Artpop
2013 studio album by Lady Gaga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Artpop (stylized in all caps) is the third studio album by American singer Lady Gaga.[a] It was released on November 6, 2013, by Streamline and Interscope Records. Gaga began planning the project in 2011, shortly after the launch of her second effort, Born This Way. Work continued until 2013 while Gaga was traveling for her Born This Way Ball tour and recovering from surgery for an injury she had sustained while touring. Gaga described Artpop as "a celebration and a poetic musical journey". It displays an intentional "lack of maturity and responsibility" compared to the darker and anthemic nature of Born This Way.
| Artpop | ||||
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| Released | November 6, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2012–2013 | |||
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| Length | 59:04 | |||
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Gaga collaborated with various producers on the record, including DJ White Shadow, Zedd, and Madeon. Musically, Artpop is an EDM and synth-pop album, with influences from R&B, techno, industrial, and dubstep, among other genres. The themes of the album revolve around Gaga's personal views of fame, sex, and self-empowerment; references include Greek and Roman mythology. It also features guest vocals from T.I., Too Short, Twista, and R. Kelly. On January 10, 2019, as a reaction to the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, Kelly's featured song, "Do What U Want", was removed from all streaming and online versions, as well as new vinyl and CD pressings of the album.
The release of Artpop was preceded by a two-day album release party dubbed ArtRave. While the album received generally mixed reviews from music critics, it was included in several year-end lists and has since earned positive retrospective reviews from critics and publications. It debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 258,000 copies, becoming Gaga's second consecutive number-one record in the country. It also topped the charts in Austria, Croatia, Japan, Mexico, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, while charting within the top five in many countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Artpop was the ninth-best-selling album globally of 2013, with 2.3 million copies worldwide. Despite this, the album was considered a commercial failure by some compared to Gaga's previous albums.
"Applause" was released as the lead single from Artpop on August 12, 2013. It was a critical and commercial success, charting within the top ten in more than 20 countries worldwide and peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The second single, "Do What U Want", was released on October 21 and reached number 13 in the US. It was followed by the promotional singles "Venus" and "Dope" shortly before the album's release. "G.U.Y." was the third and final single released from the album. Gaga promoted Artpop with several television appearances and performances, including her second Thanksgiving Day special. After a short residency at Roseland Ballroom, she embarked on her fourth headlining concert tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball.
Background
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Development of Artpop began shortly after the release of Lady Gaga's second studio album, Born This Way (2011),[2] and by the following year, its concepts were "beginning to flourish" as Gaga collaborated with producers Fernando Garibay and DJ White Shadow.[3][4] Initial recording sessions for Artpop coincided with the Born This Way Ball tour (2012–2013), during which up to 50 songs were sketched out and considered for inclusion.[5][6] By May 2012, the project was taking definite form, with co-manager Vincent Herbert promising "insane, great records".[7] Gaga wanted audiences to have "a really good time" with Artpop, engineering the album to mirror "a night at the club". "When you listen to it, it really flows nicely. It's really fun to pop in with your friends. I really wrote it for me and my friends to pop in from start to finish," she said in a 2013 interview for MTV.[8] Meanwhile, Gaga began presenting tracks to her record company and hoped to reveal the album's working title by September,[9] a title that was instead announced a month in advance.[10] Gaga later stated that Artpop was her first "real" effort and emulated a "phoenix rising from the ashes", reflecting her heightened confidence in writing material compared to her previous albums.[11]
Gaga recruited Jeff Koons into the project in early 2013; the two had previously met at a Metropolitan Museum of Art fashion event three years earlier, where Gaga provided a live performance. According to Koons, she "just kind of grabbed ahold of me and gave me a big hug around my waist" and replied, "You know, Jeff, I've been such a fan of yours, and when I was a kid just hanging out in Central Park I would talk to my friends about your work."[12] Following her hip surgery in February 2013, Gaga was forced into a six-month hiatus, during which she studied literature and music with her creative team, the Haus of Gaga, and shared "creative gifts".[13] This stage allowed her to review and enhance her creative direction, which she described as a meticulous "gazing process". She explained, "I have to gaze into the work for long periods of time for it to be good," adding that upon analyzing her ideas, she received "that wonderful feeling" that told her "that's the one".[13]
Conception
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Gaga described Artpop as "a celebration and a poetic musical journey" that displayed a "lack of maturity and responsibility", in contrast to the dark, anthemic nature of Born This Way.[15][16] In an August 2013 interview, she told V magazine that she underwent a "cosmetic experience with words" as she examined potential names for the project. "Popart" was initially favored, but as Gaga questioned "the cultural implication of the words" and the title's evolution post-release, she soon found a "nice ring" to "Artpop".[17] With Artpop, Gaga attempts to inject vulnerability into her work; she also cited Pierrot and Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus (c. 1484–1486) painting as an influence.[13][18] She also said that at the height of the Born This Way era, she had become increasingly self-conscious about her public image.[19] Explaining the concept behind Artpop, Gaga said she imagined standing before a mirror and removing the wigs, makeup, and elaborate costumes associated with her persona. She wanted to prove she could be artistically "brilliant" without them and to challenge herself to innovate from within.[20]
