy Minaj lines thrown in the mix.
00:13:11Both the song and its visual accompaniment are proudly explicit,
00:13:14which was something certain people took issue with.
00:13:17With the shootouts with the Lord, but he lived in a palace.
00:13:20Both bought me Alex and the McQueen.
00:13:22He was keeping me stylish.
00:13:24When speaking to GQ about the video,
00:13:26Minaj said she was being, quote, cheeky.
00:13:29She didn't seem to be making a pun,
00:13:31but we honestly can't think of a better word to describe this video.
00:13:34Number 19.
00:13:36I want to break free.
00:13:37Queen.
00:13:38One of the best things about Queen is how unafraid they are of expressing themselves.
00:13:43However, not everyone likes how they do that.
00:13:45This video finds the group spoofing the British soap Coronation Street in drag,
00:13:50complete with Freddie Mercury in a fabulous black wig and pink top.
00:13:54I want to break free from your lies.
00:13:57Yeah, so self-satisfied.
00:13:59I don't need you.
00:14:02But if you were tuning into MTV in the 80s, you probably missed it.
00:14:05The network reportedly didn't play the video due to its content,
00:14:09and Queen's drummer Roger Taylor referred to them as being, quote, narrow-minded.
00:14:18Guitarist Brian May further hypothesized that the band's reach in America was hurt by this censorship.
00:14:24No matter what network executives say, Queen remain absolute kings.
00:14:29Number 18.
00:14:30Window Seat.
00:14:31Erykah Badu.
00:14:33Filming a music video in the nude is brave.
00:14:35Doing so in public without permission?
00:14:37Well, that's Erykah Badu.
00:14:39The R&B star drew a lot of headlines for wearing nothing when the Window Seat video premiered.
00:14:50Shot around Dallas' Dealey Plaza, where President John F. Kennedy was shot,
00:14:55the video finds Badu removing her layers until, well, you know.
00:14:59It also ends in a truly dramatic and controversial fashion.
00:15:04Window Seat.
00:15:05How did Badu get away with this?
00:15:10Well, she didn't.
00:15:12She was charged with a misdemeanor, with her penalty being a $500 fine and six months probation.
00:15:18We don't recommend recreating this video, even if you can afford it.
00:15:22Number 17.
00:15:23Elastic Heart.
00:15:24Sia.
00:15:25Everyone is largely clothed in this one, but you might think otherwise at first glance.
00:15:30The Elastic Heart video stars Shia LaBeouf and Maddie Ziegler fighting and dancing inside a cage.
00:15:36While LaBeouf is shirtless, the duo are indeed wearing nude-colored garments.
00:15:45But that doesn't mean it was well-received.
00:15:50Ziegler was about 12 at the time, and some questioned her involvement in such a suggestive
00:15:55project, especially considering her co-star was an adult.
00:15:59Ziegler responded to the controversy on Twitter, apologizing for any offense and explaining her
00:16:04intentions.
00:16:12It wouldn't be the last time the singer's work caused a stir, but it remains one of the
00:16:16most notable.
00:16:18Number 16.
00:16:19Pussy.
00:16:20Rammstein.
00:16:21When we say this clip is explicit, we don't mean the way most music videos are.
00:16:26German metal group Rammstein made a visual work that starts off suggestive and ends up
00:16:31being absolutely shocking.
00:16:40Let's just say you're not going to be able to watch the uncensored version on YouTube.
00:16:43A man in Russia was even charged with and convicted of a crime after he shared the piece, which
00:16:49guitarist Richard Kruzpa reportedly spoke out against.
00:17:00If you must watch the uncut edition of this video, we have one bit of advice.
00:17:05Make sure you do it in private.
00:17:07Number 15.
00:17:08Hello Kitty.
00:17:09Avril Lavigne.
00:17:10In recent years, artists seem to have become more cautious about making music videos centered
00:17:15around different cultures.
00:17:17However, Avril Lavigne hadn't gotten the message in 2014.
00:17:20Hello Kitty and its video were both widely criticized, with many accusing the singer of
00:17:25cultural appropriation.
00:17:26Come, come, kitty, kitty.
00:17:29You're so pretty, pretty.
00:17:31Come, go, kitty, kitty.
00:17:32Stay open, yay.
00:17:34The electronic song is inspired by J-pop, and the video sees Lavigne performing with Japanese
00:17:39backing dancers and enjoying sushi, among other things.
00:17:43Some found its depiction of Japanese culture to be stereotypical, and the singer defended the
00:17:48video against accusations of racism.
00:17:50While it reportedly garnered little controversy in Japan, it did create some important, if divisive, conversations.
00:18:04Number 14.
00:18:05Heart-Shaped Box.
00:18:06Nirvana.
00:18:07Kurt Cobain wasn't the only person with a new complaint.
00:18:11The video for Heart-Shaped Box may shock, baffle, and offend you.
00:18:14It opens with the band in a hospital room, and then goes in a very strange direction.
00:18:19I've been locked inside your Heart-Shaped Box for four weeks.
00:18:26How strange?
00:18:28Well, there's notably a man in a Santa hat on a crucifix, and the weirdness does not
00:18:32stop there.
00:18:33The group members were such visionaries that this video feels like it's about more than
00:18:37mere shock value.
00:18:39Hey, wait, I'm gonna lose no way.
00:18:43Still, it's not exactly the Nirvana music video you want to show your pastor.
00:18:46Or your grandma, for that matter.
00:18:49Number 13.
00:18:50Warlock.
00:18:51Skinny Puppy.
00:18:52The video for this song by industrial group Skinny Puppy is full of clips from movies.
00:18:57However, it's not exactly an ode to classic Hollywood pictures.
00:19:04Instead, the Canadian band takes footage from graphic and unsettling films like Suspiria,
00:19:12Eraserhead, and Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer.
00:19:14Even if you know the context of these clips, it doesn't take away from how shocking they
00:19:19are.
00:19:24And if you haven't seen them, well, this video doesn't exactly give you an easy introduction.
00:19:29This is one night at the movies you won't be forgetting anytime soon.
00:19:33Number 12.
00:19:34WAP.
00:19:34Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion.
00:19:37The song and video that everyone was talking about in 2020 was WAP.
00:19:41The name's not-safe-for-work meaning will give you a good indication as to why.
00:19:45Wet and gushy.
00:19:47Make that pullout game.
00:19:48Weep.
00:19:48Woo!
00:19:49The sexually charged team-up of rap superstars Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion was praised
00:19:54for its unapologetically raunchy lyrics, but it was scorned for the same reason.
00:19:59The response to the video, where both Cardi and Megan show off their physical attributes
00:20:03and their rapping skills, followed suit.
00:20:05Tell them where to put it, never tell them where I'm about to be, I run down on them
00:20:08before I have a night running me, got your style.
00:20:10It also garnered additional controversy due to the Kylie Jenner cameo, and because of
00:20:15a spat between Cardi and Carole Baskin over the inclusion of Big Cats.
