18 years later and 16 Grammy's later.. were the comparisons to Madonna right?

[River 121,640]

Listening to Gaga discography now, especially through TF-TFM, has made me realize that she was never a copy of Madonna and she always owned her own music style, the fashion and the persona.

She's more of the female Freddie Mercury mixed with Janis Joplin seasoned with a little bit of Bowie, Prince, Jagger and Debbie Harry.

If we go back to TFM with JD, PF and Paparazzi.. they are not at all similar to anything Madonna did in the past.

Especially with the use of the Synth.. Madonna used it as one of the background instruments, while Gaga used it as one the primary instruments. and this is a huge difference.

Even the imaginary is pretty different, Madonna is more sexual but not sensual, Gaga is more about bringing a character through the outfits, through the fashion, and the sexuality is more subtle, less in your face.

At the end, the only similarity is.. the blond.

[tomsches 17,511]

While she is her own artist with her own career and artistic integrity, the comparisons have always been valid imo. She is Not a copy of Madonna but several aspects of their careers and styles can be compared. Arrest me 

[Sepsami 19,892]

They're both hardworking, passionate, disciplined and masters of pop. But Gaga is more than that. The fact that she is a musician and Madonna isn't, together with her demeanor and kindness is what's going to make her legacy bigger imo. 

[RochesterJoannster 3,730]

Fashion of His Love is the only song I’ve ever thought sounded like Madonna. I like that song but I definitely don’t mean it as a compliment lol. 
 

I just mean that’s the one of the only times she did the 80’s kind of thing without also having stellar vocals. LoveDrug is a perfect example of having both 

Edited February 4 by RochesterJoannster

[Bronco 16,809]

Tbf prior to the Born this way drama the comparisons were less about the music and more about the behaviour/brand building.

And I definitely think the aggression Gaga had for building the brand identity of Lady Gaga in that first 3 years was definitely comparable to Madonna.

[The Breast 2,658]

22 minutes ago, RochesterJoannster said:

Fashion of His Love is the only song I’ve ever thought sounded like Madonna

Literally. I remember listening to Express Yourself for the first time and I was like
"btch this is fashion of his love"


 

[Red 98,704]

Madonna's influence is deeply involved in the core of pop music and it's virtually impossible to write a pop song without it but I don't think it goes further than that, I hear more Bowie in her music. Visually, she is influenced a lot tho. 

[DESTROY UR DISEASE 14,839]

26 minutes ago, The Breast said:

Literally. I remember listening to Express Yourself for the first time and I was like
"btch this is fashion of his love"


 

really? I thought it sounded similar to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, but alright...

[alexcal24 35]

Yes they're both Italian 

[gagacabana 832]

1 hour ago, River said:

At the end, the only similarity is.. the blond.

Madonna in 2008 when another italian-american catholic bisexual blonde appeared in the pop scene 

[Economy 51,680]

If ur gonna compare her to a female, I always thought her career more closely resembled Chers than Madonnas (but getting famous strictly on music for quite a while and no tv aspect innitially like Cher)

 

Even so, theres no exact comparison

[elsamars 6,027]

I always say this, Gaga was on her own lane and she had a really strong individual image up until Alejandro music video. That music video changed her career trajection in a bad way. Not only did she collabarated with Madonna's long time collabarator/friend, she also heavily referenced Madonna's music videos (sexual catholic imagery was a cherry on the top). This sparked the Madonna conversation and Born This Way/Express Yourself was a nail on the coffin. I remember Twitter that day, the comparisons gain attraction naturally the day the song was released. Nevertheless, she worked so hard afterwards to steer away from this image. You can see this struggle in her music journey.

Edited February 4 by elsamars

[elsamars 6,027]

2 hours ago, Sepsami said:

The fact that she is a musician and Madonna isn't

How, because you think so? She started her career as a drummer at Breakfast Club. She started to write songs for the band, those early demos helped launch her solo career. She fought with Warner to choose coproducers herself for her albums. She cowrites, coproduces her own music and heavily involved as told by collobarators. There are songs on her first album that are solely written by her. She plays the guitar.

Edited February 4 by elsamars

[rinasawachanta 3,229]

Excellent question, it was about time someone asked it. This is something I find myself thinking about repeatedly because I feel that the media was very unfair in forcing this comparison. I think the only things they have in common are their origins (Italian-American) and a marked ambition from the very beginning of their careers that can be detected just by watching their performances (and that sets them apart from their peers).

Beyond that, everything about their personas, their style, their music, their references, their live performances, their personalities is COMPLETELY different.

Madonna is a good dancer who decided to pursue a music career without any real talent or training in that field. She is more sexual, tongue-in-cheek, shady, and I think she confuses iconicity with being an unattainable bitch. Likewise, in terms of style and references, I think she developed an interest in that “world peace” aesthetic, giving a lot of space in her shows to physical prowess (multiple dancers doing parkour, her doing squats or jumping rope live), things that personally don't speak to me. On the other hand, I recognize that she was very visionary at the time, and that she knew how to anticipate trends in sound and partner with producers who gave her solid, cohesive albums.

Gaga has been SOMETHING ELSE since the very beginning of her career: her references come from glam rock, song divas, jazz, musical theater, cinema, camp, and queer culture. It's a much more “nerdy” and academic approach to those “weird” interests. She's not an athlete performing a routine with no room for error. She is an artist with enormous vocal talent, enormous confidence on stage (unparalleled, I think), and immense creativity. A person who has always pursued a musical career and enjoys making her art. Someone who, literally, could not be anything other than an artist. And who, on the other hand, understands like no one else what it means to be an icon and the responsibilities associated with the place she occupies (her kindness, humility, openness to others, sensitivity, are aspects that we sometimes take for granted but that are absolutely atypical and that, together with her enormous talent and work, make her stand the test of time).

Edited February 4 by rinasawachanta

[Mr S 8,781]

She definitely was the Madonna in her early years, but she carved out her own niche and is now in her own lane. Madonnas sound was more looking underground for something trendy and hot and bring it to the mainstream. Gaga style is she carved out a sound for herself that works for her and she goes at the beat of her own drum regardless of what is on trend.