Controversial: which music artists have had their videos censored?

Controversial: which music artists have had their music videos censored - Even in these modern times, there are some things still off-limits. Taboo themes such as religion and sex have caused music videos to be banned or temporarily removed from broadcast. Others have been criticized for showing violence, sadomasochism, or even for causing epileptic fits. Can you remember which stars caused controversy with indecent music videos?

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Fergie: 'Tension' - The video was removed from YouTube just after it was released. The official reason was not disclosed, but it is thought to be related to a visible nipple.

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Soundgarden: 'Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart' - The music video was taken down from YouTube after a tragic coincidence. Chris Cornell appears as a prisoner sentenced to death by hanging, only to be saved by a woman played by Elena Satine. After the singer's suicide by hanging in May 2017, the video was removed.

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Madonna: 'Justify My Love' - The 1990 video featured explicit sex scenes including bisexuality and sadomasochism. At the time of release, it was considered scandalous.

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Madonna: 'Like a Prayer' - The Queen of Pop was no stranger to censorship. This 1989 video has controversial religious themes, including burning crosses, a black priest, and a murder. Madonna plays witness to the murder by white supremacists. While a black man is arrested for the murder, Madonna hides in a church, and Catholic symbols appear throughout.

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Madonna: 'What It Feels Like for a Girl' - Directed by her ex-husband, filmmaker Guy Ritchie, this video is sensational. But we understand why both MTV and VH1 banned it: the Queen of Pop uses weapons, puts the life of an old lady in danger, sets in motion a wave of violence, and it ends in suicide!

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Madonna: 'Pour It Up' - Another Madonna one. What's the problem with dancing surrounded by attractive, scantily clad men? A lot, according to YouTube.

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Justin Timberlake: 'Tunnel Vision' - YouTube censored the singer's video, which featured buxom women wearing very little clothing.

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Nicki Minaj: 'Anaconda' - This one didn't go down well with censors because of the provocative imagery. Filled with twerking, the erotic dance the rapper did for her friend Drake was just a little too much.

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Nicki Minaj: 'Stupid Hoe' - The issue here was the language. You can guess which word was the issue from the title—the word 'hoe' was used 52 times.

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Rihanna: 'S&M' - This 2011 video portrays softcore sadomasochist acts and fetishes. The music video was banned in 11 countries and restricted to nighttime television in others. Media took objection to the use of whips, images of people tied up, obscene gestures, and bare flesh.

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Rihanna: 'Bitch Better Have My Money' - The pop superstar took it a bit too far again, with scenes of nudity and explicit violence. The pop star kidnaps and torments the wife of an accountant who cheated her, dismembers the accountant, and then lounges naked and covered in blood in a box of money. It was criticized as misogynistic, containing pornography, incitement to violence, and racial hatred. A third Rihanna video, for 'Pour It Up', was also considered to be indecent.

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Michael Jackson: 'Black or White' - We would have liked to have seen the entirety of this music video, where the King of Pop goes around breaking cars, windows, and everything else. But for the censors, the message was that the King of Pop was encouraging vandalism. The scene was removed.

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Lady Gaga: 'Alejandro' - The Catholic church took offence to references to the religious organization in the video, which also contained a number of risque scenes. It wasn't banned entirely, but was only shown on MTV America late at night.

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Lady Gaga: 'Love Game' - The repeated line "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick" did not sit well in Australia, where it was considered indecent.

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Queen: 'Body Language' - The name gives a little hint as to why this music video was so controversial. Freddie Mercury engaged in some sensual dancing, which didn't go down well with everyone.

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David Bowie: 'The Next Day' - The iconic singer appeared in this 2013 music video as a savior, mixing sensuality, self-flagellation, and sadomasochism with religious imagery. Need we say anymore?

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Foo Fighters: 'Hot Buns' - The band played truckers showering together and showing a little too much skin for some to handle.

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Foo Fighters: 'Low' - Dave Grohl revealed that, of the six hours of footage they made for the 2003 video, which included scenes of sex games, and the actor and musician Jack Black, much of it didn't make the final cut. But even the end result was considered inappropriate by MTV.

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M.I.A.: 'Born Free' - Police violence and scenes of drug use and sex led to the 2011 video being banned from YouTube.

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Eminem: 'Just Lose It' - The rapper was heavily criticized for making references to Michael Jackson's alleged pedophilia. The music video showed the rapper dressed up as the King of Pop in a bed filled with children. Black Entertainment Television banned the 2004 video, after Jackson complained that it was inappropriate and disrespectful.

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Erykah Baduh: 'Window Seat' - The singer walks a street while removing her clothes. She ends up naked, feigning being shot, in the spot where president John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dealey Square, Texas. Badu was charged with disorderly conduct for her public nudity, but the video was not banned.

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The Kinks: 'Dead End Street' - Back in 1966, the BBC banned the music video, considering it to be in poor taste. The video showed the band members carrying a coffin, which a man then jumps out of. More innocent times.

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Nine Inch Nails: 'Closer' - Almost two minutes had to be cut from the music video as it was originally planned. The final version was still pretty extreme, featuring imagery involving religion, sexuality, animal cruelty, politics, and terror. Examples include lead singer Trent Reznor wearing fetish gear including a ball gag and long leather gloves while swinging in shackles. With explicit lyrics to boot.

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Duran Duran: 'Girls On Film' - MTV considered the 1981 video to be too provocative, as it featured scenes of semi-naked women fighting with each other. That seems so wholesome after the Nine Inch Nails video.

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Kanye West: 'All of the Lights' - Even today this video is preceded by a warning that it contains flashing images that can provoke epileptic seizures.

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Marilyn Manson: '(s)Aint' - The singer appears in scenes of masturbation and snorting lines of cocaine off of a Bible. The video went so far that his own record label censored it, releasing a heavily edited version instead.

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Maroon 5: 'This Love' - American MTV decided that the words "coming" and "sinking" had sexual connotations and censored the video.

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Robin Williams: 'Rock DJ' - The BBC refused to show the video in its entirety, deeming it too shocking. The singer is seen stripping off his clothes, then his skin, muscles, and his insides, leaving just a dancing skeleton. It's pretty bizarre...

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Tame Impala: 'The Less I Know The Better' - Just after it was released, the music video disappeared, before being uploaded again. The reason? There was nothing explicit involved, but something else was implied. The video follows a high school basketball player in love with a cheerleader, who begins a relationship with the team's gorilla mascot (named Trevor).

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Tame Impala: 'The Less I Know The Better' - There are various references to adolescent sexual fantasies, as well as Trevor kidnapping a girl, and a psychedelic journey that might suggest drug use.

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