20 Times Madonna Was the Most Shocking Person in Music

Madonna shocked us all at the MTV VMAs by popping out of a wedding cake, and then rolling around the stage in a wedding dress while singing "Like a Virgin."

In 1994, Madonna shocked everyone - particularly David Letterman - by coming on his show and cursing up a storm, definitely showing her edge (and her underwear).

That time she went to the Oscars with Michael Jackson as her date, causing gossip throughout the media world.

Madonna once again shocked the world with her documentary "Truth or Dare," chronicling her controversial Blond Ambition tour.

In 1990, Madonna surprised the world with her infamous cone bra, worn on the Blond Ambition tour.

No list about Madonna would be complete without reference to the Sex book. At the time considered highly scandalous, the book is a coffee table book of erotic photographs and text. Despite being considered a scandal, it sold out quickly, and is now a collector's item.

Around the same time as the Sex book, Madonna released her sex-charged Erotica album, which was panned by critics.

Once again at the VMAs, Madonna stunned audiences by kissing Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears during a performance of her song "Hollywood."

Performing "Like a Virgin," on her Blond Ambition tour, Madonna earned heavy criticism for writhing around on a bed while stimulating masturbation.

Madonna has never been one to shy away from controversy, but she's also consistently broken records, becoming the top-grossing female tour artist twice in 2000 - with her Confessions and her Reinvention tours.

Madonna earned condemnation from the Vatican for her video, heavily loaded with religious iconography.

Surprisingly the first video to be released in VHS format, the Justify My Love video was considered too explicit for TV, and banned by MTV.

In 1989, Pepsi wanted Madonna as their sponsor - so created a commercial to pair with her Like a Prayer video. Unfortunately, the religious symbolism backfired, and Pepsi pulled the commercial.

In 1985, Madonna got married to Sean Penn, while paparazzi hovered overhead. While Sean fired a gun at them, Madonna laughed.

Never afraid to co-opt cultural statements, Madonna seems to have brought back those grills for her Rebel Heart promotion. Even at 57, she never ceases to find a new way to surprise.

When married to Guy Ritchie, Madonna spent a great deal of time in England, ultimately picking up a much-maligned British accent.

Madonna stunned everyone when she picked up the Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in Evita.

Not one to stay in one place, Madonna surprised the entertainment industry by crossing over into directing, beginning with her first film Filth and Wisdom, and later releasing the feature W.E.

During American Bandstand, Dick Clark asked Madonna about her dreams. Her answer is still remembered for its shock value.

Madonna's MDNA tour also inspired a bit of controversy, with nudity and violence causing an uproar in the media. Never one to stop surprising, Madonna is sure to get noticed throughout the rest of her career.