The album's themes primarily revolve around fame,[21] sex,[22][23] and empowerment,[21] while briefly exploring gender roles and marijuana.[24] References include Greek and Roman mythology, as well as the classic jazz and electronic musician Sun Ra.[25] Spencer Kornhaber from The Atlantic saw Artpop as an "attention-freak's manifesto" and interpreted the record's exploration of carnal desire as a facet of the broader idea of "owning up to one's own desire for attention".[23] John Aizlewood of the London Evening Standard suggested that songs such as "Do What U Want" and "Dope" highlighted Gaga's "curiously submissive" tendencies as a lyricist.[26] Jason Lipshutz from Billboard commented that Artpop "naturally abides" to her "far-reaching ambition" to "re-think the 'pop album' as an entity",[22] while Jerry Shriver of USA Today observed that the lyrics foretold "the exploits of an empowered, sexy siren who wrestles with fame", something he expected from Gaga.[21] Jon Pareles of The New York Times argued that, with Artpop, Gaga reasserted "her need for the love of her audience and announced her new pivot to align herself with the [visual] art world".[24]
Recording
Production
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Gaga composed and produced all the songs on the album, working with producers including DJ White Shadow, Zedd, and Madeon.[27] White Shadow told MTV that Gaga contacted him less than a week after the release of her previous album, Born This Way, saying she already "had the name and the general concept for the record".[28] In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said their goal was to create music that pushed listeners' expectations and experimented with ideas outside the norm. He added that many songs were written while Gaga was touring for the Born This Way Ball and that multiple tracks were often developed simultaneously until the final deadline for submission to Interscope.[29]
Zedd described the sessions as highly experimental, saying Gaga encouraged a completely open creative approach in which unconventional ideas were welcomed and songs did not need to conform to standard radio formats. He said the collaborators were not specifically trying to make an EDM album but also did not avoid the style. Zedd added that some material began from unusual prompts, recalling that one track originated after Gaga gave him a list of words describing an emotion and asked him to translate it into music.[30] He also said their work progressed slowly at times due to their busy schedules, and much of the material was developed while they were touring.[31]
For French DJ Madeon, the project marked his first experience collaborating face-to-face with a vocalist. He said he had long wanted to work with pop artists and that Gaga had been his top choice for collaboration.[32][33] Gaga praised Madeon's production abilities, saying he had a strong understanding of music despite his young age and describing him as deeply passionate about it.[34] Madeon later recalled that recording sessions often began after Gaga had finished performing shows on the Born This Way Ball tour.[32] Artpop also marked the first time she worked with will.i.am, on the track "Fashion!". Gaga said that they had been trying to work together for years, but both were very "picky" and had been waiting until they found the right song and musical style.[25]
Featured artists
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In mid-2013, Gaga contacted rappers T.I., Too Short, and Twista to record a song, later revealed as "Jewels n' Drugs".[35] Too Short said that he became involved after producer DJ White Shadow suggested him for the track, and he subsequently recorded his verse in Los Angeles.[36] In an interview with MTV, the artists confirmed that they recorded their verses separately because of scheduling constraints. Twista said Gaga wanted to bring together several artists with different styles to capture the atmosphere she envisioned for the song.[35] Gaga also worked with rapper Azealia Banks on two songs titled "Red Flame" and "Ratchet", though the tracks remained unreleased as their collaboration ended in a dispute.[37]
DJ White Shadow told the Chicago Tribune that while he was working on "Do What U Want" with Gaga during the European leg of the Born This Way Ball tour, he suggested bringing R. Kelly onto the track. He said it "seemed logical" to pair "two writing/singing geniuses".[38] Kelly later told Billboard that he enjoyed recording the song and praised Gaga's professionalism.[39] At a press conference in Japan in 2013, when Gaga was asked why she worked with Kelly, she defended the collaboration, saying that both she and Kelly had experienced false media coverage and that this created a sense of connection between them.[40] Following the broadcast of the documentary Surviving R. Kelly in January 2019, which detailed sexual abuse allegations against Kelly, Gaga apologized for working with him, stating that her thinking at the time had been "explicitly twisted" and that she had exercised "poor judgement".[40] The song was subsequently removed from all digital versions of Artpop, as well as later vinyl and CD pressings of the album.[41]
Composition
Music
Critics have described Artpop as an EDM and synth-pop album.[42][43][44] Billboard further described it as "coherently channeling R&B, techno, disco, and rock music".[45] Its electronic landscape was initially tailored for Born This Way before Gaga and Fernando Garibay opted for a rock-influenced sound.[46] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine stated that Gaga "continues to be a student" of Madonna as she mirrors Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) and "Holiday" (1983) with songs such as "Applause" and "Fashion!" and further saw Artpop as a pastiche of Gaga's previous efforts.[47] Adam Markovitz, writing for Entertainment Weekly, echoed this thought, writing that "most of the songs here would fit right in" with The Fame (2008) and Born This Way.[48] Mof Gimmers of The Quietus noticed a "tremendous juggernaut of pop" within the album's frame,[49] while Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph quipped "it's like wandering drunk around a vast, labyrinthine club, and peering into a disorienting series of darkened rooms in which she tries on various musical genres as if they were hats" in reference to the album's busy soundscape.[50] Ben Kelly from Attitude described Artpop as a "relentless odyssey of electronic sounds" pierced by "strong melodic refrains".[51] Aizlewood of the London Evening Standard said it was built to inspire "hair-waving, body-shaking routines at stadium shows", pinpointing "stentorian keyboards, clattering electro-percussion and thumping backbeats" as the bedrock of the album's production.[26]
