So the real reason for applause being the lead is....

[Mills 446]

Like any other lead singles, label chose to release it with the conviction that it would slay the most. Otherwise, they'd have picked another one from a pile of new tracks from the upcoming album. Applause is a great choice as the lead single. Safe yet something new. It's just that the competition when it got released was too strong. 

[lastlinefirst 1]

This is a super biased thread...obviously you haven't seen the news that Applause is now Gaga's #2 radio hit just slightly behind Bad Romance

[Phoebe 158]

Like any other lead singles, label chose to release it with the conviction that it would slay the most. Otherwise, they'd have picked another one from a pile of new tracks from the upcoming album. Applause is a great choice as the lead single. Safe yet something new. It's just that the competition when it got released was too strong. 

 

This. And Applause would have been a huge hit if it was released as planned. The song + the video the same day would smash hard and I'm sure it would do great on charts too (it's still doing okay) because of streaming points. That was the whole point releasing it on the same day. 

[thehanyo 4,250]

Uh, because it's a great song.

 

But to be honest, I stopped listening to it after about 2 months. But this past week I've started listening to it daily again.

 

It's got really good staying power, and the charts prove that. BYE.

[AURA 2,890]

Do you not know how successful Applause has been/ still is? It was the right choice.... But honestly, I think it was the only song that was fully finished lol

Less than 2M in the US and less than 2.5M WW is successful for a LADY GAGA LEAD-SINGLE? guuuuuurlllllllll

[What is OBAMA 0]

lots of people who praise Applause chart run are obviously avoiding that this is a LADY GAGA lead single and by all means gettin overshadowed by at least 4-5 songs during its run is obviously not okay

 

and the only thing that applause has in its favor is the US RADIO AIRPLAY, wich is overrated since we all know that the amount of radios added to that have CHANGED throughout the last 3-4 years so, but if you want to think applause is a bigger radio hit than Poker Face(wich makes no sense) then be my guest

 

anyway, i like the song, the point of this thread was to(in a funny way) figure out why they chose applause to be the lead(if there in fact were STRONGER SONGS, if that ends up to be the case when the album is released)

[DIVA 666]

I think they wanted a safe single that can appeal to a large variety of listeners. This raises the appeal of the album without being polarizing.  I think Venus may also be a more safe option, but I have a feeling just an overall better song than APPLAUSE.  I think after that though, once people have taken notice, Gaga and Interscope will pull out the riskier singles.  The ones that have the ability of moving pop music forward and being a tremendous smash.  Like Bad Romance.  I really think Interscope is taking a more calculated single approach this time around.  I do think that Venus will be a smash and maybe even the biggest single from this era, but I think the 3rd and 4th singles will be tremendous as well.  I really think this album is going to be huge.  Possibly the biggest of her career based on what we've heard thus far.