00:20:19WAP could also stand for What a Phenomenon.
00:20:23Number 11.
00:20:24Closer.
00:20:24Nine Inch Nails.
00:20:26Do you want to watch a music video that makes you feel like you're experiencing a waking
00:20:30nightmare?
00:20:30Put this one on and see if you can make it to the end.
00:20:36While Closer was already an intense song, the video goes even further with images of
00:20:41animal violence, twisted religious imagery, and sexual paraphernalia.
00:20:46Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor is there too, leather pants and all.
00:20:50While this video was played on MTV, it was in modified form.
00:20:57But even the clean version is still pretty shocking.
00:20:59That's probably why it helped bring Nine Inch Nails closer to achieving legend status.
00:21:05Number 10.
00:21:06Famous.
00:21:06Kanye West.
00:21:08Kanye West and drama go hand in hand.
00:21:10But this song and video caused major controversy, even for him.
00:21:14First, there's the crass lyric about Taylor Swift, which spurred its own mess.
00:21:19Then there's the video, which shows West in bed with an array of nude figures of famous
00:21:32people.
00:21:33These include then-wife Kim Kardashian, ex-Amber Rose, presidents George W. Bush and Donald
00:21:39Trump, and Swift.
00:21:40But viewers just weren't all that enamored with it.
00:21:43No matter how hard they try, we never gonna die.
00:21:47The huge number of dislikes on YouTube said it all, though it still managed to score multiple
00:21:52award nominations.
00:21:53If there's one thing we can say about Kanye West, it's that he knows how to draw attention
00:21:57to himself.
00:21:58Number 9.
00:21:59All the things she said.
00:22:01Tattoo.
00:22:01You might see this video from Russian pop duo Tattoo as being a bold stand against heteronormativity
00:22:08in popular music.
00:22:09Or you might just see it as being a tacky video that relies on cheap gimmicks like straight
00:22:13girls kissing and Catholic school attire.
00:22:21Either way, there's no doubt that this rain-soaked work is one that got everyone talking, making
00:22:26Tattoo international stars for a moment.
00:22:31Today, this video may not seem all that remarkable, but if you were around in the early 2000s,
00:22:43you'll likely remember just how much heated talk it generated.
00:22:46Number 8.
00:22:47Saint.
00:22:48Marilyn Manson.
00:22:49Before disturbing allegations about his private life came to light, Marilyn Manson was known
00:22:54for shocking people through his music, and the video for this song is arguably the most
00:22:58extreme example of how he did so.
00:23:01It's so grim and unsettling that his label, Interscope, didn't want any part of it.
00:23:09The video was subsequently made available on the band's Lest We Forget The Best Of DVD.
00:23:13I've got everything to see, and I've got a pain to do.
00:23:18No matter how disturbed you were by Manson previously, this video will undoubtedly manage
00:23:22to take those feelings and make them even stronger.
00:23:25Number 7.
00:23:26Blurred Lines.
00:23:27Robin Thicke featuring T.I.
00:23:29and Pharrell Williams.
00:23:31Blurred Lines garnered plenty of controversy for its lyrics, which were often said to minimize
00:23:36the importance of consent.
00:23:37If you can't hear what I'm trying to say.
00:23:40If you can't read from the same page.
00:23:45And the problematic music video only made things worse.
00:23:47The unrated version features Thicke and male collaborators T.I. and Pharrell Williams dressed
00:23:53stylishly.
00:23:54But they're surrounded by female models like Emily Ratajkowski, who are wearing, well, not
00:23:58much at all.
00:24:05It was widely viewed as misogynistic and objectifying, and Ratajkowski later called it, quote,
00:24:11The Bane of Her Existence.
00:24:13In 2021, she revealed that Thicke groped her without her consent on set, which reignited
00:24:18the conversation.
00:24:19Blurred Lines was everywhere in 2013, but it was by no means universally beloved.
00:24:25Number 6.
00:24:26Stan.
00:24:27Eminem featuring Dido.
00:24:29These days, the term Stan is used rather liberally to describe an intense fandom.
00:24:34However, the song that originated the term is about an obsession so intense it becomes
00:24:38fatal.
00:24:39The video for Stan follows the track's lyrics, as a diehard Eminem fan's fixation causes
00:24:50him to harm himself and his loved ones.
00:24:53Many of the visuals are too disturbing to even think about.
00:24:56In fact, some of the more harrowing lyrics and imagery in the song and video were censored.
00:25:00I'm glad I inspire you as Stan.
00:25:02Why are you so mad?
00:25:03Try to understand that I do want you as a fan.
00:25:06Yet even with the various edits, it's still devastating to see the story play out.
00:25:10Whether you stan this video or not, you likely are not left indifferent by it.
00:25:16Number 5.
00:25:17Lemon Incest.
00:25:18Serge and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
00:25:20Does this song's title make you feel icky?
00:25:23How about lyrics sung by a young woman that aren't age appropriate, and a video that features
00:25:28her and her father in a rather scandalous arrangement?
00:25:38It's safe to say that the visuals are unsettling in more ways than one.
00:25:42It's hard to give the benefit of the doubt to a video like this, especially with the song
00:25:45in question, yet this song still managed to become a big hit in the Gainsbourg's home
00:25:51country of France.
00:25:52I'm ashamed of my song.
00:25:57Oh, baby.
00:25:59It was already pretty clear that controversy sells, but this video makes that truth all
00:26:03the more uncomfortably apparent.
00:26:05Number 4.
00:26:06Born Free.
00:26:07M.I.A.
00:26:08As if redheads didn't already have it hard enough, they became the targets in M.I.A.'s
00:26:13shocking video.
00:26:14A nine-minute short disguised as a music video, Born Free depicts red-headed individuals being
00:26:19rounded up and knocked off.
00:26:25The violence is disturbing, but it's meant to serve an important point, showing how such
00:26:30large-scale targeted killings can occur anywhere.
00:26:33The real-world parallels certainly weren't lost on people.
00:26:37However, some found the video to be more over-the-top than insightful.
00:26:44And a bit less than a day after its premiere, YouTube pulled it.
00:26:49If there's one thing the video's fans and critics can agree on, is that it's garnered
00:26:54plenty of controversy.
00:26:55Number 3.
00:26:56Montero.
00:26:57Call Me By Your Name.
00:26:58Lil Nas X.
00:27:00Did you think that the satanic panic ended in the 90s?
00:27:03Well, the Call Me By Your Name video proved otherwise.
00:27:06This super viral visual work finds Lil Nas X trading in his cowboy hat for devil horns.
00:27:11And people noticed.
00:27:13I caught it bad just a day.
00:27:15You hear me where the call to your place?
00:27:17The video courted plenty of discussion for its outspoken depiction of queer sexuality,
00:27:22as well as provocative moments like that Satan lap dance.
00:27:26Much of the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, but many conservative figures were shocked by
00:27:31it and by the artist's selling of blood-tipped Satan shoes.
00:27:35And they essentially accused him of corrupting the youth.
