Was the BTW album artwork ahead of it’s time?

[Nycboy 968]

 

In 2011, I remember feeling underwhelmed with the Born This Way album artwork. Especially after the high-fashion glossy image that is TFM cover, which I love. 

Flash forward to 2016-2020, and the “so bad it’s good aesthetic” really took off. Visually, we started seeing glitchy graphics (Kanye’s the Life of Pablo cover intentionally looks like a Microsoft Word creation). Sonically, hyperpop became a thing. And fashion-wise, Balenciaga popularized anti-fashion looks that we’re so ugly that they’re cool (think chunky Triple S sneakers). These artistic forms all share a similar ethos: combining sounds or visuals that don’t normally go together, stitching them together to create an overall jarring look, intentionally NOT making it look pretty, and prioritizing maximalism.

Now… was this what Gaga had in mind back in 2011? Was the artwork purposely “so bad it’s good?” Or is it just bad? 

[LostBoyfriend 1,076]

I mean I wouldn't call it bad per se.

But it is striking. I can sorta see how it's fictional or fantasy seeing as how BTW also (although not explicitly said) has an inner universe (I'd dare say even more expanded that Chromatica, an explicitly concept album) since we know it's government (GOAT) we got a piece of the world (the castle in BTWB) we got visuals of the world and how it originated (BTW Video) we got constant looks that were cohesive. And we even got to see the Bike in real life at the BTWB in two occasions, when she is the bike and when she plays the bike with the piano.

So I'd say it's a purely fantastic album cover, and well executed at it. Also it is fierce as ****! The image captures Gaga's energy so ****ing good as well as the whole vibe of the album, a rebel fighting to be herself and finding herself in her own well being (Scheibe, Heavy Metal Lover, Judas, Queen) without sacrificing a piece of herself. She's a beast of her own, a bike.

So for me it isn't cringy or bad or tacky. And never got to understand those comments, for me it's an incredible album cover, that YES it sorta touches those bad album covers that are intentionally, but she took it to another new level, where you may see it's bad but cannot deny is good after all.

[GypsyVida 5,907]

It really is iconic. I don't think she went into creating the cover with the "so bad it's good" intent. I mean let's be honest, the chrome text is just ugly. I much prefer the special edition cover with the close up of her face. However you can't deny that being a human-motorcycle hybrid isn't c**t. 

[CheapGin 558]

I think it’s iconic and fits the album’s themes of liberation and self-fulfillment in a sonically industrial world—definitely ahead of its time. 

[Klonoa 2,194]

It's my favorite.

[GagasLeftFoot 391]

Personally I never understood the hate for the motorcycle cover. It fit the album and it's influences. The font tho? All hate deserved 

[misham0nster 130]

2 hours ago, LostBoyfriend said:

I mean I wouldn't call it bad per se.

But it is striking. I can sorta see how it's fictional or fantasy seeing as how BTW also (although not explicitly said) has an inner universe (I'd dare say even more expanded that Chromatica, an explicitly concept album) since we know it's government (GOAT) we got a piece of the world (the castle in BTWB) we got visuals of the world and how it originated (BTW Video) we got constant looks that were cohesive. And we even got to see the Bike in real life at the BTWB in two occasions, when she is the bike and when she plays the bike with the piano.

So I'd say it's a purely fantastic album cover, and well executed at it. Also it is fierce as ****! The image captures Gaga's energy so ****ing good as well as the whole vibe of the album, a rebel fighting to be herself and finding herself in her own well being (Scheibe, Heavy Metal Lover, Judas, Queen) without sacrificing a piece of herself. She's a beast of her own, a bike.

So for me it isn't cringy or bad or tacky. And never got to understand those comments, for me it's an incredible album cover, that YES it sorta touches those bad album covers that are intentionally, but she took it to another new level, where you may see it's bad but cannot deny is good after all.

Man, I love BTW! Definitely my fav of her albums. There are things I love about all of them, but Born This Way just resonates with me in a special way.

This was beautifully said.

[warhol killer 8,580]

Tbh I think the only thing that makes the cover look "bad" is the metallic chrome text of the album title. If the original standard cover had no text - similar to the 10th anniversary edition - it would have looked better.

[Benji 20,113]

I love it purely for the fact she was the biggest pop star in the world when she released it.

Love it, hate it, it was ballsy!

[BARKDANGER 855]

Let me just state that the album is her magnum opus. It’s a beautiful album lyrically and sonically. The artwork, having lived with it for 11 years, has grown on me, and is iconic. 

But the way the images were photographed and the lighting seemed not polished for Gaga’s standards. You can see off of the background in some images, you can clearly see Gaga sitting on a fold out plastic chair. 
 

There are some really great images, like the cover art for the single for Born This Way and the oozy images. But others are just over exposed, and not properly lit. You know when you take a picture, and in color it looks terrible, and the only way to somewhat make it look presentable is to make it black and white, that’s the vibe I get from the album artwork. Coming off of the images we got from  Hedi Slimane for TFM, I had higher expectations from Nick Knight to take the visuals to the next level, but they felt lackluster for me. 

Also, why did Gaga choose to flip her face on the cover? Gaga’s face is flipped horizontally.