Applying for visas and passports can be a headache for anyone who wants to travel abroad. One would think that a famous music artist or group would have no problem with this, especially considering many of them go around performing their music in worldwide tours. However, not even celebrities are welcomed everywhere.
Due to unwelcome behavior and disagreements, several music artists and bands have been banned from certain countries over the years.
Lady Gaga
Just this week, Lady Gaga was banned from Indonesia following Islamic protests. She is being forced to cancel her concert on June 3, where she was set to perform at the massive, 52,000-seat Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta as she was denied a permit by national police. Protesters claim her "Satanic lyrics" threaten to "destroy the children's sense of morality."
Madonna
Madonna is one of the biggest stars in the world. Yet not even her fame could get her everywhere. In fact, she was turned away by two countries. In 1990, Madonna's "Like A Prayer" music video left the home of the Vatican a little turned off. Her new Pepsi ad campaign was dropped after several protests and she had to cancel one of her two tour dates in Rome. Egypt isn't too fond of "The Material Girl" either. In 2004, the Egyptian government banned her from the country due to her Kabbalah beliefs and a trip to Israel.
The Beatles
The Beatles were another world-famous group that wasn't quite loved by those in the Philippines. After 1996, not even a yellow submarine could get the Beatles into the country after they politely declined an invite to the presidential palace. When this news broke, The Beatles were chased by angry mobs, beaten and forced to pay back their show earnings. The Beatles were never welcomed back.
Elvis Presley
The King wasn't exactly banned, but his performances were limited to North America. His manager, Tom Parker prevented him from swinging his hips almost anywhere outside of the states. Many believed that Parker was a Dutch citizen and didn't want to be exposed by showing his passport while traveling abroad. The only other country that Presley performed in was Canada in 1957 on a three-day-tour, where US citizens did not need a passport to enter.
Elton John
Madonna's religious beliefs weren't the only ones that Egypt disagreed with. Following a quote by Elton John in Parade Magazine, in which he called Jesus a "a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems," Mounir al-Wasimi, the head of the Egyptian Music Union cancelled Elton John's scheduled performance in May 2010.
Miley Cyrus
Behavior from the former "Hannah Montana" star wasn't taken lightly by The Peoples Republic of China and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2009, Cyrus was caught making a stereotypical slanted eyes face in a photo. While Cyrus apologized for the incident, the star wasn't welcomed back in China after her tasteless act.
Jay-Z
China wasn't too fond of Jay-Z either. The Ministry of Culture requires that musicians present them with their lyrics before they are allowed to perform. After reviewing Jay-Z's vulgar rap lyrics, Jay-Z was forced to cancel his planned Shanghai show in 2006.
Bjork
Bjork is yet another artist who was placed on China's Do Not Enter list. In 2008, Bjork dedicated her Beijing performance of "Declare Independence" to the campaign for freedom in Tibet. Chinese authorities didn't take that too well and the Ministry of Culture issues a statement promising to deny entry to any artist "engaged in activities which threaten our national security."
Amy Winehouse
The late singer was banned from the United States, not once, but twice due to the behavior that ultimately resulted in her passing. In 2008, Winehouse was set to perform at the Grammy's, but she was denied a US visa after a drug bust in Norway. She was banned again in April 2009 when an assault charge in the UK prevented her from getting a visa to perform at Coachella.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg rubbed the United Kingdom the wrong way with his vulgar lyrics and alleged involvement in the murder of a drug dealer (he was later acquitted). Although the Daily Star wrote front page articles with the headline "Kick this evil bastard out" in 1994, the singer wasn't officially banned. Haters finally got their wish in 2006, when his entourage destroyed a duty free shop at Heathrow Airport. Immediately after, Snoop was banned for the foreseeable future.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