00:27:37One thing's for sure, Lil Nas X is blazing his own trail with such boundary-pushing works.
00:27:43Number 2.
00:27:44Smack My Bitch Up.
00:27:46The Prodigy.
00:27:47Many dance artists make music videos that are stylish and seductive.
00:27:51But this one, from UK big beat group The Prodigy, is grungy and disturbing.
00:28:00Featuring a unique use of perspective, the video lets us see through the eyes of the main
00:28:04character, who does some truly bad things.
00:28:07And we get a bit of a surprise ending, too.
00:28:10Like this song, the video was seen as hugely problematic, and was condemned by the National
00:28:15Organization for Women.
00:28:20As for MTV, they eventually went from limiting its airing to late-night showings to banning
00:28:25it completely.
00:28:26If any video deserves a don't-try-this-at-home warning, it's this one.
00:28:30Number 1.
00:28:32Like a Prayer.
00:28:33Madonna.
00:28:34While Madonna's extraordinary singing and dance abilities have been key to her success,
00:28:38we can't forget the impact of her music videos.
00:28:41The one for Like a Prayer is the queen of pop at her most blasphemous.
00:28:45In it, Madonna hides in a church after seeing a black man wrongfully arrested for murder,
00:28:50praying to a Christ-like statue that bears his likeness.
00:28:53Give me my head out, I can feel your power.
00:28:57Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there.
00:29:02Images of burning crosses and her romantic embrace with the holy figure notably sparked
00:29:07major outcry.
00:29:08The visual work was even called out by the Vatican.
00:29:11Not many music videos have generated controversy on this level, which is just one of the many
00:29:24reasons why Madonna will always be an icon.
00:29:29Albums can define a musician's legacy, but they can also ignite a firestorm of controversy
00:29:35along the way.
00:29:36Here now are the most controversial music albums.
00:29:40Songs allow a person to put their own imagination, experiences, and dreams into the lyrics.
00:29:46People can interpret it many ways.
00:29:48Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 most controversial
00:29:54albums.
00:29:54If they don't want to hear the two live crew, then they don't buy no ticket.
00:29:58They won't be at that concert.
00:29:59They like obscure images because it gives kids something to hold on to that their parents
00:30:03won't understand.
00:30:04So, if I said to somebody, hey, your stairway lies in the Whispering Wind, I'd basically
00:30:08be telling them that they're going to hell, because the Whispering Wind was the Piper's
00:30:12Path.
00:30:12For this list, we'll be ranking the biggest albums that made headlines and ruffled feathers
00:30:17at the time of their release, and perhaps still do today.
00:30:21We'll be saving the albums that were controversial because of their cover art for another day.
00:30:25Also, we'll be discussing some sensitive content, so fair warning for the road ahead.
00:30:30Did any of these shock you?
00:30:32Number 20, Rain and Blood, Slayer.
00:30:36Heavy metal has always been a genre that's ripe for controversy, but toss in the legendary
00:30:41intensity of thrash metal icon Slayer into the mix?
00:30:44Well, that's a perfect storm for concerned parents.
00:30:47Slayer was always faster and heavier than their contemporaries, but their definitive musical
00:30:58statement, Rain and Blood, was also notable for its more earthbound lyrics.
00:31:03We're born from the last three of the skies!
00:31:07Songs about damsels and dragons were now replaced with demons, pain, suffering, and the very real
00:31:14horrors of war.
00:31:16Specifically, lyrics for the song Angel of Death tackled infamous Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele.
00:31:21It was instant notoriety for a band already used to shocking nearly everyone that crossed their
00:31:31path.
00:31:32Number 19, Beggar's Banquet, The Rolling Stones.
00:31:36The man downstairs was all the rage during the late 1960s and into the 1970s, thanks to Time magazine
00:31:42articles like Is God Dead? and the rise of demonic horror movies like Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist.
00:31:48The Rolling Stones had their finger on the pulse of this controversy and courted it with the opening
00:31:53track on their 1968 album, Beggar's Banquet.
00:32:04The song was Sympathy for the Devil, sung from Satan's own personal point of view, as a distinguished
00:32:10man of wealth and taste.
00:32:12This wasn't the only bit of controversy either.
00:32:18The band was forced to initially scrap their idea of having a run-down toilet and graffiti
00:32:23on the cover, as it was considered too obscene.
00:32:32Number 18, In Utero.
00:32:34Nirvana.
00:32:35There were both internal and external controversies behind the recording and release of Nirvana's
00:32:40last studio album, In Utero.
00:32:42For starters, there were conflicts over whether the sound should be closer to the more polished
00:32:51production of Nevermind, or if they should go with Steve Albini's intent to create something
00:32:55different.
00:33:00Then there was the actual album content, with one song title in particular generating controversy
00:33:06and cover art that led to the album being edited for big chains like Walmart.
00:33:11Said song became Waif Me, and the album's back cover art was changed so that it could be sold on their shelves.
00:33:25Number 17, Led Zeppelin 4.
00:33:28Led Zeppelin.
00:33:29We honestly don't have enough time to detail all of the bad behavior and tall tales that made
00:33:34Led Zeppelin one of the most controversial bands of their day.
00:33:37However, we will be focusing specifically on the iconic classic rock group's fourth full-length.
00:33:49Call it Zoso, call it Four Symbols, or just Led Zeppelin 4, but the album was deliberately
00:33:54designed to increase the Led Zepp mystique to an almost maddening level.
00:33:59The symbols themselves leaned into the band's reputation as practitioners of the occult,
00:34:09an idea that was compounded by rumors that songs like Stairway to Heaven contained
00:34:13backward, satanic messages.
00:34:18Raise your hands if you heard that.
00:34:20Was it deliberate?
00:34:21Probably not, but it helped solidify the Led Zeppelin legend even more as absolutely one
00:34:26of a kind.
00:34:27Number 16, Wasp.
00:34:29Wasp.
00:34:30It may seem silly today to think that theatrical rock music could be the subject of a U.S.
00:34:35Senate hearing, but parents were not messing around when it came to satanic panic and heavy
00:34:40metal during the 1980s.
00:34:41Some of the album covers are very explicit.
00:34:43Al Gore's wife, Tipper, even formed a committee titled the Parents Music Resource Center that
00:34:49tried to censor and silence artists ranging from Prince and Twisted Sister to our subject of
00:34:54the entry Wasp.
00:34:55And some of these artists are engaged in cultural strip mining.
00:34:58They are selling explicit sex and violence to younger and younger kids.
00:35:02The band's debut was part of the committee's Filthy 15 thanks to its most infamous song,
00:35:07Animal.
00:35:13And that wasn't the only bit of craziness Wasp brought to the table.
00:35:17The shock rockers were also known for their extremely crude stage shows.
00:35:21They were practically tailor-made for conservative censorship.
00:35:24Blackie Lawless of the group Wasp have an album out and it now bears a warning label.
00:35:29Explicit lyrics, parental advisory.
00:35:31Number 15, Lies.