Songs
The album begins with "Aura", a mariachi and EDM song[52] that is influenced by dubstep and Middle Eastern music.[53][54] It opens with Western-style guitars, Gaga's distorted vocals, and a "maniacal laugh".[55] Throbbing beats lead to the chorus, in which Gaga asks, "Do you wanna see the girl who lives behind the aura, behind the aura?"[55][56] She explained that in the song she expresses that just because she wears a lot of "visual fashion", "[it] doesn't mean that there is not sort of the same person underneath." These "veils" are protecting her creativity, and her "Aura" is the way that she deals with her "insanity".[25] The album continues with "Venus", a track that shows "retro-futuristic themes"[57] and presents Bowie-esque lyrics[57] about a psychedelic journey.[25] It mentions Venus, the Roman goddess of love, the eponymous planet, and sexual intercourse.[58] It is a synth-pop and dance-pop song.[59][60] Gaga said the lyrics are "about finding faith in other places, in the beyond", and also "about sex in the most mythological way."[25]
"G.U.Y." (an acronym for "Girl Under You") is an EDM song with industrial, R&B, and house elements,[21][61][62] which was described as a "shuddering dance siren that makes the distinction between gender equality and willful sexual submission".[58] The song involves the concept of new-wave feminism; it is "about being comfortable underneath, because you are strong enough to know that you don't have to be on top to know you're worth it".[25] "Sexxx Dreams" is a synth-pop song,[52][58] with production inspired by Prince and Vanity 6.[63][64] Its lyrics propose a sexual encounter with a lover whose boyfriend is gone for the weekend.[62] Throughout the song, Gaga alternates her vocal techniques between singing and speaking; the sung verses are addressed to her partner at her side, and the spoken ones to the person in her fantasy.[25] The fifth track on the album is "Jewels n' Drugs", a hip hop song with strong influences of trap music that tells a "tale of fame addiction".[52][58] The lyrics are an "ode to the love of the drug trade" and they are of the "classic rap style".[65][66]
The next song, "Manicure" (stylized as "MANiCURE") includes handclapping and Gaga shouting, "Man! Cure!" and funk guitar arrangements.[58] Its ambiguous lyrics are an "ode to superficial perks" and talk about physically and spiritually renewing oneself before "getting ready to go out and catch a man or catch a girl".[25][58] The song is "a lot more rock based than the songs before it on the album" and has "a real pop vibe".[66] "Do What U Want" is an electropop and R&B track,[67] drawing influence from 1980s-inspired throbbing synths and an electronic beat.[68] It has a "somewhat raunchy hook",[69] with Gaga and Kelly alternately singing the lines "Do what u want/ What u want with my body/ Do what u want/ What u want with my body/ Write what you want, say what you want about me/ If you're wondering, know that I'm not sorry".[70] The song's lyrics represent themes of sexual submissiveness, with Gaga telling off detractors and the press that her thoughts, dreams, and feelings are her own, no matter what one does with her body.[25][68]
The album's title track is a techno song[71] that has a beat similar to Selena Gomez's 2011 single "Love You like a Love Song" with its electronic composition, and a groove comparable to singer Kylie Minogue's 2001 hit single "Can't Get You Out of My Head".[63][72][73] The lyrics to "Artpop" have been interpreted as a statement about "the subjectivity of art",[74] and Gaga's virtual manifesto with the line "My artpop could mean anything"[72] tells the audience that she is "an artist that creates for the sake of creation".[58] Gaga explained that the lyrics were a metaphor about love with the chorus line "We could belong together, Artpop". She believed that if her fans and she could be together, that would probably mean a bonding for art and pop too.[25] "Swine" is a dubstep and industrial song with slight rock and roll influences.[58][75][76] It presents "synth washes, a ground-churning bass line, jittery keyboards, hiccuping vocal samples and crescendos leading to drops",[76] with Gaga "screaming and squealing throughout the track."[25] Gaga called "Swine" "very personal", as it is about "some of the more troubling and challenging sexual experiences" she had earlier in her life,[25] alluding to her rape at age 19 by a producer 20 years her senior.[77]
The tenth song is "Donatella", an "anthem for the outcasts"[58] and an "ode" to her friend Donatella Versace, the head of the Versace fashion house.[25] Gaga described it as "an incredible crazy fun pop song with really raising electronic beats" about being a fearless woman who is proud of herself.[78] "Fashion!" is a dance song with Daft Punk-influenced instrumentals that portrays Gaga's love for haute couture clothing.[57] Accompanied by a funky beat, the lyrics talk about "being able to get dressed up and feeling like you own the world".[25][79] Gaga's vocal delivery in the song has been compared to David Bowie's.[79][80] "Mary Jane Holland" is a dance and synth-pop song with "whirring beats" that talks about using marijuana and "having a great time".[58] Gaga used the name Mary Jane Holland as an alter ego for herself when she got "stoned" in Amsterdam with her friends. She explained that smoking marijuana helped her escape the pressures of fame and do whatever she wanted.[25] "Dope" is an electronic rock lament[81] where Gaga's singing is the focal point of the song, with only piano sounds and distant synths accompanying her "intoxicated", "slur"-like vocals.[52][81] To give the production an intimate feeling and make it emotional, no pitch correction was used for Gaga's voice.[24] According to Gaga, the track is the "sad part" of the story of "Mary Jane Holland". It is about how she developed an addiction to marijuana, using it as a coping mechanism for anxiety, which eventually made her feel more "paranoid" and less "articulate".[25] Gaga intended the song to be an apology to everybody who dealt with her during this period.[25]
