Was Chromatica Worth It?

[CHIPCHROME 639]

I’m genuinely curious, because to me, after revisiting the album after some time today… it’s lost all the magic it had… except for 911 -> Sour Candy -> Enigma -> Replay

 

THEN I revisited Born This Way… needless to say the dichotomies don’t exist in harmony. There is something missing from Gaga’s recent work. Is it inspiration? Effort? Good producer(s)? Half of the lyrics on Chromatica stand out to me as commercial friendly. That’s not wrong or right, but it matters to me. I think Gaga has sold out , and I mean this in the most respectful way possible. I just wish Joanne / Chromatica didn’t feel like pandering. Playing it safe. Diluting an already brilliant stream of consciousness…

[Night Vision 3,068]

Considering both Chromatica and Joanne were vastly different to what was the musical trend at the time of their releases, saying that they are examples of Gaga "selling out" or "playing it safe" really doesn't make sense.

It's fine if you don't particularly like those albums, that's your opinion, but that doesn't mean that they are objectively bad. Many fans love those albums.

 

[ModernEcstasy 9,039]

I still listen to Chromatica in full a few times per week (no skips for me). It still gets my ass shaking. 
 

Fun Tonight/ Replay are in my top Gaga songs of all time! I really relate to the lyrics. Not generic at all! 

I will Love Chromatica for years to come, just like ARTPOP. I think they came at such vital times in my life that they will always be important to me 

[Blackout19 12,014]

Well Chromatica is her best album, so yass

[misha4ever 2,075]

100%

I'm always be aware of Gaga, and enjoyed a few hit songs here and there but never a fan. Liked her weird shenanigans, interviews and fashion but not enough to make me sit and listen to her discography.

Chromatica changed that. Now I'm blasting all her past albums. Chromatica is almost a full listen too, I just skip like 2 tracks maybe.

Watching the Chromatical Ball helped a lot, ha!

[Melodean 8,329]

This is an album that I will always listen to and come back to, side by side with BTW and TFM 

[Lucas 27,108]

It's definitely not on the same level as her first 3 albums but it's a good album and it increased her streaming numbers a looot

[Anderson123 38,460]

Yes it was very much worth the wait. I thought after A Star Is Born she'd make a pop album influenced by the sound of that movie or just be affected by the success of Shallow. When I listened to Stupid Love for the first time I didn't like it that much and thought I was going to be disappointed by an album with that sound. I never expected Chromatica to take me back to the 90s with the sound, the visuals, the promo.. all of this in the middle of the pandemic. It took me back there and it's her best album since Born This Way.

[misha4ever 2,075]

29 minutes ago, CHIPCHROME said:

except for 911 -> Sour Candy -> Enigma -> Replay

is this a bad thing? because you like 4 songs, and maybe i'm too old but to me this is enough

and i think her first and second album are more commercial friendly (created to make her a hit pop singer) than the rest of her albums, combined.

[RAMROD 109,637]

We got BABALON, so yes, 

[Meat 18,962]

Replay, Babylon, 911, Alice and Rain on Me are some of the best songs of her entire career so it was definitely worth it.
 

And coming to the lyrics, it literally reads like a personal diary of someone calling out for help. How is that pandering? Did you even think before typing that part out? 

[Edonis 28,950]

Yes?

It has some of the best songs of her career and some of her most personal lyrics. The album themes resonated with casual and die-hard fans, and the production is sleek and fresh. Fans may feel one type of way or another about how they wanted it to turn out, but that album has the acclaim it has for a reason. There's no pandering or selling out involved.

[AVeryGagaHolyDick 25,687]

I have to agree with the OP

[Esmerald 92]

Yes It was absolutely worth...It was a good album with catchy songs. It was critically acclaimed with a good response from GP. The tour was basically a rendition of many chromatica songs and was really successful... Yes ..Yes... I am very satisfied with Chromatica... It was a right decision to release Chromatica

[Maxine Puth 9,053]

it’s been a couple years, I think those of us who don’t fancy Joanne or Chromatica have had enough time to realize the problem is with BloodPop more than anything else. There’s no bad lyrics anywhere and I think the general concepts aren’t bad, I just don’t enjoy how the production ends up sounding like on most songs (again why Just Another Day and Replay are my favorites on each, since BloodPop produced neither). It also explains why I love the ASIB soundtrack. It has nothing to do with old vs new Gaga and everything to do with what she allows who to do with her music. No hate to BloodPop though, I’m sure he’s a nice guy and he’s talented. I only think Gaga can find a better sonic match or finally go solo / be less dependent on a producer.