Is "TFM" only better because of nostalgia?

[Crystalline 993]

Not sure how to explain this exactly, but sometimes I listen to "The Fame Monster" and wanna cry because it's so beautiful and so nostalgic. And you see, I'm not saying TFM isn't her best work, (It's opinionated obviously). But to most monsters, it seems either "BTW" or "TFM" is her best work to them. When I listen to "Born This Way" I feel like it is produced better, better lyrics, better melodies overall. So like I'm saying, I know that everyone has their opinion on it. But for me, sometimes I think TFM is better but really I think it is just because of nostalgia, and in reality BTW overall is better. Not sure if that made sense, but I feel like that sometimes. Discuss please.

[Dorothy Gale 7,575]

TFM is better overall. 

[Batwings 12,885]

I think that TFM was just such an incredible breath of fresh air in the stale pop music scene at the time, even more so than TF.

 

[HANZ 4,380]

nope, The Fame Monster and Born This Way are just better in basically everything than her recent work (ARTPOP and C2C)

[Crystalline 993]

I think that TFM was just such an incredible breath of fresh air in the stale pop music scene at the time, even more so than TF.

 

​That is how I feel with it, sometimes I feel it is better because of the time it was associated with and how it was so unexpected and fresh.

[PartySick 160,499]

I agree with Batwings. It was the first real pop in years, easily. Plus all of pop changed after TFM so it set a new standard, so it's a game changer and a classic, of course people are going to think it's better. I personally like ARTPOP better, TFM and BTW are tied for my second favorite, then Red and Blue, then The Fame (which I still love).

My list changes every three minutes though so don't quote me on that  

[Mister Gaga 22,924]

Agree on some parts.

I feel like some people judge the music in relation to the overall success of the era. I mean, if ARTPOP era would had been a total slayiage with 5 #1 singles, most of us would be saying that the album was her best, because she succeded with an 'experimental' album, in some way.

But it underperformed, so it's trash.

I won´t deny that TFM is a great album, and that Bad Romance is for sure her best song; but we should give some credit to ARTPOP too.

[Anderson123 38,446]

After listening to The Fame for weeks, then people going crazy over Poker Face and then keep listening to The Fame for months and months, The Fame Monster was a HUGE step up from the first album. It was AMAZING to listen to Bad Romance after what she had done for that year and people going crazy for that song as well. The Fame Monster has a very special place in my heart because of things that I lived back then, so many of my friends became fans of Gaga, we went to see The Killers live some weekend and we took a bus to bigger city and stayed in a friend's apartment, the morning after that we listened to Alejandro and Dance In The Dark for the very first time and I was IN LOVE with her new music. Then months have gone by and I bought so many things (lenticular poster, TFM super deluxe) that made me feel attached even more to her and her music. 

The Fame Monster is amazing for what it was. Gaga was on top of the world and people couldn't believe her talent. Born This Way is my favorite album of her, but TFM is also a very good album, it deserved that Grammy. So yes, those of us who lived the entire The Fame - The Fame Monster - Born This Way transition know everything that happened around Gaga because of those albums and it was just a fun time.

[Alfonso 1,551]

I think that TFM was just such an incredible breath of fresh air in the stale pop music scene at the time, even more so than TF.

 

This 

[Optimus 298]

Nope. Because of nostalgia or not , TFM is Gagas best album

[ryhanna 3,507]

Nah, I think it's genuinely one of her best. TFM and BTW are just on a whole different level to The Fame and ARTPOP.

[Mills 446]

While I don't consider TFM, the standalone EP, as Gaga's "best" album in terms of overall content and delivery (or even among her "better" ones), I'm fully convinced that it's a "better" album than most of the albums released in 2009, in the same way TF was a "better" album than most albums released in 2007-2008, BTW compared to majority of the 2010-2011 albums, and the list goes on and on. From there alone, one can't blame others to consider one of these albums as their top choice when it comes to Gaga's "best".

But to answer the OP's question, yes, nostalgia may play an influential role, but nostalgia won't play that much if the albums themselves weren't that strong to begin with. So I'd say TFM is seen by others as her "better" album not just purely because of nostalgia but more of because how really strong it came off to them when it was released in '09 and continues to come off to them whenever they listen to it even to this day.

Some may argue the same with BTW and ARTPOP and even TF, but if you'd ask me the same question, then I'd most likely give the same explanation as well. And that's it isn't just because of nostalgia. It's more of because how good the albums truly are to one's musical taste.

[Bellatrix 34,811]

No I don't think so. 

[Versace 7,978]

TFM is better cause it regardless of nostalgia , if it gets released any year any time it will still be the best album of all time in my opinion. 8 songs with ultimate quality and a theme like no other.

[Crystalline 993]

TFM is better cause it regardless of nostalgia , if it gets released any year any time it will still be the best album of all time in my opinion. 8 songs with ultimate quality and a theme like no other.

​Well I can listen to TFM all the way through, even "Teeth" I can get through. I can't always get through the whole of "Born This Way" but I must admit I think BTW overall is the better body of work. "The Fame Monster" has the better highs, just not as many IMO.