"Gypsy" is a Europop[54] and electropop song[52] with classic rock and house influences[58][82] that contains "barroom ivory-tickling" and a "swooping hook".[48] The composition is in a sing-along style, with Gaga belting out "I don't wanna be alone forever, but I can be tonight" during the chorus, talking about navigating an unknown road based only on her instincts.[58] Gaga described the song as being about travelling the world and the loneliness associated with it. The song showcases Gaga's fans as being the people with whom she feels at home, therefore not feeling alone whenever she is in a different country. The lyrics also talk about falling in love while being true to oneself, which was the initial inspiration for the track.[25] Artpop's last song is "Applause", which spans genres such as electropop and Eurodance.[83][84] It features "pulsating synths" and "stuttering synthesizers",[85][86] which return Gaga to her career roots by mirroring the sounds of her debut album, The Fame.[87] Gaga's vocal acrobatics during the song's verses have been compared to those of Annie Lennox and Grace Jones.[83] According to Gaga, the song's lyrics highlight the difference between an artist and a celebrity.[88] She elaborated, "I live for the applause but I don't live for the attention in the way that people just love you because you're famous. I live for actually performing for people and then them applauding because they've been entertained."[25] Gaga also takes shots at those who attempt to analyze her work with the line, "I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong/ To crash the critic saying, 'Is it right or is it wrong?'".[87]
Release
Announcements
In August 2012, after getting a matching tattoo, Gaga announced on her social media that the record would be titled Artpop, stating she preferred it capitalized.[89] The album was originally expected to be released in early 2013 but was indefinitely postponed after Gaga developed synovitis and a labral tear in her hip that required surgical correction, which resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the Born This Way Ball tour.[90][91] In July 2013, Gaga confirmed that Artpop would be released on November 11, 2013, in the United States. Album pre-orders were initially scheduled for September 1, 2013, but were moved to August 19 "due to public anticipation", and ultimately to August 12 to coincide with the early release of "Applause".[92]
The track listing was unveiled on October 9, 2013, through a series of fan posts, retweeted by Gaga, that featured a mural painted outside the Los Angeles recording studio where the album was completed. The reveal had originally been scheduled for September 29, but Gaga later explained on Twitter that it was delayed because two songs were competing for the twelfth slot on the album.[93]
Artwork
On October 7, 2013, Gaga unveiled the album cover for Artpop on Clear Channel billboards around the world. Created by Jeff Koons, the image features a nude sculpture of Gaga with a blue gazing ball placed in front of her, set against a collage of classical artworks.[94] Koons explained that he wanted to depict Gaga as a sculptural, three-dimensional figure accompanied by a gazing ball, a recurring motif in his work intended to evoke reflection and the viewer's presence. The background contains fragments of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Apollo and Daphne, referencing the myth in which Daphne transforms into a tree while being pursued by Apollo. Koons noted that Apollo, as the god of music, symbolized transformation through artistic expression. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus was also incorporated, presenting Gaga in the role of Venus and representing beauty, creativity, and the pursuit of aesthetic transcendence.[12] The Birth of Venus also inspired the music video for "Applause" and Gaga's performance of the song at the MTV Video Music Awards.[94] Koons also enlisted Japanese psychology professor and artist Akiyoshi Kitaoka to create optical illusions for the CD interior, including a version of his "Hatpin urchin" illusion printed on the disc itself.[95]
Will Gompertz of NME described the cover as "a classic", praising both its typography and visual presentation, and adding, "When you're listing the 100 best covers of the 21st century, this will be right up there."[96] Later, Gaga revealed on her Facebook page that the first 500,000 physical copies of Artpop featured the album title cut out in hot pink metallic foil with additional silver foil, reflecting the design concept envisioned by Koons, who hand-collaged the typography.[97]
In January 2014, China's Ministry of Culture approved the uncensored release of Artpop in China, making it her first album to be released there after she was blacklisted by the government for "inappropriate" music in 2011.[98] For the Chinese edition, the cover art was modified: Gaga's legs were covered with black stockings, and the blue gazing ball was enlarged to conceal her breasts.[99]
Mobile app
In addition to traditional CD and digital formats, Gaga announced plans for a multimedia app that "combines music, art, fashion, and technology with a new interactive worldwide community".[100][101] She expressed her goal to "bring ARTculture into POP in a reverse Warholian expedition."[102] It was developed by the Haus of Gaga technology division, TechHaus.[103][104][105] The app, which featured bonus content, was compatible with both Android and iOS devices.[106][107] It was the third album app to be released in mainstream commercial markets after Björk's Biophilia (2011) and Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013).[108] Relative Wave, the architects behind Björk's app, took nearly a year to develop the Artpop app.[109]
Some dismissed the project as an elaborate ploy to inflate album sales, under the assumption Billboard would count a downloaded track as a complete unit.[110] Bill Werde, Billboard's editorial director, addressed these concerns in July 2013. He explained that the Artpop app would be free and fans could purchase the album through it; such purchases would count toward Billboard charts because they were processed by existing digital retailers. He also clarified that buying a single track through the app would not count as an album sale. He noted that the model differed from the Samsung-sponsored release of Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail, which distributed the album for free via an app.[110] Gaga had also planned to release some of the songs that did not make the final album cut via the app, including a track called "Brooklyn Nights", as she "wanted to spend more time" on them, though this plan remained unfulfilled.[111]
Promotion
Singles
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"Applause" was released as the lead single on August 12, 2013, ahead of schedule due to multiple leaks.[112] The single impacted mainstream radio stations in the United States on August 19, 2013.[113] It received favorable reviews from music critics, who found it "a return to Gaga's club-friendly Fame era".[114] It charted in the top ten in a number of nations, peaking at number four in the United States.[115] An accompanying music video to "Applause" was premiered and broadcast on jumbotrons across Times Square after her interview on Good Morning America on August 19, 2013. It was shot in Los Angeles by Dutch photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.[112][116] It features Gaga in scenes such as being in a birdcage, transforming into a black swan–human hybrid, and dancing in a black-glove bra.[117] Critics reviewed the video positively, noting it was in "typical Gaga fashion",[118][119] and noted references to German Expressionist cinema and Andy Warhol.[120][121]