00:35:33Guns N' Roses.
00:35:34Love them or hate them, there's no denying that Guns N' Roses absolutely lived the life
00:35:39about which they sang.
00:35:40They were unequivocally the real deal.
00:35:42A refreshingly dangerous rock and roll party that courted controversy from the very first note.
00:35:47All these gay activist groups jumped on our case for being involved with this to the point
00:35:53where there was a question as to whether or not it was even safe for us to do this gig.
00:35:57Their second album, Lies, also known as G&R Lies, contains lyrics that got W. Axl Rosen
00:36:04Co. in some seriously hot water.
00:36:06All we need is just a little patience.
00:36:12One in a Million was the main offender, as it featured lyrics that got the singer accused
00:36:16of racism and homophobia.
00:36:18I don't think people took the time to listen to the third verse and figure that one out,
00:36:21because it says radicals and racists don't point your finger at me.
00:36:24Elsewhere, Used to Love Her got the band labeled as misogynistic, although guitarist Slash has
00:36:29joked that the song was actually about Rose's dog. Hmm.
00:36:33Number 14. Blizzard of Oz
00:36:35Ozzy Osbourne
00:36:36Most of us know all about the bad behavior Ozzy Osbourne has gotten himself into over the years.
00:36:42The man was already a rock icon from his days fronting Black Sabbath.
00:36:46But metal fans were beyond anxious about Oz's first solo album.
00:36:49I'm going up the rails on a crazy train
00:36:54Blizzard of Oz did not disappoint musically, but it also arrived with its fair share of controversy
00:37:00thanks to one particular track.
00:37:02Take a bar from ground on the other side of the road
00:37:06Take a bar from the way to my road
00:37:10A young man named John McCollum tragically ended his life in 1984, allegedly after listening to the song.
00:37:16He didn't appear to have any problems that anyone was aware of.
00:37:20According to Osbourne, the lyrics were actually about alcoholism.
00:37:24The song's about like the dangers of alcoholism, like alcohol will kill you just like any other drug will.
00:37:30McCollum's parents sued the vocalist and his record label for the song's apparent influence on their son,
00:37:35but the case was dismissed due to Ozzy's First Amendment right to free speech.
00:37:39The boy must have been pretty messed up before he ever heard an Ozzy record.
00:37:42And I mean, I can't help that, you know. I feel very sad for the boy.
00:37:47Number 13. The Mysterious Dom Satanas
00:37:50Mayhem
00:37:51When does extreme metal become too extreme?
00:37:54This question and more were asked by fans, bands, and media outlets alike
00:37:58when Norwegian black metal stormed out of the underground during the early 90s.
00:38:02Everything leads back to our main agenda. It's spreading the word of Satan.
00:38:10The genre saw real-life murder and arson committed by its participants, including those of this entry's band, Mayhem.
00:38:16It's so pretty, the Fagans!
00:38:21There were infamous internal conflicts within Mayhem, which led to its founder,
00:38:26Oestein Euronymous Arshet, being killed by his bassist, Varg Vikernes.
00:38:31The Mysterious Dom Satanas is certainly a musical cornerstone for the genre,
00:38:35but a request by Orshet's parents for Mayhem's new bassist, Necro Butcher,
00:38:39to remove Vikernes' bass tracks was ignored,
00:38:42and the album remains a chilling reminder of these events.
00:38:45We are dead, Kenny!
00:38:50Number 12. FrankenChrist
00:38:52Dead Kennedys
00:38:53We've mentioned our criteria for albums being censored for controversial album art,
00:38:58but what about a controversial insert?
00:39:00The political punk rock legends Dead Kennedys, and specifically frontman Jello Biafra,
00:39:09were the victims of censorship over the inclusion of a poster featuring a work by surrealist art icon R.H. Geiger.
00:39:16A poster reproduction of Landscape XX was deemed obscene,
00:39:20and Biafra was charged with distributing, quote,
00:39:22harmful matter to minors.
00:39:24I'm just doing my job, you know, so say uncle and we'll take you to the mental health zoo.
00:39:29Biafra discussed the ordeal on his spoken word album, High Priest of Harmful Matter,
00:39:34particularly how police raided his apartment and the financial strain it brought upon the band's record label.
00:39:40Number 11. Like a Virgin
00:39:42Madonna
00:39:43There have been a bevy of influential artists out there,
00:39:48but very few can claim to have single-handedly steered the fashion sense of teenage girls around the world.
00:39:54Madonna did just that in the wake of her sophomore album, Like a Virgin, in 1984.
00:39:59The album's major singles, which included Material Girl, Dress You Up, and the title track,
00:40:04were all smash hits, but didn't land without some controversy thanks to Madonna's racy image and sexualized live performances.
00:40:12News outlets across the globe all clamored for footage of the Material Girl writhing on stage,
00:40:17decked out in lace and embarking upon her career as a certified pop sensation.
00:40:21She wouldn't stop there, of course, continually courting controversies with follow-ups like Like a Prayer and Erotica.
00:40:31Number 10. As Nasty As They Want To Be
00:40:342 Live Crew
00:40:36We've discussed a lot of hard rock and heavy metal throughout our list,
00:40:39but hip-hop has also seen its fair share of run-ins with the censors.
00:40:42Knocked on the door
00:40:44Not having no idea of what the night had in store
00:40:48Case in point, 2 Live Crew, who seemed to love inciting anger with their 1989 LP,
00:40:53As Nasty As They Want To Be.
00:40:55It pulled no punches with its references to sexuality,
00:40:58especially in its breakthrough hit, Me So Horny.
00:41:01I have an appetite for sex
00:41:03Cause me so ugly
00:41:04Is the album crass? Sure.
00:41:07But 2 Live Crew deserved to sing their songs the way they wanted to sing them,
00:41:10and they found roadblocks in their way at nearly every turn.
00:41:13These people who essentially say that they're holding a mirror up to the street
00:41:18and reflecting the street in music as an art form,
00:41:23and the street is a nasty place at times.
00:41:25The album was even labeled legally obscene by a Florida judge,
00:41:28and three members of the band would later be arrested just for performing a show.
00:41:32We have the freedom of expression!
00:41:35We have the freedom of choice!
00:41:36Number 9. Stained Class
00:41:38Judas Priest
00:41:39The story behind Judas Priest's fourth album Stained Class is one mired in controversy,
00:41:46thanks to a lawsuit brought against the band by the families of two teenagers
00:41:50who decided to take their own lives,
00:41:52allegedly after listening to Better By You, Better Than Me.
00:41:55Better by you, better than me
00:41:58The boys' families claimed that the band inserted subliminal messages which said Do It
00:42:04behind frontman Rob Halford's vocal in the song,
00:42:07despite the fact that the song was in fact a cover of the band Spooky Tooth rather than a Judas Priest original.
00:42:13Still, the trial remains a tragic and truly controversial moment in hard rock history.
00:42:18Number 8. Tomb of the Mutilated
00:42:20Cannibal Corpse
00:42:22Whew, where do we start?
