In preparation for Friday’s release of “Joanne,” Weekend reviews Lady Gaga’s discography so far.
“The Fame”
When “The Fame” came out back in 2008, it was a blast. It featured catchy, high-energy dance anthems like “LoveGame,” “Poker Face” and “Paparazzi” that quickly became radio hits.
With this daring debut album and its fresh pop songs, she won a Grammy in 2010 for Best Dance/Electronic Album and was nominated for Album of the Year.
“The Fame Monster”
While technically an extension off “The Fame,” “The Fame Monster” was the very record that sent Lady Gaga into the stratosphere as one of the biggest pop idols of the time, if not the biggest.
The lead single “Bad Romance” sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. Other tracks like “Alejandro,” “Telephone” and “Teeth” are also gems.
“Born This Way”
With the massive success of “Bad Romance,” it seemed nearly impossible for Lady Gaga to follow up with another record. With “Born this Way,” Gaga provided an entire tracklist of material that was not only as good, but better than her previous recordings.
To many, this may always be Gaga’s magnum opus. This album gave Gaga her third consecutive Album of the Year Grammy nomination, the only artist to do since the Beatles.
“Artpop”
Gaga’s third studio album “Artpop” took a more surreal and quirky direction than the anthemic power of “Born this Way.” The album’s themes mostly revolved around Gaga’s take on sex, love, empowerment and addiction.
The album was also Gaga’s first big step away from “traditional” pop music. With production help from electronic powerhouses Zedd and David Guetta, “Artpop” is an labyrinth of techno, R&B and rock — and it’s pure Gaga.
“Cheek to Cheek”
Perhaps the most deviant of all her records, “Cheek to Cheek” is a jazz album recorded with legendary singer Tony Bennett. The LP is compiled of beautiful covers like “Anything Goes,” “Nature Boy” and “Firefly,” which all show off the gorgeous range of Gaga’s voice.
While not terribly well-received, it is still a lovely album that proves Gaga is capable of more than just techno-pop music.
Weekend's ranking of Gaga's 10 best songs:
10. “Just Dance”
9. “Poker Face”
8. “Telephone”
7. “Til It Happens to You”
6. “Marry the Night”
5. “Venus”
4. “The Edge of Glory”
3. “Born this Way”
2. "Bad Romance"
1. “You & I”