On September 3, 2013, Gaga started polls on Twitter asking fans to help her choose the second single from Artpop, listing "Manicure", "Sexxx Dreams", "Aura", and "Swine" as options.[122] Gaga revealed the next month that "Venus" had been selected as the second single,[123] though the popularity of the planned promotional single "Do What U Want" led to its single release instead.[124] It received a generally positive response from reviewers, who complimented its chorus and found it a potential radio hit.[125][126] The song peaked within the top 10 in some countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, and South Korea,[127][128][129] as well as the top 20 in other nations, including Germany, Sweden, and the United States.[130][131][132] An alternate studio version of "Do What U Want", in which Kelly's original vocals are replaced with new verses sung by Christina Aguilera, was released on January 1, 2014.[133] Two promotional singles were made available from Artpop preceding the album's release: "Venus" on October 28, 2013, and "Dope" on November 4, 2013.[134] The latter reached a top 10 position on the Billboard Hot 100 and in some European countries, becoming her highest-charting promotional single to date.[135][136][137]
"G.U.Y.", the third and final single release, impacted mainstream radio stations in the United States on April 8, 2014.[138] It had a mixed reception from music critics; some found it catchy[139] and one of the standout tracks from Artpop,[58][140] while others criticized its production and the lyrics.[141][142] The song debuted on the record charts of a few countries but failed to enter the top ten in most of them. It was accompanied by a music video, shot at Hearst Castle and directed by Gaga, which also incorporated parts of the tracks "Artpop", "Venus", and "Manicure" in addition to "G.U.Y.".[143] The video shows Gaga as a wounded fallen angel who, after being revived by her followers in a pool, takes revenge on the men who hunted her. Critics noted the video's "heavy dose of camp and pop culture" and references to Greek mythology.[144][145]
Live performances and other gigs
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On December 25, 2012, Gaga announced a documentary celebrating "life, the creation of Artpop + you", which she described as a gift to her fans.[146][147] The documentary was directed by Terry Richardson, a previous collaborator on the photography book Lady Gaga x Terry Richardson, but remained unreleased.[146][148] Gaga opened the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards with a performance of "Applause", dissecting her career through a series of colorful costumes and wigs.[149] She then headlined the iTunes Festival on September 1, 2013, and performed new material for a crowd of 5,000 people.[150] Gaga dubbed her gig "SwineFest" after one of the songs, "Swine", that she debuted during the event.[151] For the song "Jewels n' Drugs" Gaga was joined onstage by Too Short and Twista—T.I., initially a part of the show, was unable to participate in the festival after his entry into the United Kingdom was denied.[152] While dismissing some performed songs, journalists had a mostly positive response to Gaga's set.[14][151][153] The show was recorded and later included on a second disc with the deluxe edition of Artpop.[154] On September 9, Gaga performed "Applause" on Good Morning America and appeared dressed as multiple characters from The Wizard of Oz.[155]
A trailer for Machete Kills, in which Gaga played La Chameleón, was released on October 4 and previewed an alternative studio version of "Aura".[156][157] The song's lyric video, directed by Robert Rodriguez, was uploaded onto Gaga's Vevo account five days later, featuring scenes and dialogue from the film.[158] Excerpts of "G.U.Y.", "Artpop", and "Mary Jane Holland" were released periodically over the course of two weeks from October 14 to 28.[159][160][161] On October 24, promotional listening sessions of Artpop were organized in Berlin, where Gaga provided a live rendition of "Gypsy".[162] She then made an unannounced appearance at London's G-A-Y nightclub two days later and performed "Venus",[163] generating controversy when she stripped naked during the show.[164][165] On October 27, Gaga also played "Venus" alongside "Do What U Want" on the tenth series of The X Factor in the United Kingdom.[166] The performance prompted a barrage of complaints to ITV and industry regulator Ofcom, although the network dismissed them.[167][168][169] Gaga returned to the United States the following week for a performance of "Dope" at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards[170] and continued to play material from Artpop on The Howard Stern Show,[171] Saturday Night Live,[172] and at the American Music Awards.[173]
The night before the release of Artpop, Gaga hosted an album release party, dubbed "ArtRave". It took place in a large warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York and included a press conference and a live performance. During the press conference, Gaga unveiled "the world's first flying dress" and new works by Inez and Vinoodh, avant-garde theater director Robert Wilson, performance artist Marina Abramović, and artist Jeff Koons.[174] Gaga performed a concert consisting of nine songs from Artpop, which was streamed live on Vevo and later rebroadcast through the website's syndication partners.[175][176] It received positive reviews from critics, who complimented Gaga's performance and enthusiasm.[174][177][178]
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Gaga's second Thanksgiving Day television special, Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular, aired on November 28 and included performances of "Artpop" with Elton John, "Fashion!" with RuPaul, and "Gypsy" with Kermit the Frog.[179] Some critics praised Gaga for being relatable,[180][181] while others criticized her for using the holiday special as a mere promotional vehicle.[182][183] Performances continued in December with an appearance at the British chat show Alan Carr: Chatty Man,[184] a headlining concert at the Jingle Bell Ball,[185] and a performance in the fifth-season finale of The Voice.[186] On February 18, 2014, Gaga performed the title track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,[187] and on March 13, she headlined the SXSW festival and performed further songs from the album.[188] The performance of "Swine" received backlash for its inclusion of performance artist Millie Brown, who vomited different colored goo on Gaga as a metaphor for rape.[189][190]
