There are few symbols more iconic of the entertainment industry than the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Nowhere on Earth has produced more famous names than Hollywood, and nearly all of them are literally immortalized in stone — actually terrazzo and brass — in the sidewalk running along both sides of Hollywood Boulevard. Originally conceived as a tourist attraction, the Walk of Fame has become one of the celebrity’s most enduring international symbols.

There are more than 2,700 names on the Walk of Fame — ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Michael Jackson to Neil Armstrong — that represent celebrities from film, television, music recording, radio, and live performance (via Culture Trip). Given the large roster and wide net, you’d expect almost everyone who’s ever had a hit movie, show, or album to have a star — but you wouldn’t be quite right. There are a few household names that are conspicuously absent.

There’s a surprisingly long list of stars who have been offered a tile but never managed to seal the deal, including Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, and Al Pacino (via BestLife). Possibly one of the most notable among them, though, is recording artist Madonna. As the best-selling female artist of the 20th century (via Billboard) and the winner of seven Grammys, she more than qualifies — and yet, her name is nowhere to be found at Hollywood and Vine. So what gives?

Turns out Madonna just didn't want a star

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