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ARTPOP, bad or misunderstood?


Roronoa

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Roronoa

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Let me start by saying that I love this album so much. But something always feels off whenever I revisit this era. I find myself listening to the demo revamps more often than the album itself. The live performances are some of the best she's ever done, you can really tell how good those songs are when sung live! (Venus, Gypsy, Aura, ARTPOP)  The concept of this album was brilliant, but the execution was so questionable. Is management to blame? Or the producers? At certain points it felt messy, and all over the place. 

Take a step back and all I can say is; what could have been. 

Here is some content you might appreciate:

One of the most interesting and beautiful booklet!

page_7.jpg 

Vocals to cry and die for. 

When Gaga fell and 'fans' left her, Elton John was there to catch her. You can see how much he adores her.

 

:saladga: 

The concept of ARTPOP isn't even dead, in fact, it is thriving. Look at Doja Cat and the kind of music she makes. Cow, Say So, Boss Bitch, Juicy, those are all ARTPOP-type songs. Doja Cat wants to make meme music, she is a gen-Z icon who has successfully combined internet pop culture and music. 

How do you interpret this album/ era? 

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KennyRichie

I’ve always defended ARTPOP and will always cherish Applause, DWUW, GUY, sexy dreams, but let’s be real, Chromatica is the better album

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vyniildisk

It feels like she was trying to do a lot all at once, the concept is very busy and maximal, i think it was her intention but it can be confusing, just like art itself.

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The era was a big a$$ mess but it’s the first album I ever bought and the only one I listened to like a 1000 times. This album made me a superstan of hers after being a casual fan since Poker Face. It really holds a special place in my heart 💓

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Esme Squalor

I don't know what it is either, but aside from G.U.Y. and Donatella I almost always listen to the demo revamps over the album versions. Especially for MJH, Burqa, and Venus. Honestly for me I think it has a lot to do with the live and demo vocals being stronger and more interesting. It could also be because I listened to the album versions too many times and need to change it up. I really wish Gaga had more creative control on ARTPOP and that we got to hear some of the other songs she wrote for the album. Or you know, ARTPOP Act 2. 

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imitalian

I just wanna say, imagine an album being this controversial that new threads are still made daily even after 7 years and 4 albums later.

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River

She wanted to make fun music while being depressed, it didn't work well because all she wanted was to scream her pain out.

Je ne parle pas français but I can padam if you like
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Lord Temptation

Of course something sounds “off”. The whole project was doomed. Gaga was aware that ARTPOP was too big too fail, so she made the whole extravaganza a self-referential celebration of clash, rage, voyeurism, hedonism, blood, vomit and destruction. If pop stans won’t accept her because she’s too artsy, and the art world won’t either because she’s too popular, well then why not p*ss them both off?! The album was designed to get under people’s skin.

And look, she was on wayyyyy too much weed to actually know how close she came to giving it all up. If both art and pop would reject her, why bother making music? The drugs were her only solace - kind of a mixed blessing in a way, to be that numb while experiencing near-death hallucinations, but I think the ghosts of the ARTPOP experiment, and letting go of it, still taunts her. 

If the songs on the album don’t sound “whole”, it’s because they had been done over and over again in the studio by her label demanding Gaga to “lighten up”. Ultimately, ARTPOP makes far more sense as a live sensory experience, rather than a digital artefact. The performances were a cry for help, you can hear her abandonment in your bones....It is her darkest album by far, despite the technicolor cascade. ARTPOP makes you feel very alone...it makes you feel like you want to take control of your destiny because in anyone else’s hands it just becomes a weapon. Pop music can be meaningful, even if we are too scared to hear the message.

Of course, like the far side of the moon, there is still the mysterious Act 2.

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Dayman

It’s because demo vocals aren’t mixed the same way final songs are. A demo in some ways is almost closer to a live vocal than it is to a studio track. The reverb, delay, things like vocal synths and vocoders all give a more interesting sound to the vocal but really are only practical to use on studio tracks since a lot of effects are difficult to replicate in real time of a live performance. Chromatica has similarly mixed vocals to ARTPOP in a lot of ways, it’s a production choice at the end of the day.

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ToxicHot

I agree with you. The album simply had just TOO much potential, and as a result maybe Gaga just underwent too much pressure especially with management (and the falling out with Troy). Just look at all the scrapped plans, i.e. the ARTPOP app. It's so sad to see the follow-up to Born This Way look so sabotaged, and then of course the critical reception and GP basically "turning their back" on her.

I love this album so, so much. It's far from perfect, but it will always have a special place in my heart. It deserved so much better than what it got.

And I personally LOVE many of the demos. Especially Sex Dreams, I Wanna Be With You, Burqa.

 

P.S. Do What U Want is one of my favorite songs - EVER. It deserved to be #1 or at least top 10. Sexy, but with an underlying message. It's always been personally relatable to me.

dOnT sAd ReAcT mE 2 bE sHaDy i WiLL RePoRt U!!1!
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Hybrid AT

Honestly, I think it's both misunderstood and not understood enough.

Like she has said multiple times, she was trying to be every icon. It could feel messy, and sometimes even uncomfortable, but that's what art is supposed to make you feel like.

People say she was confused and lost. With all that the drama that was going around in her life? Yeah. Did her mismanagement and mistreatment exhaust her to the point where she couldn't fully execute what she envisioned? Sure. But did she have a vision for the album and was she committed to it throughout? Absolutely. And she tried to stick to it until the very end.

This interview from the C2C era was the only time I've seen her talk about it and try to address the situation and what went wrong (watch from 5:37 onwards)

In retrospect, people appreciate it more. That's what happens with art pieces, and that's what happened with this album as well.

Again, her ARTPOP could mean anything :queenga:

"I was protected by the monks of Azarath, I was raised by my friends. They are my family, this is my home and you are not welcome here."
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ArtpopAct2

Beyond all the deep meaning she attributed to the album that may or may not have resonated with people, i interpret ARTPOP as an meta album about pop music.

It has very dark and personal themes on it that one could consider introspective, but at the end of the day it’s all music that’s fun as hell and energetic to dance to. And THATS the art of Pop music. You don’t need to always have people thinking about every lyrics looking for some deep and introspective meaning, inspiring that sense of euphoria, passion and energy is just as important.

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Glamourpuss

I could never vibe with ARTPOP. Even now I try to like it but it feels like there's something missing with all the songs. Swine is the only song I still care about from that album.

Chromatica feels like a true return to Gaga and like a continuation from Born This Way. I feel like it's everything that ARTPOP aspired to be. 

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androiduser

a good album, but misinterpreted by Gaga herself and mismanaged by everyone involved, Gaga herself. Wasted potential, and it al started with Gaga getting too philosophical about pop music.

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