Residency and tour
From March 28 to April 7, 2014, Gaga played the final shows at New York's famed Roseland Ballroom before its closure. Her residency, titled Lady Gaga Live at Roseland Ballroom, was originally announced with four shows, though three additional dates were later added due to popular demand.[191][192][193] As an homage to the venue, the stage was decorated with roses, and Gaga's wardrobe was also rose themed.[194] The residency received positive reviews from music critics, who found it a better representation of Gaga's abilities as an entertainer than her previous campaigns for Artpop.[195][196] The residency sold out at above-average ticket prices for the venue; the seven dates sold 24,532 tickets and grossed $1.5 million.[197][198]
On May 4, 2014, Gaga embarked on the ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour in support of the album, which encompassed 79 dates and concluded with a livestreamed show in Paris, France.[199] The show's costume designers and choreographers aspired to make a single, coherent show, and the lighting fixtures were designed and programmed to create "an immersive rave" experience.[200][201][202] The tour garnered praise for its entertainment value and Gaga's vocal skills,[203][204] although the setlist was criticized.[205][206] It grossed $83 million from 920,088 sold tickets at the 74 performances reported to Billboard Boxscore.[207]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.0/10[208] |
| Metacritic | 61/100[209] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [210] |
| The A.V. Club | C−[42] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[48] |
| The Guardian | [54] |
| NME | 6/10[211] |
| Pitchfork | 7.3/10[212] |
| Robert Christgau | A[213] |
| Rolling Stone | [27] |
| Slant Magazine |  [47] |
| Spin | 6/10[214] |
Artpop received mixed responses from music critics.[215] Metacritic calculated an average score of 61 out of 100 based on 30 reviews from critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[209] Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly stated that many of the album's songs were "enjoyable but well-worn", further commending the execution of the album and the "melodic lines" of the songs. However, he noted that Artpop generally failed to make an overall impression.[216] Jerry Shriver, writing for USA Today, wrote that the record was not "consistently entertaining", although he noted that the album was mostly intended for Gaga's fans and not for general listeners.[21] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani provided a favorable review, praising its sounds and structures,[47] while Jason Lipshutz from Billboard commended Gaga's effort to make "absolutely certain that every inch of her craft evolves and innovates".[22] In a positive review, an editor of The Daily Beast declared that "there were moments of expected genius on it worthy of Grammy consideration."[217]
Robert Copsey from Digital Spy felt that several songs sounded "half-finished", though he suggested that the album had more good songs than bad ones.[218] Helen Brown, writing in The Daily Telegraph, criticized Gaga's choice to do another album "themed around her own stardom" (after The Fame and The Fame Monster) and commented that although Gaga approached different genres of music, "she doesn't do anything wildly original with them, but she has fun". Brown, however, praised the album as "great for dancing".[50] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian suggested there was "some decent pop" on Artpop but thought the art was "rather harder to discern".[54] The Independent's Andy Gill commented, "It's hard not to feel underwhelmed by Artpop", while Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone called it "a bizarre album of squelchy disco" and "sexual but not sexy".[219][27]
Some journalists[weasel words] felt that the more mixed response from critics in comparison to Gaga's previous work was unfair and stemmed from a focus on Gaga and not the album. Nick Messitte of Forbes condemned music critics, denouncing their reviews as "incoherent" and focused on the "artist over the art itself", and accused them of "bend[ing] over backwards to mention everything else before the music". He summarized that Artpop "delivers a welcome departure from standardized verse-chorus structures" and is a "bold" effort.[220] Ed Potton of The Times concurred, stating, "It's a wonder you can hear Lady Gaga's third studio album over the sound of knives being sharpened" following her previous album, Born This Way, a work to which he felt Artpop was far superior.[221] Robert Christgau, writing for The Barnes & Noble Review, wrote that the record's "critical reaction [was] clueless" and named Artpop "2013's most underrated album".[222] In a positive retrospective review, Claire Lobenfeld of Pitchfork called it Gaga's "most divisive and conceptually ambitious album".[212]
Artpop was included in several year-end lists by music critics and publications. In their list of the "15 Best Albums of 2013", Billboard ranked it at 14th place, stating that it "is the statement of a singer-songwriter who wants to be more than a pop artist" and "hasn't lost her touch for creating otherworldly hooks".[223] Digital Spy similarly included Artpop at number 21 on its "30 Best Albums of 2013" list,[224] while Popjustice ranked the album sixth on its "Top 33 Albums of 2013" list, calling it "amazing".[225] Robert Christgau named Artpop the sixth-best album of 2013 in his year-end list. In an accompanying essay for The Barnes & Noble Review, "since unlike the young I'm never bombarded by EDM synths at medically inadvisable volumes, this was not only the rawk album of the year for me, it sounded fresh. Really, who needs guitars?"[222]
Commercial performance
Artpop debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 258,000 copies sold in its first week, earning Gaga her second consecutive number-one album. It also achieved the country's fourth-largest sales week for a female artist in 2013, behind Beyoncé's self-titled album, Katy Perry's Prism, and Miley Cyrus's Bangerz.[226][227] The following week, the record dropped to number eight on the Billboard 200 selling fewer than 46,000 copies, an 82% decrease, making Gaga the first artist to have two albums in the top five list of all-time biggest second-week percentage drops in the Nielsen SoundScan era.[228] In its third week, as part of promotions for Black Friday, Artpop was discounted at retailers such as Amazon MP3, Walmart, and Target, rising to number seven with 116,000 units sold.[229] As of 2019, Artpop had sold 781,000 copies in the United States (including 477,000 from physical CD and vinyl sales)[230][231] and has since been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for surpassing one million album-equivalent units.[232] Following Gaga's Super Bowl LI halftime show performance in 2017, Artpop re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 174, selling 5,000 total album-equivalent units.[233]
