A Deep Dive into the Decades-Long Rivalry Between Madonna and Elton John: How They Finally Made Amends in 2025
After more than two decades, the feud between Elton John and Madonna is now officially resolved.
Their public rivalry initiated in 2002 when John voiced his dissatisfaction with Madonna’s Bond theme “Die Another Day.” Over the years, he made multiple barbs at the “Material Girl” artist, including alleging her lip-syncing during an acceptance speech in 2004.
Although the duo performed together once in the ’90s and even took a provocative photo at the 1995 BRIT Awards, their camaraderie soured during the 2000s. However, Madonna disclosed in 2025 that the musical icons set aside their differences and made amends following John’s appearance on Saturday Night Live.
With their friendship now mended, let’s revisit Madonna and John’s tumultuous relationship and the remarks made about one another throughout the years.
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1997: Madonna and Elton John Pose with Donatella Versace
At a tribute exhibit for Gianni Versace at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Madonna and John captured a moment with his daughter and Versace’s new creative director, Donatella.
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1998: Madonna and Elton John Duet at Carnegie Hall
The iconic musicians, then at the peak of their careers, concluded the Rain Forest Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City with a joint performance.
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2002: Elton John Claims ‘Die Another Day’ Is the ‘Worst Bond Tune’
In November 2002, John told the U.K. outlet Sky News that he regarded her song for the latest 007 film, “Die Another Day,” as “the worst Bond tune ever.”
“It lacks a melody,” the “Rocket Man” artist explained. “They should have opted for someone like Lulu or Shirley Bassey, or perhaps I’m in that bracket?”
He further stated, “I don’t see it as Madonna’s best work, and I’m an admirer.”
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2004: Elton John Critiques Madonna at the Q Awards
While accepting the classic songwriter accolade at the 2004 Q Awards, John utilized part of his speech to direct criticism at Madonna, who was nominated for best live act.
“Madonna, best live act? F— off. Since when has lip-syncing been considered live?” he remarked onstage. “Anyone who lip-syncs publicly when you pay 75 pounds to see them should be shot. Thank you very much.”
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2012: Madonna Takes Home the Golden Globe over Elton John
At the 2012 Golden Globes, both were contenders for best original song – Madonna for “Masterpiece” and John for “Hello Hello,” which he created with Lady Gaga. On the red carpet with Carson Daly, John downplayed Madonna’s chances of winning the award.
Ultimately, she took home the top honor and dismissed John’s comments, expressing, “[Elton’s] known to get upset with me, so who knows. He’s fascinating, and I admire him, so he will certainly win another award. I don’t feel bad.”
Later that year, John declared Madonna’s career “over” in an Australian television interview, accusing her of exhibiting mean behavior towards his friend (and the godmother of his children) Lady Gaga.
“She’s such a nightmare … and she looks like a f—— fairground stripper. She’s been incredibly unkind to Gaga,” he remarked.
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2019: Elton John Reflects on Their Feud in Memoir ‘Me’
In his 2019 autobiography Me, John revisited his rivalry with Madonna. He noted that their discord began after “she criticized Gaga on an American talk show,” alluding to a 2012 interview where Madonna labeled Gaga’s hit “Born This Way” as a copy of her own track “Express Yourself.”
“I couldn’t understand why she was so ungracious and harsh about it, instead of viewing it as a compliment … especially when she claims to be an advocate for women,” John expressed. “I believe it’s simply wrong — an established artist shouldn’t demean a younger artist right at the beginning of their career.”
He also mentioned his disparaging remarks about the “Like a Virgin” artist in 2012, claiming he was unaware that the footage would be aired.
“Nevertheless, I shouldn’t have said it,” he conceded. “I apologized.”
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2023: Elton John Commends Madonna’s AIDS Tribute
By 2023, tensions appeared to diminish, as John commended Madonna on Instagram following her tour rendition of “Live to Tell,” a tribute to the 40.4 million individuals who have succumbed to AIDS.
“Thank you, Madonna, for your advocacy and compassion, and for bringing crucial attention to the ongoing mission to eradicate AIDS,” John expressed in a joint post with his foundation and spouse David Furnish.
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2025: Madonna and Elton John Reconcile
Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Noam Galai/Getty
Following John’s Saturday Night Live appearance as the musical guest, Madonna shared the first image of them together in nearly thirty years on Instagram, proclaiming, “We Finally Buried the Hatchet!!!”
“I went to see @eltonjohn perform on SNL this weekend!! WOW,” she began. “I remembered sneaking out of the house during high school to see Elton perform live in Detroit! It was an unforgettable show that helped me grasp the transformative power of music.
Later in her post, she mentioned feeling “hurt” that “someone I revered so much publicly expressed his disdain for me as an artist.”
Upon learning that John was performing on SNL, she decided to “go backstage and confront him.”
“When I met him, the first thing he said was, ‘Forgive Me,’ and the barrier between us collapsed,” Madonna shared. “Forgiveness is a profound tool. Moments later, we were embracing.”
With the pop legends having resolved their differences, a remarkable collaboration may be in the works, as Madonna disclosed that John had penned a song for her and expressed a desire to collaborate.
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