CATFIGHTS AND SPOTLIGHTS
The 8 biggest pop star feuds EVER – from Elton John Vs Madonna, to Taylor Swift Vs Katy Perry
Chart battles, fat-shaming and allegations of lip-syncing... pop music is a warzone
THINK again if you thought pop music was all about friendship and good times - there's a chance some of your favourite popstars are bitter rivals.
Here's the lowdown on some of pop's most bitter and bizarre rivalries...
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Mariah Carey vs Nicki Minaj
Despite collaborating in 2009 on a track from Mariah Carey's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel album, relationships soon soured between the record-breaking songstress and Nicki Minaj.
The pair were both recruited to judge on a revamped American Idol in 2012 but they clashed in auditions with Nicki allegedly threatening to shoot Mariah.
Elton John vs Madonna
The b***h is back! Or did he never leave?
Despite once being pals and even performing onstage together, Elton ignited a feud with Madonna when he described her track Die Another Day as "the worst Bond tune ever" back in 2002.
Things escalated in 2004 when he criticised the Queen of Pop's nomination for Best Live Act at the Q Awards.
Taking to the stage, Elton shocked guests: "Madonna, best live act? F**k off. Since when has lip-syncing been live? Sorry about that, but I think everyone who lip-syncs on stage in public when you play like 75 quid to see them should be shot."
In 2012, Elton told reporters: "Her career is over. Her tour has been a disaster and it couldn't happen to a bigger c***. She looks like a f***ing fairground stripper."
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Taylor Swift vs Katy Perry
Taylor Swift and Katy Perry are two of the biggest names in the music industry - but they absolutely do NOT get on.
It is reported that their rift started over a row over back-up dancers both wanted on their tour.
Katy has gone on record to say that her long-running work friendship with the dancers caused friction when they left Taylor's tour to join hers in 2014.
As a result, Taylor accused Katy of 'sabotaging' her tour, and the war began.
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Since then, they have publicly slammed each other in thinly-veiled 'disses' to the other, with Taylor's hit single Bad Blood long being considered to be inspired by her feud with Katy.
They have also made digs to each other on Twitter, with Katy appearing to call Taylor a "Regina George in sheep's clothing" in a series of passive aggressive tweets between the two.
When Katy released her new album this year, Taylor's team also incidentally released all her music on Spotify on the same day - drowning out Katy's release as a result.
Many online speculate that the move was made by Taylor as another dig at Katy. Ouch.
Madonna vs Lady Gaga
In a second appearance from Madge on this list, this time it was the star herself who took exception and spoke out against Lady Gaga.
The couple, who are often compared to each other thanks to their dance-pop tracks and symbolism in videos, began a war of words in 2012 when Madonna labelled Gaga "reductive".
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However, they did play up their fight for the sake of Saturday Night Live in 2013, which saw them sing together before brawling on stage - then kissing and making up.
But during a radio interview in 2016, Lady Gaga said: "I wouldn't make that comparison [between us] at all.
"I don't mean to disrespect Madonna, she's a nice lady and she's had a fantastic huge career. She's the biggest pop star of all time.
"But I play a lot of instruments, I write all my own music, I spend hours and hours a day in the studio. I'm a producer and I'm a writer. What I do is different."
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Kanye West vs Taylor Swift
Starting with the iconic "Imma let you finish..." speech in 2009, Kanye literally stormed a stage and started a war between him and Taylor Swift as a result.
Leaving her looking on stunned, it was hard not to feel sorry for the 19-year-old, who was picking up a gong for Best Female Video at the VMAs, only for Kanye to tell her she was undeserving of it.
Kanye later apologised for his actions, and by 2015 she was presenting him with an award at the same show, labelling him her friend and settling the score for good.
However, in 2016, Kanye released a song titled Famous, where he uttered the lyrics "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b***h famous".
The singer later stated that she took offence to being called a "b****" - a lyric she wasn't told about - and picking up an award shortly after at the Grammys she took a swipe at the "people who would try to undercut success and take credit for accomplishments".
However, Kanye's wife Kim Kardashian then uploaded a video on Snapchat, which revealed that not only did Taylor have prior warning to the lyrics, she had approved them on the phone with the rapper, and even "appreciated being told".
Taylor then asked if she could be "removed from the narrative" in an Instagram post - before making several digs at the pair in her 2017 song, Look What You Made Me Do.
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Kelly Osbourne vs Christina Aguilera
A war of words between the Princess of Rock and the Pop Powerhouse in 2003.
It started when Kelly lashed out at Christina's music, describing it as "crap" and saying "I've seen drag queens who look better."
Fast forward to 2012 and during an episode of Fashion Police, Kelly scorned: "Maybe she is just becoming the fat bi*ch she was born to be...
"She called me fat for so many f**king years, so you know what? F**k you! You're fat too."
Kelly defended herself in an open letter, saying: "I make a point on the show never to say anything about anybody that I wouldn't say directly to their face.
"I'm famous, and she's famous; it doesn't mean I can't stand up for myself.
"I took it for 10 years and finally decided to be like, 'You know what? I'm done.' And that's the last thing I will ever say about it."
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The Wanted vs Christina Aguilera
Though it's likely that Christina doesn't even remember meeting The Wanted, their brief encounter angered the five-piece boyband in April 2012.
Speaking about their performance on The Voice USA - of which Christina is a coach - Tom Parker said: "She's a total bi*ch.
"She might not be a bi*ch in real life, but to us she was a bi*ch. She just sat there and didn't speak to us."
Days later and the boys attempted to apologise, but Jay McGuinness dug a deeper grave.
He added: "We unanimously think that Christina lacks any kind of courtesy or manners or respect for people performing for her on the day.
"And we're not the only ones that say it. She's had run-ins with so many people."
Wiley vs Dizzee Rascal
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Ever since Holiday hitmaker Dizzee was hospitalised in a knife fight in the Ayia Napa in 2003, the pair have not got on.
In 2017, Dizzee appeared to make a string of serious allegations against Wiley, accusing him of having sex with a schoolgirl and denouncing his position as the Godfather of grime.
But speaking at the Q Awards, Wiley, who denied all of Dizzee's allegations, told The Sun Online: "I love that boy. He knows I love that boy but we're not gonna be friends, not because we argue.
"We're not gonna be friends anymore because he holds me responsible for being stabbed.
"And I take responsibility - I didn't stab him - I take responsibility because he was with me but after 14 years I would have thought you would have realised I didn't stab you."
He later explained that Dizzee was cornered by a rival crew in the party town after Wiley and a friend tried to continue a fight that had unfolded the night before.
Wiley maintains he "doesn't want to be" Dizzee's enemy.
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