In Canada, the record entered the Canadian Albums Chart at number three selling 25,000 copies,[234] and earned a Platinum certification from Music Canada in its first week for shipping 80,000 copies.[235] On the first day of its availability in Japan, charts provider Oricon reported that Artpop sold 18,109 physical albums, reaching number two. This was 5,000 copies behind Jin Akanishi's #Justjin, but outperformed Avril Lavigne's self-titled album by 4,000 copies.[236] It sold 58,493 copies, debuting atop the Oricon Albums Chart.[237]
Artpop also entered the UK Albums Chart at number one with first-week sales of 65,608 copies, making Gaga the third female solo artist in chart history to top the chart with each of her first three studio albums, following Lavigne and Susan Boyle.[238] It fell to number nine in its second week, selling 15,948 copies.[239] The album has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 256,000 registered units.[240][241] In Australia, Artpop opened at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart selling 15,685 copies.[242] In France, Artpop has sold 65,000 copies.[243]
In 2013, the album sold 2.3 million units worldwide, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), making it the ninth-best-selling album of the year.[244] It had sold 2.5 million copies by July 2014.[245] The album's commercial performance led numerous publications to suggest it fell short of sales expectations,[246][247][248][249] while some called it a commercial failure compared to Gaga's previous albums.[250][251][252] Due to claims of the album's alleged underperformance, Gaga publicly addressed rumors that its sales lost her label $25 million and led to staff layoffs, calling them fake.[253]
Legacy
Aftermath and artistic shift
The mixed reception of Artpop marked a turning point in Gaga's career. In a 2025 interview, she described the backlash as "very impactful… much more impactful than any other criticism for any artwork", calling the experience "hard".[254] Writing for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan argued that the album's emphasis on high-concept imagery had begun to eclipse Gaga's music, with her public persona "spiralling into parody" amid declining commercial momentum.[255] In the years that followed, she moved away from her established pop sound, pursuing projects in other genres and media, including jazz recordings with Tony Bennett, acting roles, and the more stripped-down, Americana-influenced album Joanne (2016), a shift often interpreted as a move toward more restrained and emotionally direct work.[254]
Planned sequel
In October 2012, Gaga considered Artpop "a bit more modern" and mentioned the possibility of splitting the project into a two-volume record; the first would contain the "commercial songs", while the second would feature the "experimental material".[256] In October 2013, Gaga hinted that she had "lots of songs for Act 2".[257] The following month, she mentioned "Act 2" again, noting it might be released before her tour so she could "play both acts on the tour". She dismissed her previous idea of splitting the album, explaining that "this was during the inception of the record and I wasn't even quite sure what Artpop meant yet".[258] In her keynote interview at SXSW, Gaga confirmed that Artpop could have more than two acts, adding that its second act was complete but not ready for release.[259] In April 2014, Gaga stated there was "a strong possibility" she would release another volume of Artpop; however, this plan never materialized.[260]
In April 2021, after DJ White Shadow posted an April Fool's joke about the release of Artpop unreleased track "Tea", fans started a petition for Gaga to release the second volume of the album. He promised to send the petition to Gaga if it reached 10,000 signatures. After the petition garnered over 20,000 signatures in a day, White Shadow discussed his experience on Instagram and confirmed he had shared the campaign with Gaga. He wrote, "[S]he has feelings (like any other normal person) and this 'era' was a hard time for her too. I am sure she will be okay with revisiting it one day and building on it when the time is right." He added, "[C]ontinue to get your message to the people in charge. You have the power, don't give up."[261] Gaga responded to the campaign on Twitter, describing the album's creation as "like heart surgery" during a time of desperation and pain. She expressed gratitude that fans celebrated "something that once felt like destruction".[262] After Gaga's acknowledgment of the campaign and the #BuyARTPOPoniTunes trend, the petition reached 40,000 signatures on Change.org.[263]
At a fan event and press conference held in February 2025, Gaga stated that while a second volume was "not impossible", it remained unlikely in its originally envisioned form. She explained that unreleased material had been excluded for artistic reasons and rejected the idea of compiling demos into a follow-up release. Instead, she suggested that any continuation would need to feel conceptually purposeful and "reactionary" to the cultural context, adding that she would need to return to the same creative mindset to properly complete the project.[264]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Artpop.[265]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Aura" | 3:55 | ||
| 2. | "Venus" | 3:53 | ||
| 3. | "G.U.Y." |
|
| 3:52 |
| 4. | "Sexxx Dreams" |
| 3:34 | |
| 5. | "Jewels n' Drugs" (featuring T.I., Too Short, and Twista) |
| 3:48 | |
| 6. | "Manicure" |
| 3:19 | |
| 7. | "Do What U Want" (featuring R. Kelly[c]) |
|
| 3:47 |
| 8. | "Artpop" |
| 4:07 | |
| 9. | "Swine" |
| 4:28 | |
| 10. | "Donatella" |
|
| 4:24 |
| 11. | "Fashion!" |
| 3:59 | |
| 12. | "Mary Jane Holland" |
|
| 4:37 |
| 13. | "Dope" |
|
| 3:41 |
| 14. | "Gypsy" |
|
| 4:08 |
| 15. | "Applause" |
| 3:32 | |
| Total length: | 59:04 | |||
Notes
- ^[a] – co-producer
- ^[b] – additional producer
- ^[c] – "Do What U Want" was removed from digital stores and streaming services on January 10, 2019, due to the sexual abuse allegations against R. Kelly.[267][268] On November 11, 2019, when the album was re-issued on CD and vinyl, "Do What U Want" was excluded from the track list.[269]
- "Venus" contains a publishing sample from "Rocket Number 9", written by Sun Ra, and a sample of "Rocket n°9" by Zombie Zombie.[265]
- "Manicure" is stylized as "MANiCURE".
- "Artpop" is stylized as "ARTPOP".