00:42:24Maybe with the graphic, oft-censored cover art displaying two rotting corpses engaging in a sex act?
00:42:30Or maybe the fact that Cannibal Corpse was forbidden from performing tracks from their first three albums in countries like Germany?
00:42:36Then, of course, there's the band's appearance in Ace Ventura Pet Detective.
00:42:45Uh, wait, what?
00:42:47Excuse me, it's Greg here!
00:42:50Thank you!
00:42:51Jim Carrey's death metal fixation aside,
00:42:53the controversy behind Cannibal Corpse's third studio album continues to this day.
00:42:58And if you don't believe us, just take a look at the track listing.
00:43:00Number 7. The Marshall Mathers LP
00:43:08Eminem
00:43:09By the turn of the new millennium, Eminem was no stranger to controversy,
00:43:13thanks to the unflinching realism presented on the Slim Shady LP in 1999.
00:43:21That backlash only increased when Eminem released the substantially darker and even more personal
00:43:27the Marshall Mathers LP, an album chock-full of adult themes and extreme lyrical barbs,
00:43:33which made its predecessor sound positively lightweight.
00:43:36And I am whatever you say I am
00:43:39If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
00:43:42An easy target for conservative politicians and parents alike,
00:43:45the Marshall Mathers LP shook up the entertainment world
00:43:48and essentially changed music censorship forever.
00:43:50I love you, Slim. We could've been together.
00:43:53Think about it. You ruined it now.
00:43:55I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it.
00:43:57Number 6. Fear of a Black Planet
00:43:59Public Enemy
00:44:00Hip-hop legends Public Enemy have always been considered
00:44:03some of the genre's most intelligent and politically active artists,
00:44:07but it was this very socially aware release which also made them the targets of controversy.
00:44:119-1-1 is joking your town
00:44:14Get up again, get, get down
00:44:16Classics like 9-1-1 is a Joke, Burn Hollywood Burn, and Fight the Power were all huge hits,
00:44:21but the band's profile hit hard times when founding member,
00:44:25Professor Griff, began spouting anti-Semitic rhetoric during interviews.
00:44:29To make everybody see, in order to fight the power can't be!
00:44:33Griff's comments would lead to his eventual dismissal from the group,
00:44:36although Public Enemy's stance as one of hip-hop's elder statesmen would remain secure.
00:44:41There's nothing that the black makers use to burn, burn, burn, burn Hollywood, burn!
00:44:45Number 5. Never mind the bollocks, here's the Sex Pistols.
00:44:49Sex Pistols
00:44:50Seeing Johnny Rotten today, it might be hard to imagine the powder keg of fury unleashed by the
00:44:55Sex Pistols back in 1977, but at one point, it seemed as if everyone was pissed at these British punks.
00:45:01And our keynaps, get down
00:45:07Whether it was the band's entourage habitually sporting Nazi regalia,
00:45:11or the fact that God Save the Queen took aim squarely at England's Elizabeth II,
00:45:16the Pistols were never far from public ire.
00:45:19God Save the Queen! Remain it mad!
00:45:24Frontman Johnny Rotten and crew would also be in a memorably tense television debut,
00:45:28where the band cussed out their host on live TV before eventually imploding in a blaze of
00:45:33self-destructive glory so fitting to their punk rock roots.
00:45:42Number 4. Mechanical Animals
00:45:44Marilyn Manson
00:45:45There have been few hard rock and heavy metal artists that capture the public spotlight quite
00:45:50like Marilyn Manson. Albums like Portrait of an American Family and Antichrist Superstar
00:45:55had already put the band in cultural crosshairs. So when it came time to release Mechanical Animals,
00:46:01detractors were on high alert.
00:46:08The studio effort's artwork is striking in and of itself, but when people started to make
00:46:13connections between the album and the tragic events at Columbine in 1999, the band really came under fire.
00:46:18It wasn't the first controversy Manson faced, and it certainly would not be the last,
00:46:29as he turned himself into the police for two counts of assault in 2021.
00:46:34Number 3. Body Count
00:46:36Body Count
00:46:37In the early 90s, it was hard not to be aware of the controversy surrounding Body Count.
00:46:42The album raised ire and criticism almost immediately due to its aggressive lyrical content.
00:46:47But it was Body Count's closing track that caused the biggest media sensation.
00:46:58The song's confrontational stance on police violence was directly challenged in the media
00:47:03by actor and NRA spokesman Charlton Heston, with many others joining in the call for the album's
00:47:09censorship. Body Count's label would eventually reissue the album without the offending
00:47:17track, ironically replacing it with Freedom of Speech, a collaboration between Ice-T and Jello Biafra.
00:47:27Number 2. Rage Against the Machine
00:47:30Rage Against the Machine
00:47:31The musical landscape of 1991 was a period of transition for hard rock and heavy metal,
00:47:36and this band stood out as representatives of change throughout the decade.
00:47:40Rage Against the Machine stood in strict defiance to both the hair metal excesses of the 1980s,
00:47:50as well as the emerging grunge movement of the time, and were steeped in political fire and fury.
00:47:55No escape from the mass line, rape, play at the kid jack, and then rewind the tape.
00:48:01This sentiment, born from the protests of the 1960s and 1970s, would serve as a source of controversy for
00:48:07the rap metal band, as frontman Zack de la Rocha's pointed commentaries about world injustice and
00:48:12corruption would go on to define the band's enduring creative legacy.
00:48:22Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions.
00:48:25The Fat of the Land
00:48:26The Prodigy
00:48:27Late Night Video Controversy
00:48:30Shake Your Booty
00:48:36Shake Your Booty
00:48:37Frank Zappa
00:48:39Banned from Airplay in the US
00:48:40My shirt's half open just to show you my chain and a spoon for up my nose
00:48:46The Downward Spiral
00:48:47Nine Inch Nails
00:48:49BDSM during Total Request Live
00:48:51My whole existence is gone
00:48:56You won't get me closer to God
00:48:59The Number of the Beast
00:49:00Iron Maiden
00:49:01Fantasy turned into satanic panic for parents
00:49:13Number 1
00:49:14Straight Outta Compton
00:49:15NWA
00:49:17The impact of NWA is impossible to overstate.
00:49:20The hip-hop landscape was very much a different place in 1988,
00:49:23before the group made their debut with Straight Outta Compton.
00:49:26The group were one of the progenitors of the gangster rap genre, and gained sufficient
00:49:33controversy over the album's raw and frank lyrical content, which stood in strict contrast to the
00:49:39dance and party vibe associated with many rap acts of the time.
00:49:42So some musicians
00:49:44Cause at home
00:49:45Cause scared to use profanity
00:49:46Wearing up on the microphone
00:49:47Instead, Straight Outta Compton described a hard and violent life surrounded by drugs,
00:49:53gangs, and police misbehavior, laying the groundwork for countless hip-hop acts in its wake.
