Why Are We So Hard on Gaga?

[YeehawKylie 7,817]

Why are we so hard on Gaga? We complain that the media and reviewers have high standards, but we may be the worst. This isn't me lecturing the fan base, I'm guilty of this too at times. As much as I love hearing new music from Lady Gaga, it doesn't seem the same without hearing her work on the radio, seeing creative music videos, or her on red carpets at awards shows. 

Some people may disagree, but I remember when The Fame and The Fame Monster consecutively delivered hit after hit. But, it was so much more than that. Lady Gaga was different. It was not just catchy music, it was visuals, it was attitude. The music itself wasn't really like the pop music leading up to it and, even more, there was some substance to the albums as a whole. Her fashion was iconic, constantly discussed. I remember sitting in my friends college dorm room, with countless others crowded around a bed watching the premiere of the Bad Romance and Telephone videos. I remember being home on winter break in college and having a Lady Gaga Takeover on Fuse. I even remember Halloween my freshman year were almost every girl dressed up as Lady Gaga: you had Paparazzi VMAs Gaga, Poker Face Gaga, the list goes on...Gaga wasn't just a pop star she was a huge part of pop culture. Simply listening to The Fame and The Fame Monster bring me back vividly to memories of the time. 

Perhaps a point of contention...but has any musician become such a part of pop culture since then? Gaga included. Yes, Taylor Swift's 1989 sold like crazy and had several hits. But, did we eagerly await each video? Talk for days about what she wore? Not really. Adele, very much the same with 25. Beyonce has done some revolutionary things, I'd argue to say she's probably the closest to Gaga during 2009-2011, but still...while she's close I just don't think she's the same fixture of popular culture. So, my question is...are we just looking for someone to be this iconic? Or, do we want Gaga to remain so? It's definitely an unfair and difficult standard. It seems like the EDM music that made her famous is dated and not in style these days. And, while I love Joanne for going against the grain...I miss the pop music, heavy meaning Gaga that produced controversial (but so good) work like ARTPOP. 

I definitely think parts of me desperately wants Lady Gaga to be a revolutionary star that dictates the pop culture around her...but I realize how difficult that is and was the first time. I'm just rambling here...but it seems like that's the standard we all continue to hold her to. I'd be lying if I said I don't reminisce about my freshman year of college when Gaga was on top of literally everything, her music was everywhere, and she was constantly talked about. See, I wasn't even a huge fan back then...never listened to her albums...but she was so huge I remember almost everything! 

Anyways, /end rant. 

[The Surrealist 27,470]

3 minutes ago, koonsisme said:

I definitely think parts of me desperately wants Lady Gaga to be a revolutionary star that dictates the pop culture around her...but I realize how difficult that is and was the first time. I'm just rambling here...but it seems like that's the standard we all continue to hold her to. I'd be lying if I said I don't reminisce about my freshman year of college when Gaga was on top of literally everything, her music was everywhere, and she was constantly talked about.

Yes to everything of this.

OT: We are so hard on Gaga because we love her and want the best for her. We push her to her boundaries, as we do to ourselves. And she lives for hard work and hard work is her passion.

[Sherlock112 717]

 such a long Article to Read.... But acc. To me its just becoz of our expectations we expect something from GaGa and in turn she become Joanne ..  

[Benji 20,113]

You pretty much answered your own question.

We hold her to a very high standard because of TF, TFM and BTW. ARTPOP was a failure in nearly every possible way it could have been and now she's going in a little bit of a different direction with Joanne.

Meh, I still love Gaga but I've accepted the fact I don't think she's going to be as good as she was. Probably my favourite artist overall still but I wouldn't be bothered if I started swaying towards someone else now.

[Delusional Aura 5,129]

It's because she has proven to be above average and now she's just plain lazy in terms of performances. That's my opinion though. 

[Squeeshy Keety 9,908]

I think it's because it felt like a validation for the quality of music and her celebrity value. The quality remains, but her highly publicized life kinda made her a "fad" for the GP.

If she can snatch them with her talent, there is a chance she'll be known universally as a well-rounded, extremely respectable artist, but unless she appeals to the public at least in a moderate way, the meat dress will be her legacy 

[Mary Jane Wayne 1,997]

Just now, Sycamore said:

Yes to everything of this.

OT: We are so hard on Gaga because we love her and want the best for her. We push her to her boundaries, as we do to ourselves. And she lives for hard work and hard work is her passion.

This! She has set the bar too high for herself. The media being hard on her is a different story, they're hard on her because they enjoy seeing her fail to live up to expectations, we are hard on her because we love her and we want to see her succeed but it's come to a point where we have almost lost the sense of reality. She has peaked long ago, and is a human after all. You can't expect someone to always be on top. I'm usually positive when it comes to this topic so I have some hopes about her re peaking once again. But that's just gonna happen when it happens...for now, all we have to do is to be supportive of her in the best way that we can and enjoy the beautiful music she's offering to us. as much as I miss "the old" her, I still love her to death and if she's happy doing what she's currently doing, then I am happy too.

[Bloody 64,631]

because this fanbase is not satisfied with anything anymore 

[Poope MOnster 1,446]

better than gaga is over million threads 

// 

election was just over why you guys have meltdown about her promotion and success

when even in my third world country seem to care only about US situation right now 

News only report about trump for president and protest over and over

(Also include a lot of gaga)

if gaga promote Joanne right now you guys think it will work?

show me some other POP girl that promoting album right now for example?

[DeanWinchester 41,390]

Because I legitimately think she is our generation's Madonna/MJ and for the longest time I believed in it so bad that seeing the bitter reality that she can't be the leading artist on most metrics was difficult to accept at first.

Do I still believe she will be a legend? Yes. Do I still think the next generation will look up to her and discuss her discography and career just like we do to past generation's legends? Yes.

Am I lying to myself to ease the pain? Maybe 

[Poope MOnster 1,446]

10 minutes ago, Benji said:

You pretty much answered your own question.

We hold her to a very high standard because of TF, TFM and BTW. ARTPOP was a failure in nearly every possible way it could have been and now she's going in a little bit of a different direction with Joanne.

Meh, I still love Gaga but I've accepted the fact I don't think she's going to be as good as she was. Probably my favourite artist overall still but I wouldn't be bothered if I started swaying towards someone else now.

Someone that be as good as gaga?

[GhettoFabulous 18,501]

Because we know how amazing and how much she can do we expected soooo much for us but it was just a perfect illusion.

In conclusion yes I think sometimes we can be hard  on her only because we want the best for her like she is our mother we're her children and we want to see our momma soar  

[PunkTheFunk 123,946]

Because she set the bar extremely high very early on in her career 

[Benji 20,113]

6 minutes ago, Poope MOnster said:

Someone that be as good as gaga?

I don't want to drag Gaga but there's a lot of artists (including pop) that are releasing better material and doing stronger performances than her now, for me anyway.

I still love her but I can't pretend that I'm enjoying her work as much anymore.

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

Because we have mother issues 

And Gaga is the perfect scapegoat 

Because she doesn't answer back