- On censored versions of the album, "Sexxx Dreams" is titled "X Dreams", and the title of "Jewels n' Drugs" is bowdlerized as "Jewels n' *****".[270]
- The deluxe edition bonus DVD features live performances from the iTunes Festival, including "Aura", "Manicure", "Artpop", "Jewels n' Drugs", "Sexxx Dreams", "Swine", "I Wanna Be with You", and "Applause".[154]
- The Walmart and Japanese CD editions include two "Applause" bonus remix tracks: the DJ White Shadow Electrotech remix and the Viceroy remix.[271][272]
- The Japanese CD and iTunes Store editions also include the "Applause" bonus remix track, the Empire of the Sun remix.[272][273]
- The Japanese deluxe edition bonus DVD includes an original Japanese video interview.[274]
- The Japanese 10th Anniversary edition bonus DVD includes an Artpop Japan press conference from December 1, 2013, and the arrival at Narita International Airport on August 12, 2014.[275]
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Artpop.[265]
Performers
- Lady Gaga – production, vocals (all tracks); bass arrangement (2); guitar arrangement (4, 8, 14); synth arrangement (7); backing vocals arrangement (8, 9, 14); piano arrangement (8, 14); piano (13); executive producer
- Doug Aldrich – guitar (6)
- Sean C. Erick – horn (6)
- Natalie Ganther – backing vocals (5, 8, 9, 14)
- Nicole Ganther – backing vocals (5, 8, 9, 14)
- Lyon Gray – backing vocals (5, 8, 9, 14)
- R. Kelly – vocals (7)
- Jason Lader – digital editing, keyboards, recording (13)
- Hugo Leclercq – arrangement, co-production, synth parts (2); drum programming (12); mixing, production (12, 14)
- Donnie Lyle – bass guitar (4); musical director for R. Kelly (7)
- Adam MacDougall – keyboards (13)
- Nick Monson – additional production (2, 4); bass arrangement, synth parts (2); co-production (5, 6, 8, 9, 15); guitar arrangement (8)
- Rick Pearl – additional programming (4, 6, 8, 9, 15); programming (5)
- Pierre-Luc Rioux – guitar (11)
- Leon H. Silva – horn (6)
- Tim Stewart – guitar (2, 4, 6, 7, 14)
- T.I. – rap (5)
- Ricky Tillo – guitar (12)
- Joanne Tominaga – arrangement, instrumentation
- Too Short – rap (5)
- Giorgio Tuinfort – instrumentation, piano, production, programming, recording (11)
- Twista – rap (5)
- Bijon S. Watson – horn (6)
- will.i.am – instrumentation, production, programming, vocal recording (11)
- Kevin Williams – horn (6)
Production and recording
- Gretchen Anderson – production
- George Atkins – recording (11)
- Sam Biggs – recording assistant (11)
- Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair – production (4–9, 15); co-executive producer
- Delbert Bowers – mixing assistant (2, 5, 12–14)
- Elliot Carter – additional recording (5)
- Jon Castelli – mixing (9)
- Dave "Squirrel" Covell – recording assistant (13)
- Daddy's Groove – mixing (11)
- Lisa Einhorn-Gilder – production coordinator
- Steve Faye – recording assistant (13, 14)
- Chris Galland – mixing assistant (2, 5, 12–14)
- Abel Garibaldi – recording (R. Kelly's vocals) (7)
- Gene Grimaldi – mastering
- David Guetta – production (11)
- Vincent Herbert – A&R, executive producer
- Justin Hergett – mixing assistant (9)
- Ryan Hewitt – recording (13)
- Ghazi Hourani – additional recording (2, 4, 7, 14); mixing assistant (4, 6, 7, 15); recording assistant (5)
- Infected Mushroom – production (1)
- Eric Lynn – recording assistant (13)
- Bill Malina – additional recording (2, 6, 13, 14); additional mixing (4, 6, 7, 15); guitar arrangement (4); recording (4, 5, 7, 14)
- Manny Marroquin – mixing (2, 5, 12–14)
- Tony Maserati – mixing (9)
- Ian Mereness – recording (R. Kelly's vocals) (7)
- Sean Oakley – recording (13)
- Benjamin Rice – recording assistant (1–10, 12, 14, 15); mixing assistant (4, 6–8, 15); recording (4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 14); programming assistant (9)
- Andrew Robertson – recording assistant (4, 6, 12, 14, 15)
- Rick Rubin – production (13)
- Dave Russell – recording (1–10, 12, 14, 15); mixing (6–8, 15)
- Andrew Scheps – additional mixing (13)
- Ryan Shanahan – mixing assistant (1, 3, 10)
- Zane Shoemake – recording assistant (R. Kelly vocals) (7)
- Joshua Smith – recording assistant (13)
- Jesse Taub – mixing assistant (1, 3, 10)
- Austin Thomas – recording assistant (4)
- Daniel Zaidenstadt – recording assistant (4, 5, 8, 9, 14); additional recording (5, 9)
- Zedd – mixing, production (1, 3, 10)
- Dino Zisis – additional mixing (4, 7–9); additional production (4); co-production (5, 6, 8, 9, 15)
Design
- Frederic Aspiras – hair
- Sonja Durham – instructional voice (3); creative coordination
- Jeff Koons – album cover, package design
- Brandon Maxwell – fashion director
- Julian Peploe – text layout
- Tara Savelo – makeup
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina[341] | Gold | |
| Australia (ARIA)[342] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[343] | Gold | 7,500* |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[344] | Platinum | 40,000* |
| Canada (Music Canada)[235] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
| Colombia[345] | Gold | |
| France (SNEP)[346] | Platinum | 65,000[243] |
| Hungary (MAHASZ)[347] | Gold | 1,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI)[348] | Gold | 30,000* |
| Japan (RIAJ)[349] | Platinum | 195,712[324] |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[350] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[351] | Platinum | 15,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[352] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[353] | Gold | 10,000* |
| South Korea | — | 3,856[354] |
| Spain (Promusicae)[355] | Gold | 20,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[356] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[357] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[240] | Gold | 256,000[241] |
| United States (RIAA)[358] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
| Summaries | ||
| Worldwide (IFPI) | — | 2,500,000[245] |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | November 6, 2013 |
|
Universal Music | [272] [274] [359] |
| Australia | November 8, 2013 | [360] [361] [362] | ||
| France | Digital download | [363] | ||
| Germany |
|
[154] [364] [365] | ||
| Italy | Digital download | [366] | ||
| United Kingdom | Polydor | [367] | ||
| France | November 11, 2013 |
|
Universal Music | [368] [369] |
| United Kingdom | Polydor | [370] [371] | ||
| United States |
|
|
[372] [373] | |
| Italy | November 12, 2013 |
|
Universal Music | [374] [375] |
| Poland | CD | [376] | ||
| China | January 21, 2014 | [377] | ||
| Germany | February 21, 2014 | LP | [378] | |
| Australia | February 28, 2014 | [379] | ||
| France | March 3, 2014 | [380] | ||
| United Kingdom | Polydor | [381] | ||
| United States | March 24, 2014 |
|
[382] | |
| Japan | December 6, 2023 | CD+DVD | Universal Music | [383] |
Notes
- Occasionally, Gaga's debut album The Fame (2008) and its reissue The Fame Monster (2009) are counted separately, which would make Artpop her fourth studio album.[1]