00:49:58Cause the police always got something stupid to say
00:50:01They put out my picture with silence
00:50:03Cause my identity by itself causes violence
00:50:06We're going to end things today by looking at 20 music scandals that shocked fans
00:50:13And shook the industry to its core.
00:50:15He was nervous and looked drawn as he posed for the cameras.
00:50:19Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we'll be looking at the most infamous, scandalous,
00:50:24or otherwise shocking situations that occurred within the music industry,
00:50:29and had significant repercussions for the artists and other parties involved.
00:50:34I went to his trial because I was a super fan at the time.
00:50:39Taylor Swift Masters Dispute
00:50:41In 2019, music mogul Scooter Braun purchased Big Machine,
00:50:45Taylor Swift's former record label, for a whopping $300 million.
00:50:50This deal granted Braun the rights to the master recordings of Swift's first six albums.
00:50:55When the news broke, Taylor posted a long letter on Tumblr,
00:50:58calling the Scooter Braun acquisition her worst case scenario.
00:51:02The singer publicly expressed her frustration with the acquisition,
00:51:05stating that she had attempted to buy her masters, but found the label's terms unfavorable.
00:51:10The controversy split the music industry and ignited a broader conversation about artists' rights.
00:51:15Following a suggestion by Kelly Clarkson, Swift decided to re-record all six albums,
00:51:21so as to own the masters of the new versions.
00:51:23And so I just figured I was the one who made this music.
00:51:27First, I can just make it again.
00:51:29Yeah.
00:51:29So that's what we're doing.
00:51:30Starting in 2021, she put out the re-recorded albums,
00:51:34featuring several previously unreleased tracks.
00:51:37Dubbed Taylor's version, these albums received widespread acclaim,
00:51:41contributing to Swift's unparalleled success.
00:51:51Prince changes his name to a symbol.
00:51:53Contractual disputes between music artists and their record labels have sometimes led to artists taking
00:51:59unconventional routes to free themselves.
00:52:02One notable instance involved legendary musician Prince, who in 1993 changed his stage name to an
00:52:09unpronounceable symbol, later known as the Love Symbol.
00:52:12My name is Prince, and I am Funky.
00:52:16This move was a protest against his record label, Warner Brothers, which had denied the release of
00:52:21Prince's music backlog and severely restricted his artistic freedom. As a result, the media began
00:52:27referring to him as the artist formerly known as Prince.
00:52:30So how did the artist formerly known as come about?
00:52:34That came up through people's problem with, mainly the media's problem with not having a pronunciation for the symbol.
00:52:45During this period, Prince began releasing albums more frequently as a strategic maneuver to break free
00:52:51of his contract. In 1998, he moved over to Arista Records and reclaimed his original name two years later.
00:53:04Elvis the Pelvis
00:53:06On June 5, 1956, Elvis Presley made an appearance on The Milton Berle Show that would continue to be
00:53:12talked about for decades. It wasn't Presley's first TV appearance, but it certainly was his most controversial.
00:53:19You ain't nothing but a hound dog.
00:53:24During a rendition of Hound Dog, the singer slowed things down and began sensually gyrating his pelvis.
00:53:30By today's standards, it's nothing of notes, but back in 1956, it caused a huge uproar from the
00:53:37mainstream media and religious groups. You ain't no friend of mine.
00:53:42For his provocative hip gyrations, Presley earned the nickname Elvis the Pelvis. A few months later,
00:53:52when he returned on The Ed Sullivan Show, Presley was reportedly filmed only from the waist up to
00:53:57keep the potentially swiveling pelvis out of sight.
00:54:07Madonna's Like A Prayer music video
00:54:10Throughout her career, Madonna has consistently faced criticism for her arts,
00:54:14often centered around its provocative themes and imagery.
00:54:18Perhaps her most controversial moment came with the release of the music video for her 1989 single,
00:54:29Like A Prayer. The clip took an unconventional approach to addressing racism,
00:54:33incorporating religious elements like the stigmata and burning crosses.
00:54:38The song also appeared in a Pepsi commercial that was seen by approximately 250 million people worldwide.
00:54:53This sparked condemnation from religious groups, leading to a call for a Pepsi boycott. As a result,
00:54:59the company pulled the commercial and terminated its deal with Madonna. Despite the uproar, Like A Prayer
00:55:05became a massive success, topping the charts in several countries.
00:55:14Judas Priest subliminal message trial. On December 23, 1985, James Vance and Raymond Belknap
00:55:21made a pact to take their own lives with a shotgun. I think he was affected by the music he was listening to.
00:55:27While Belknap died instantly, Vance initially survived the self-inflicted wound, but also passed
00:55:33away three years later. The families of both men later filed a lawsuit against the heavy metal band
00:55:39Judas Priest, alleging that subliminal messages in their song Better By You, Better Than Me had
00:55:45prompted the tragic acts. The trial unfolded in 1990, during which the band vehemently denied causing
00:55:57intentional harm to their fans. Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Judas Priest, concluding that
00:56:03the alleged subliminal messages were merely coincidental and not a direct cause of the deaths.
00:56:08I got the distinct feeling that the judge was thinking, oh dear, you know, these guys are right.
00:56:14You know, I've been led to believe one thing when, like in all things, there are two sides to every story.
00:56:20Kanye West's anti-Semitic remarks. Kanye West has often found himself in hot water for his controversial
00:56:27views and comments. In October 2022, after being locked out of his Instagram account for yet
00:56:36another contentious post, the rapper tweeted an anti-Semitic remark. The tweet sparked a huge backlash,
00:56:43leading to a suspension from the platform. Consequently, West faced several professional
00:56:48repercussions. He was dropped by his talent agency and lost a series of business partnerships with the
00:56:54likes of Adidas and Gap. The letter says, quote, we urge Adidas to reconsider supporting the yay product
00:57:01line and to issue a statement making clear that the Adidas company and community has no tolerance
00:57:05whatsoever for anti-Semitism. Despite these consequences, West seemed unfazed. A few weeks later,
00:57:12he appeared on the Infowars show with Alex Jones, where he doubled down on his troubling views.
00:57:18It wasn't until December 2023 that West posted an apology in Hebrew on Instagram, addressing his
00:57:25anti-Semitic remarks. I'm like completely shocked that he's even released the apology. Led Zeppelin's
00:57:32Mudshark incident. At the peak of their success in the late 1960s and early 70s, English rock band
00:57:40Led Zeppelin gained notoriety for their tales of debauchery while on tour. When it comes to myths or
00:57:45legends in the history of music, there's one that stands well beyond almost any other. One incidence,
00:57:50in particular, which occurred in 1969 at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle, became infamous and further
00:57:57contributed to Led Zeppelin's controversial image. According to various sources, members of the band,
00:58:03particularly drummer John Bonham and manager Richard Cole, engaged in sexual activities with a groupie,
00:58:10which involved a two-foot-long mud shark. So the question becomes, where is the truth,
00:58:14if there's any, in this iconic tale of rock and roll bad behavior? Although some specific details
00:58:19remain unclear due to varying accounts, the incident became a controversial tale in rock history
00:58:25and still persists in the band's legacy. Frank Zappa later immortalized it in his 1971 song,
00:58:32The Mud Shark, The Mud Shark Dancing Lesson, The Murders of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.
