It's probably been years now since I gave The Fame a full proper play through. It's about time I did that again.

The Fame is still such a great album and a fantastic debut all round tbqh.

The Fame is still the toughest for me to LOVE, it's a good album though

We can be strong out on this lonely run

 

 

| 02 // Born This Way // 9.35

 

In second place, it's perhaps the most hyped up album of all time lmao. Born This Way came off the back of a monster campaign, Gaga had her little monsters gagging at every single snippet, lyric reveal and moment leading up to the eventual album. It was promised to be an album FOR the fans and by god was it. A thematic album about loving yourself and being proud of who you are, Gaga explored this in every single possible way she could: sexuality, gender, empowerment, marriage, loneliness, religious ideals, freedom, individuality, childhood, and so much more. It is one of the most exhausting albums i've ever listened to, but in the best way possible: from start to end it is huge electronic beats, crazed vocals, beating synths and instrumentals that leave your ears damaged. With vintage Gaga producers and new ones to boot, she really did not leave anything out of the mammoth listening experience. Grammy Award nominated (her 3rd in a row) and a gigantic commercial success, it spawned several hit singles with music videos that cemented her place as the visual queen and it also led to show stopping moments such as the VESSEL, bald performance and countless more. It was an era that had to be seen to be believed - shocking, provocative, empowering and most of all it was used to connect further the love that Gaga had for her fans and vice-versa. A truly ground-breaking moment for her and one that I look back on so fondly. It made me the person I am today and ranks in my top 3 albums of all time, so i'm glad it's achieved as high as 2nd here!

I'm a free bitch

 

 

| 01 // The Fame Monster // 9.61

 

And although it did receive some close competition, I didn't think there would be any other winner than The Fame Monster. Reiussed from the debut, but offering the darker and more sinister side of The Fame, it stands alone as its own project. Nominated in six categories at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards and winning three, including Best Pop Vocal Album, it catapulted Gaga to even higher highs, with the release of Bad Romance as lead single. Within the album, each song explored dark sides of everything that The Fame stood for, Gaga was no longer the party animal, but more an animal hungry for blood and disaster. Visually, her producers rejected the artwork cover, but Gaga stuck true to her beliefs and presented the yang to TF's yin. Inspired heavily by horror movies and music of the 70s and 80s, it was a retro album that was so progressive in its delivery and helped to further shape a change for pop music - pop music was now not to be safe or clean cut, but instead monstrous, weird, wacky and the visuals were to match this. It was also deeply inspired and borne out of her own experiences, particularly those that she experiences while on her first major solo world tour and the "monsters" she experienced through this. But the horror wasn't to last for too long, as monsters became a central part of her identity and her fans latched onto it as a namesake for their own dark and macabre obsession with her. She performed songs from the album across the globe (including my personal favourite at the 2010 Brit Awards) and continued to be an inescapable, force of pop music. The album still sounds current, revolutionary and incredible to date and it's a very worthy winner of Buzzjack's favourite Gaga album. Paws up~

I usually do a throwback to one of my past personal charts in my weekly thread and this was the one for 2011 this week:

 

1. Lady Gaga - Hair [1-1]

2. The Saturdays - Notorious [4-2]

3. Lady Gaga - Judas [10-6-4-1-3-3-2-3-3]

4. Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk [31-13-1-2-4]

5. Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory [1-1-5-6-5]

6. Natalia Kills - Mirrors [7-2-3-3-2-5-6-5-6]

7. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass [8-8-7]

8. Olly Murs - Busy [1-1-1-2-4-2-4-7-8]

9. David Guetta feat. Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj - Where Them Girls At? [28-20-14-9]

10. Lady Gaga - Black Jesus/Amen Fashion [13-10]

 

...so you could say that I was a fan of the 'Born This Way' era :lol: what a masterpiece! But then 'The Fame Monster' actually tops it for me because almost every song is a 10/10 and that is so rare for me. Perfect top 2, both of these albums are in my all-time top 10... what a queen :wub:

Great write-up for The Fame Monster! Definitely her peak for me as an artistic piece and as a whole, as well as the right career move to make at that time - several elements she hasn't really managed to line up all at once since! - though I prefer some of her individual songs and don't feel a lot of TFM has aged as well as some of her other work.

