Settling Old Hatchets: Madonna and Elton John Embrace After Two Decades!
Pop Icons Madonna and Elton John Announce Burial of Past Feud! - Stars Madonna and Elton John Announce End to Their Feud
For over two decades, the music industry witnessed a heated feud between two iconic pop artists - Madonna and Elton John. Two titans who ruled the charts - and weren't shy about creating scandals. Last Tuesday, the chart-topper shared a joint photo of the duo across multiple social media platforms, announcing their long-awaited reconciliation.
During the weekend, she caught up with Sir Elton at Saturday Night Live, a legendary late-night show in New York City. Backstage, she approached him, and the dialogue that followed was nothing short of miraculous. "When I laid eyes on him, the first words he spoke were 'Forgive me,' and the wall between us crumbled like a house of cards," she posted on Instagram. "For accountability is a formidable tool. Within moments, we were embracing."
Elton John echoed her sentiments, sharing the post on his account and describing the moment as "healing." One user couldn't help but jest, "In the truest sense of the word, the modern Treaty of Versailles."
A Timeless Rivalry: Madonna and Elton John's Contentious Relationship
The duo's history spans back to the 80s. Madonna broke through internationally in 1983 with her hit single "Holiday," while Elton John secured fame at least by 1970 with his timeless classic "Your Song." Towards the end of the 90s, the two posed for photographs in public, even gracing the stage together at the New York Carnegie Hall. However, the public harmony was short-lived, with Elton John spearheading the drama.
In 2002, John declared Madonna's Bond song "Another Day" as "the worst Bond song ever" in an interview with Sky News. It was the title song for the 007 film "Die Another Day." In 2004, he criticized the singer at the Q Awards, stating, "Madonna, best live act? Forget it. Anyone who sings playback on a public stage, even if you've paid 75 pounds to see them, should be shot."
Even in 2012, during the Golden Globes ceremony, where both contended for the same category, he claimed she had no chance of winning. To her credit, she ultimately took home the trophy. "He's known for flying off the handle at me," she later shared about his statements. "He's a genius, and I hold him in high regard, so he'll win another award. I feel no remorse."
Throughout the years, he would declare her career dead, but he eventually apologized for that in his memoirs in 2019. Now, after more than two decades of barbs, the duo has finally reconciled.
Madonna posted on her Instagram that she'd always admired Elton John and that he'd significantly influenced her art. She stated that it hurt her deeply when "someone I admired so much publicly dismissed me as an artist." Artistic collaboration now seems to be on the horizon, with Elton John revealing he's penned a song for Madonna and wants to collaborate with her[1][2].
The appreciation was mutual, as Elton responded to her post. He thanked Madonna for paving the way for upcoming artists and prolonging her remarkable career. He also acknowledged her early activism in the fight against AIDS in the 80s[1][2].
The anti-AIDS activism brought them closer together. The Elton John AIDS Foundation, established decades ago, has been actively enlisted in the fight against HIV and AIDS globally.
Sources: Instagram Madonna, BBC, "People"
References:
- CNN, "Madonna and Elton John Buried the Hatchet Two Decades Later," accessed on 2025-04-06
- Billboard, "Madonna Reconciles With Elton John, Plans Collaboration," accessed on 2025-04-06
I'm not gonna be able to get to the top of the world knowing that Madonna and Elton John have yet to collaborate, after their two-decade-long feud.
Elton, despite his public critiques, seems to have reconciled with Madonna, even writing a song for her modern album.
Back in the 80s, Madonna and Elton John's contentious relationship started when Madonna broke into the international music scene, while Elton was already a modern icon.