00:58:40The relationship between hip-hop legends Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. was a complicated one.
00:58:47Tupac became obsessed with the idea that Biggie had tried to kill him.
00:58:50While I'm in jail, strangers are telling me. You don't know? Biggie and old boy shot you.
00:58:56The two were initially close friends who worked and traveled together. However, things soured
00:59:01following a 1994 shooting involving Tupac, after which they both became embroiled in the heated East
00:59:07Coast versus West Coast hip-hop rivalry. In September 1996, Tupac was gunned down in a drive-by
00:59:19shooting in Las Vegas. Six months later, Biggie suffered a similar fate, this time in Los Angeles.
00:59:27Speculation quickly arose that both murders were linked and possibly related to the rap feud.
00:59:32Despite extensive investigations, the cases went unsolved without any concrete leads until 2023,
00:59:39when Dwayne Keefe D. Davis was arrested and charged in connection with Tupac's murder.
00:59:45He's repeatedly proclaimed he played a role in the drive-by shooting of Tupac Shakur nearly three
00:59:50decades ago. Sinead O'Connor rips up picture of the Pope. On October 3, 1992, Sinead O'Connor appeared
00:59:58as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Everywhere is war. During her performance,
01:00:06O'Connor made an unexpected move that would define the rest of her career. She held up a picture of
01:00:11Pope John Paul II and tore it into pieces while urging the audience to fight the real enemy.
01:00:18This act was a protest against the Catholic Church's mishandling of sexual misconduct cases
01:00:24involving minors. While undoubtedly a noble cause, the move triggered a huge uproar,
01:00:30leading to O'Connor receiving a lifetime ban from NBC. Once a rising star with great promise,
01:00:37the Irish singer-songwriter's career effectively came to an end. However, in the years since,
01:00:43public perception of her has largely changed. Yes, it is offensive to people because they've built
01:00:48their lives on this belief and it is going to be offensive, yes. 2004 Super Bowl halftime show
01:00:54controversy. Super Bowl 38 was an intense game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots,
01:01:01culminating in the Patriots securing their second title in three years. However, most people only
01:01:07remember it for a controversial incident during the halftime show. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake
01:01:16were performing together when he accidentally exposed her breast on live TV. Termed a wardrobe malfunction,
01:01:23the incident was broadcast to approximately 150 million viewers and had significant repercussions,
01:01:29particularly for Jackson. Did anybody happen to see the Super Bowl?
01:01:37Her songs and music videos were blacklisted and her invitation to the upcoming Grammys was rescinded.
01:01:43Beyond the immediate consequences, the controversy had a lasting impact on media censorship
01:01:49and highlighted the unequal treatment of female artists in the music industry. A lot of it I did not
01:01:55see, but obviously you couldn't get away from it because it was everywhere. Payola.
01:01:59The idea of corruption within the music industry is nothing new. It also takes many forms,
01:02:05one of them being payola, a term used to describe the taking of a bribe, financial or otherwise,
01:02:11in exchange for radio airplay. Payola in our business was a record company or an artist coming in saying,
01:02:19hey, I got a new record coming out. Here's 150 bucks. This practice was commonplace between record
01:02:25labels and DJ personalities for decades until congressional investigations into payola directly
01:02:31impacted such beloved radio hosts as Dick Clark and Alan Freed. The latter was fired as a result of
01:02:38his association with payola. He believed that rock and roll was the music to come and he was right.
01:02:44The only problem is that all the payola talk and everything killed him as far as getting anything.
01:02:51While DJs in general were no longer put in charge of directly influencing or deciding radio programming
01:02:58and which music would be played on air. For better or for worse, the wild wild west of radio was over.
01:03:05The chicks call out the president. During the early days of the Iraq war,
01:03:10Natalie Maines, singer of the popular country group then known as the Dixie Chicks,
01:03:15took the stage in England and spoke her mind. Maines introduced the band's song Travelin'
01:03:20Soldier with a comment which stated, in part,
01:03:27Reaction was swift and harsh for the chicks after the news of the statement reached the US,
01:03:31with some fans calling for a boycott of the band, while others sent Maines threatening letters.
01:03:37The public city office had to close down their internet. Sony has to have extra security outside
01:03:44of the building and I'm just feeling responsible. The uproar would eventually subside after Maines
01:03:50publicly apologized directly to the president, but the damage done was never really repaired.
01:03:55Is the president watching tonight? We hope not, don't we?
01:04:04Want to say something? Your show's not long enough.
01:04:09Two live crew arrested for obscenity. These days, not much in the music world or otherwise shocks us,
01:04:16with much of society now desensitized towards sex or violence.
01:04:20Don't keep thinking that we will quit. We'll always stand and never sit.
01:04:24This wasn't exactly the case back in the late 80s, however. A prime example being an incident
01:04:30involving the Miami hip-hop group Two Live Crew. Their 1989 album, As Nasty As They Wanna Be,
01:04:36landed the group in hot water with Florida officials after it was deemed obscene by a US district court.
01:04:42Record store owners were even arrested for selling the album.
01:04:45Did you expect that kind of response? No, not really. I mean, you know, it was a shock. It was a shock.
01:04:52Two Live crew were arrested after performing the material at a local club and were forced to defend
01:04:57their right for free speech in courts. The ruling was eventually overturned, in the process making
01:05:03As Nasty As They Wanna Be a bonafide smash hit. Because this is the land of the free, the home of the brave,
01:05:10and Two Live is what we are. Millie Vanille lip-sync scandal. The year was 1990,
01:05:17and the German pop group Millie Vanille were riding high upon a wave of incredible success.
01:05:22Girl, you know it's true.
01:05:28I love you.
01:05:29The duo even nabbed a Best New Artist award from the Grammys that year and seemed poised for MTV
01:05:35superstardom. Then, as they say, it all came crashing down. It was revealed that Millie members,
01:05:41Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, hadn't actually sung any of the songs on their record and lip-synced
01:05:47all of their live performances. The Grammy was taken away, they were dropped by their record label,
01:05:58and sales dried up. Not even an attempted comeback using Rob and Fab's real voices could save Millie
01:06:04Vanille from becoming one of the decade's most infamous musical casualties.
01:06:09We felt like we were abandoned by everyone. That's what it felt like. Because when the news came out,
01:06:14we were the ones that people were focusing on. The fact of the matter is, there were a lot of people
01:06:18that were involved with the project. So it felt like we felt betrayal by a lot of people.
01:06:23Norwegian black metal and the murder of Euronymous. It would be easy for the uninitiated to see the
01:06:29Norwegian black metal scene as something straight out of the cinema.
01:06:37Truth is stranger than fiction, however, as evidenced by the case of Euronymous,
01:06:42guitarist for the influential black metal band Mayhem. The musician, born Oystein Arseth,
01:06:48was stabbed to death in his Oslo home by Christian Varg Vikernes, a former bandmate.