TFM will remain as her biggest piece of leagacy but such a shame everything different she'll ever do will also be overshadowed by it

TOP 20 time, but first some STATS

 

ALBUM [songs remaining; percentage remaining]

 

THE FAME MONSTER [5/8; 62.50%]

BORN THIS WAY [6/17, 35.29%]

ARTPOP [3/15; 20.00%]

THE FAME [3/16; 18.75%]

JOANNE [2/14; 14.29%]

OTHER [1/11; 9.09%]

 

Which album will come out on top ;o

So pleased to see The Fame Monster come 1st :heart: Gaga at her musical peak (for me) - it still holds up so well almost a decade later.

 

Up in the clouds we'll be higher than ever

 

 

| 20 // So Happy I Could Die // The Fame Monster // 8.22

 

Back to singles now, and we open the top 20 with a PLEASANTLY surprising inclusion of So Happy I Could Die. I have always been a sucker for songs that are painfully heart-breaking but presented in an uplifting or positive way. For me, it's the best way to cope with pain and anxiety. This song, perfectly and explicitly explores this dichotomy. The song deals with alcoholism, addiction and sexuality and liberty. It's power and might was felt fully during The Monster Ball, where Gaga wore the living dress and ascended to the height of the stadiums - angelic and beautiful, the song really came to life. Through its lyrics, Gaga explores how alcohol and drugs can take you to a happy place, a state of mind where you can forget about your problems and ills and just... die, happy. It also has lesbian/sexuality themes too and Gaga herself claims the song was inspired by Lily Allen. I find the song so multi-layered and full of meaning. Every listen, depending on your mood, offers something new. An exciting, progressive and glistening song, that fully deserves its top 20 place. Higher than ever.

Yess what a track <3

ARTPOP is better than Joanne.

So Happy I Could Die is a gem :wub:

So Happy I Could Die is good!! Also correct album winner :wub:

'So Happy I Could Die' gives me ALL the feels :wub: it was an instant favourite for me from 'The Fame Monster' and still holds up well now.

So much luh for one of her best ever songs <3

I am beyond repentance

 

 

| 19 // Judas // Born This Way // 8.24

 

Let's do it again :kink: ~ Time for another single to drop out, and this time it's the second single from 'Born This Way', Judas. Before release, the song was described as "a highly evolved, Titanium-plated 'Bad Romance' from the year 2511 travelling half a millennium back in time to save music from a tidal wave of 'in the club'-obsessed pop drivel". When it dropped, the comparisons to Bad Romance were apparent - the crazed Monster chants were back but this time with a biblical twist. It's yet another song about falling for the wrong guy, and released around Easter time, here it's Jesus's betrayer Judas who is the love interest.

 

The music video (co-directed by Gaga herself) is one of her best. It features stunning cinematography, glorious settings, extravagant costumes, frantic choreography and one of the most compelling storylines she's ever had. Absolutely brimming with religious connotations, it was adorned by critics and fans and went on to be nominated for two awards at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. The song performed decently on the worldwide charts, largely due to riding off the hype that still continued from the BTW campaign and she performed it live multiple times. It remains a fun song, and continues to divide fans over whether it is the second coming of Bad Romance or just a song that should've remained album track or at least, later single in the album's life. Either way, it's explosive, so ear condoms at the ready and enjoy~

We're both convicted criminals of thought

 

 

| 18 // Sexxx Dreams // ARTPOP // 8.32

 

Next out it's one of Gaga's many "should've been a single" moments. Sexxx Dreams is about sexual fantasies and dreams and the undeniable thirst you have when lying in bed thinking about a lover. It is totally playful and incredibly fun, with an undeniably catchy chorus and one of her best middle-8s. It premiered in demo/snippet form and when performed at Swinefest, it became one that fans needed in full studio form. The end result did not disappoint, it showcased Gaga at her most sexual and highly-charged. Infidelity is something Gaga has explored previously and she returns to it here to show just how fun dangerous liaisons can be. Throughout the song, there is a dialogue between imaginary partners and it is through this that she truly explores the cheeky nature of playing while a boyfriend is away. The song won a poll which Gaga set up asking fans what they wanted to be a single, but alas as the era began to fall apart at the seams, it was never officially released. A total loss in my opinion - just imagine the music video!

Judas and Sexxx Dreams are both fab :wub: