Is Lady Gaga a genius on the level of Michael Jackson?

[Xardas 1,600]

Yes, but if she doesn't stop wasting her talent and potential, people won't consider her as such genius

[yxi 4,999]

No one is on MJ's level, get real.

[Didymus 34,380]

These arguments are very weird to me:

- They DEFINED the possibilities of music videos in their era. 
- They were moneymaking machines, unmatched by any of their peers (at the time of their phenomenons).
- Their tours were heralded as groundbreaking compared to their peers.

That's not really true for Gaga

I feel like you're just comparing for comparing's sake There are not that many links tbh, and the links that are there can be made between him and Gaga's peer competition too

[XoXoJoanneGaga 629]

5 hours ago, Noir said:

Gaga is so more polarising than Michael in my eyes but I do think he and Bowie are better fits than Madonna when it comes to musical capability and talent.

Gaga is more polarizing than a man who was widely considered to be a pedophile for decades, who broke into pop as a black man in a time when that field was pretty much off limits for non-whites, and who then essentially changed his entire skin color and appearance? 

People on this forum have hilariously limited knowledge and perspective when it comes to music history. Like we're talking about the biggest musical act of all time, this stuff is common knowledge for the most part. And I have to say I've never seen more confirmation bias in one place than on this board and it really shines through in threads like this.

No, Gaga and MJ aren't really comparable at all aside from the fact that they were both at one point the biggest pop stars on the planet and have larger-than-life visual iconography. There's really nothing analogous about their performing skills, songwriting, production quality, career context, reception, etc.

[RAMROD 109,798]

All she needs is her own Quincy Jones.

[androiduser 7,438]

I think it is very difficult to say, because they come from different eras, and MJ was much more ahead of his time in a sense that he built things from zero, and Gaga already came when pop culture was completely developed, so she could only change a few details, and a lot of her work was based on what was already done in the 80's and 90's.

So to be fair, I would say "no".  Her musical talent is maybe similar or close to that of MJ, but I would say her body of work is not as influential.

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

5 hours ago, Monster2015 said:

Honestly as far as musicality and the overall package, I would say:

1) Prince

2) MJ

3) Bowie

4) Stevie W

5) Gaga

Point I'm saying, Gaga is well established to be up there but we just have to wait and see her full potential. 

 

Yeah 

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

2 hours ago, Phoebe said:

I think now more than ever it feels like that. In my opinion, she's not one (yet), but she has expanded her talents and shown that she's not just a popstar, she is so much more. And I think this career diversity, constant change/reinvention and impact is the key to earning a legendary status. While her massive peak did give her an aura of a legend, I feel it was more due to mass hysteria about her. The world was going Gaga for 3 straight years. She had success and critical acclaim, but it takes more than just 3 years to become a legend. 

 

Gaga's been working nonstop since 2008! I think a break can be a good thing for a relationship. Now, we're ready to start over. A new era awaits! 

[Solitaire 902]

4 hours ago, Didymus said:

These arguments are very weird to me:

- They DEFINED the possibilities of music videos in their era. 
- They were moneymaking machines, unmatched by any of their peers (at the time of their phenomenons).
- Their tours were heralded as groundbreaking compared to their peers.

That's not really true for Gaga

I feel like you're just comparing for comparing's sake There are not that many links tbh, and the links that are there can be made between him and Gaga's peer competition too

I'd have to say the music video thing is pretty true though, I mean, just watch some videos pre-Gaga and then watch other artists' videos post-Gaga. The differences are pretty striking.

Spoiler

Makes me nostalgic for my years in high school when Gaga was releasing MV's for TFM and every new video was an event and everyone would talk about it at school the next day, even the teachers  

 

[Kii the kii 9]

Gaga ha impact

 

[Didymus 34,380]

12 hours ago, Solitaire said:

I'd have to say the music video thing is pretty true though, I mean, just watch some videos pre-Gaga and then watch other artists' videos post-Gaga. The differences are pretty striking.

  Hide contents

Makes me nostalgic for my years in high school when Gaga was releasing MV's for TFM and every new video was an event and everyone would talk about it at school the next day, even the teachers  

 

Agreed, but music video's were just in a rut around that time. Very extravagant and artistic music video's had come and gone in the decades before. It's a movement. Gaga sure inspired her competition to up the game, but that doesn't mean defining new possibilities for a music video. The fact that most of her video's were compared to Madonna's and Michael's already shows that  

So yeah, of course she ushered in a new current of excitement revolving around music video's, but I wouldn't say she pushed the boundaries of them Those long storylined video's had been done before, the first quite recent video on my mind is Green Day's 12-minute Jesus of Suburbia (2005). Heavily stylized and conceptual video's had been done before as well, the first quite recent video on my mind being Fighter by Christina (2002).

[Vodka 4,478]

A quick, resounding YAAAASS, excuse me, "Yes" from me. 

[venusfly 17,885]

Gaga is easily able to be on Michaels level of genius. EASILY. However it won't show until she stops trying to write catchy hooks. I want to see her full songwriting potential flourish.

[kvnrp 48,353]

Just now, LG said:

Gaga is easily able to be on Michaels level of genius. EASILY. However it won't show until she stops trying to write catchy hooks. I want to see her full songwriting potential flourish.

I guess that's what she's going to do with LG5.

Maybe thats why it's taking so long, idk.

[Creyk 17,825]

Gaga is on a whole other level, this M dude is nothing compared to her. #FACT

Like I don't even know why we are having this conversation. Did he ever make a song as good as Bloody Mary? No. And it's not even Gaga's best song. Plus Gaga is also a far superior performer who looks way better, there really is not much going in M's favor here.