01:07:06Rumors flew as to the motives behind the killing, ranging from finances and jealousy to competing against
01:07:12other violent acts performed by other musicians within the black metal scene. Varg would serve
01:07:17nearly 15 years of a 21-year sentence before being paroled in 2009. Chris Brown Assault Charges
01:07:25Rihanna and Chris Brown were a popular R&B
01:07:27it couple amongst their respective fans, until one incident changed things forever.
01:07:33Brown turned himself into police in February 2009 on charges that he physically assaulted Rihanna
01:07:39during a verbal altercation. The incident would leave Rihanna with visible injuries to her face,
01:07:46and immediately caused a huge backlash against Brown, who, up until that point,
01:07:51had enjoyed sizable chart success.
01:07:53Brown canceled an appearance at the Grammy Awards that year and saw a number of his lucrative
01:08:12endorsement deals go up in smoke. He would plead guilty to felony assault charges in June and received
01:08:18a deal of five years probation, community service, and counseling.
01:08:22I fell in love with that person. That's embarrassing. That's embarrassing that that's the type of person
01:08:30that I fell in love with. So far in love. So unconditional that I went back.
01:08:38Gary Glitter arrested for possession of inappropriate material. 1970s glam icon Gary Glitter earned himself a
01:08:45deserving fall from grace when it was revealed that he had been in the possession of inappropriate material
01:08:51involving youth. He had just one critical request. He looked the technician in the eyes and said,
01:08:56don't look at my files. Understandable. He is Gary Glitter after all. He's probably got secret songs
01:09:04and copyrighted material on there, but the tech looked anyway. To make sure Gary's computer was fixed,
01:09:10the tech had to open a file to see if it, well, opened. Of all the files he could have clicked on,
01:09:17he picked the one full of child abuse pictures. The tech later described the images as disturbing,
01:09:23but that was an understatement. Glitter served a short prison sentence after which he fled the UK
01:09:29and moved between various countries where he continued to engage in unlawful contact with minors.
01:09:35In November 2005, Glitter was arrested in Vietnam for these activities and sentenced to three years
01:09:41in prison. He shared a cell with 18 other foreign inmates. He only avoided hard labor because of his
01:09:47age. Then Gary suffered a heart attack in January 2008 and spent some time in the prison hospital.
01:09:53Gary's Vietnamese lawyer said the singer planned on returning to England. He also expressed interest in
01:09:59moving to Hong Kong or Singapore. The Philippines got ahead of the curve and banned Gary from entering the
01:10:05country in May 2008. Imagine getting banned from a country you've never even been to. 19 other
01:10:11countries followed suit including Cuba and Cambodia, his two favorite places. Following his sentence,
01:10:18he was deported to the UK and added to the sex offenders registry. Since then, he has racked up even more
01:10:24sex crime convictions for previous incidents and has been in and out of prison. Unless he lives to be 88,
01:10:30he'll likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
01:10:33R. Kelly Video Scandal
01:10:35In 2002, R&B singer R. Kelly was gearing up to perform at the Winter Olympics. At the same time,
01:10:43news broke in Chicago about a video which allegedly depicted him engaging in improper behavior with an
01:10:49underage girl. Kelly denied the accusations, yet a surge of his Florida home turned up more evidence,
01:10:55which furthered a second case against him. His eventual trial was fraught with delays,
01:11:01but the jury ultimately acquitted the singer on all charges in June 2008. Kelly faced several other
01:11:07accusations over the years, but it wasn't until the release of the 2019 docu-series,
01:11:13surviving R. Kelly, that serious consequences materialized.
01:11:17I had to give him an update about everything. Like, if I was about to brush my teeth, I had to
01:11:21let Rob know. If I wanted to take a shower, he had to know. And then when guys came around,
01:11:27I had to put my head down or I had to turn and face a wall. He was arrested and tried on multiple
01:11:32charges, eventually receiving a combined 31-year prison sentence. This is a significant outcome
01:11:38for all victims of R. Kelly, and especially for the survivors who so bravely testified
01:11:44about the horrific and sadistic abuse they endured. The one-time music superstar faced life behind bars
01:11:51after a jury found him guilty in federal court on one count of racketeering and eight counts of sex
01:11:57trafficking. The trial lasting nearly six weeks, with close to 50 witnesses testifying against Kelly,
01:12:04more than half of them alleging abuse. Phil Spector has tried for murder. By all accounts,
01:12:10Phil Spector was a legend of the music industry. He became a millionaire before the age of 21,
01:12:15and by the 1960s, he had 23 records in the top 50. It was also in the 1960s that he signed the band
01:12:22The Ronettes to his record label. One third of the talented trio Ronnie fell in love with Spector and
01:12:28they later married. However, the honeymoon phase soon faded. Spector quickly became controlling and
01:12:35abusive towards her. A singer, songwriter and producer extraordinaire who enjoyed untold success
01:12:41and influence throughout his career. Spector's personal demons and eccentricities caught up to him,
01:12:47however, when he was put on trial in 2007 for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. The crime had
01:12:54occurred in Spector's California mansion four years prior, and it would take two more years before
01:12:59a jury would convict the disgraced former icon. Spector was given a sentence of 19 years to life
01:13:04for the crime, during which he claimed that Clarkson had accidentally ended her own life
01:13:09by kissing the gun. In 2021, Spector died in prison from complications due to COVID-19.
01:13:16His legacy will forever be that of a convicted murderer who happened to write songs.
01:13:22Following Spector's death, Lana Clarkson's family wrote that she was a warm, compassionate,
01:13:27kind, loving woman who would be 58 years old now. Michael Jackson accused of sexual misconduct.
01:13:34The life and career of Michael Jackson was filled with some of the highest highs
01:13:38and the lowest lows. But there's no word whether they found any evidence against Jackson.
01:13:43Jackson has postponed a sold out show in Bangkok a second time,
01:13:47but his publicist says the singer's Asian tour will go on. Mark Austin has more.
01:13:53Unfortunately, accusations of improper relations with minors began following the King of Pop,
01:13:58starting with the high profile Jordan Chandler case in 1993. Jackson proclaimed and maintained his
01:14:05innocence and even wedded Lisa Marie Presley the following year. However, many saw the marriage as a
01:14:11publicity stunt. Public opinion regarding Jackson's strange behavior with young people never truly
01:14:17went away, especially with a new trial on similar charges arising again in 2005. Up to and since his
01:14:25death on June 25th, 2009, the rumors have persisted. Robson and Safechuck told us about their relationships
01:14:32with Jackson, including very graphic allegations of abuse. A warning here, some of these details are quite
01:14:39disturbing. Which of your favorite musicians have been the center of a huge controversy?
01:14:46And that's what it is.
01:14:53What do you think? Do these controversies make music more powerful or just more problematic?
01:14:59Thanks for watching. I've been Matt for WatchMojo, and I'll see you next time.
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