18 Reasons You Should Stop Making Fun Of Lady Gaga's "Artpop"

Published: February 11, 2018

To the haters out there who think Artpop was trash: Hold my drink.

Don't believe me? Read on.

Streamline / Interscope

Artpop was a project, not just an album.

Artpop was a project, not just an album.

Before becoming famous, Gaga went to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she reportedly wrote a thesis on Spencer Tunick and Damien Hirst, two modern artists whose works reference popular culture. Gaga was always fascinated by the marriage of art and pop culture, and Artpop was her tribute to that marriage.

Streamline / Interscope

Brad Barket / Getty Images

Artpop was meant to leave a lasting mark on how pop culture and the art world interact, but it was widely misinterpreted and unfairly stacked up against other pop albums that weren't even comparable.

Artpop was meant to leave a lasting mark on how pop culture and the art world interact, but it was widely misinterpreted and unfairly stacked up against other pop albums that weren't even comparable.

Artpop was released around the same time as Miley's Bangerz, Katy's Prism, and Beyoncé's bombshell self-entitled album. These albums weren't necessarily better or worse than Artpop, but the goal of these albums was ENTIRELY different from Gaga's.

VH1

Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Gaga pushed sexual boundaries yet again with the power anthem for all power-bottoms: "G.U.Y."

Gaga pushed sexual boundaries yet again with the power anthem for all power-bottoms: "G.U.Y."

"I don’t need to be on top to know I’m worth it, 'cause I'm strong enough to know the truth."

Gaga has always been cutting-edge. Who else was making songs about bottoming in 2013? Go on, I'll wait.

Streamline / Interscope

Speaking of "G.U.Y.," remember the visually stunning, thematically complex, groundbreaking "G.U.Y." music video?

Speaking of "G.U.Y.," remember the visually stunning, thematically complex, groundbreaking "G.U.Y." music video?

Gaga didn't shy away from anti-capitalist symbolism and provocative imagery in this cinematic masterpiece.

Streamline / Interscope

Streamline / Interscope

With "Donatella," Gaga made a feminist social critique, arguing that you can be feminine and extravagant, while also being a multifaceted, intelligent HBIC.

With "Donatella," Gaga made a feminist social critique, arguing that you can be feminine and extravagant, while also being a multifaceted, intelligent HBIC.

It's also just so YAAASS-worthy.

Streamline / Interscope

But Artpop isn't just obscure references and metaphors. Case in point: that one bomb-ass song about hooking up with someone while thinking about someone else.

But Artpop isn't just obscure references and metaphors. Case in point: that one bomb-ass song about hooking up with someone while thinking about someone else.

"Sexxx Dreams" is just a damn good song.

BBC

With Artpop, Gaga basically said "fuck you" to the music industry — but always kept her fans in mind.

With Artpop, Gaga basically said "fuck you" to the music industry — but always kept her fans in mind.

It's not easy to step outside the box and take huge risks, especially in an industry dominated by convention and driven by numbers. Gaga's goal with Artpop wasn't to own the charts and make a ton of money — by 2013, she had already proven she could do that. But, as weird as Artpop got, it always had her die-hard supporters in mind.

HBO

So, actually, the Artpop era was just one big performance.

So, actually, the Artpop era was just one big performance.

Executing the concept behind Artpop was an almost impossible, even laughable goal. But Gaga has never shied away from being laughed at, or attempting the impossible, or exaggerating her life, persona, and work to performative extremes. And that is how Artpop will be remembered — a performance of the pop star desperate for self-awareness, desperate to be something more than just pop, begging the question as to whether that's even possible.

CBS

Okay, I know what you might be thinking: "Fine, but it's still just a bad album." Well, I have one final counterpoint...

Okay, I know what you might be thinking: "Fine, but it's still just a bad album."

Well, I have one final counterpoint...

You're wrong.

Nippon Television Network

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

NFL

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