MUSIC
13 of the Most Controversial Music Videos Ever
From Kanye West to Madonna, these gory and graphic clips got people talking—for better or for worse.
11.12.2020
Donald Glover
This Is America
Music videos are a perfect opportunity to expand the story of a song.
The best music videos can showcase killer choreography, Halloween-ready attire, or movie levels of cinematic gold; others can spark controversies, no matter how well-intended. Whether centered around copious bloodshed or near-pornographic nudity (sorry, Mom and Dad), there's one thing all controversial music videos have in common: They get people talking.
Here are nine music videos released over the past 30-plus years that have sparked disputes. Watch at your own risk.
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Sia, "Elastic Heart"
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<p>It's not uncommon for dancer Maddie Ziegler to be featured in a Sia music video, but "Elastic Heart" received some backlash. It featured a then-12-year-old Ziegler dancing in a cage with Shia LaBeouf, both wearing tight, flesh-colored outfits. Critics accused the video of having pedophilic undertones, but Ziegler has indicated in <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/interviews/a25311/maddie-ziegler-shia-labeouf-warned-me/" target="_blank">interviews</a> that she was appropriately comfortable around her co-star.</p>
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