Calling all Little Monsters! Join us as we rank every Lady Gaga studio album, from her debut "The Fame" to "Mayhem"! We'll explore Gaga's evolution, from her early pop anthems to her experimental phases. Get ready for a deep dive into "The Fame Monster," "Born This Way," "Chromatica," "Artpop," and more. Where does "Joanne" fit in? And how do the soundtrack albums measure up? Which album reigns supreme in our ranking? Tune in to find out!
00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today, we're ranking every studio album by one of pop music's most versatile musicians, Lady Gaga.
00:20Number 7. Art Pop
00:22Coming in last place is the phenomenal 2013 album Art Pop.
00:34It's almost entirely EDM, and since the EDM trend had started to die down by 2013, Gaga came to the scene quite late.
00:42Despite this, Art Pop has become widely adored by her Little Monsters, but is still her most divisive album overall.
00:48Its most successful song is Easily Applause, which became an international sensation.
01:00Interestingly, over 40,000 fans petitioned for a sequel in 2021.
01:06Since the original was recorded at a difficult time for Gaga, she doesn't seem eager to follow it up.
01:11Even though it is a remarkable album, something has to come last.
01:18Number 6. Joanne
01:24Her 2016 release is easily the closest she's come to creating a rock album.
01:37She collaborated with some big names for this one, like Tame Impala, Josh Homme, and even Florence Welch.
01:42Its reception was much less divisive than Art Pop's, earning her a Grammy nomination.
01:47The era was also defined by Gaga's departure from her eccentric outfits.
01:58The country elements in the release also inspired a trend, with both Miley Cyrus and Kylie Minogue releasing country albums in the following years.
02:06Perfect Illusion was its lead single, which performed well.
02:09It was followed by the emotional ballad Million Reasons, which has become the album's most popular track.
02:15As I bow down to prayer, I try to make the world seem better.
02:23Number 5. The Fame
02:24I wanna hold them like they do in Texas, please.
02:28Fold them, let them hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me.
02:31I love it.
02:32Gaga's debut album was a sensation, taking the world by storm with its plethora of hit singles.
02:38Tracks like Paparazzi, Poker Face, and Just Dance defined the era, since becoming staples of pop.
02:44It won her multiple awards, alongside propelling her to stardom.
02:56Few debut albums are as well-received, and it was certified for sales of 6 million copies in America alone.
03:04One of the best-selling albums of the 21st century so far.
03:07Its core theme is what Gaga expects fame to feel like, written by a woman who at the time was hardly known.
03:13This would be expanded upon later in the famed Monster, her second studio album.
03:22Number 4. Chromatica
03:28Gaga's 2020 release was a refreshing return to her dance-pop roots, released at a time when it was dearly needed during the COVID pandemic.
03:44It included industry giants as features, including Blackpink, Elton John, and Ariana Grande.
03:49Rain On Me, her duet with Grande, was so acclaimed, it won a Grammy for Best Pop Duo.
03:54It was historically the first female collaboration to win the award.
04:06Overall, it was a widely adored album, with critics praising it across the board.
04:10Despite its release tour being postponed for two years, it became her first all-stadium tour, a remarkable feat for any musician.
04:18Protect me from the pain
04:21I would battle for you
04:23Even if I break it
04:25Collaborations
04:26And though I'm not a great romancer
04:29I know you're bound to answer
04:31When we perform
04:33Before getting to the top three, we'd like to discuss her two collaboration albums.
04:38Both were released alongside Tony Bennett, an old-school jazz and pop singer who was big in the 50s and 60s.
04:44First was Cheek to Cheek, a 2014 album featuring jazz standards the two had learned.
04:49This was a huge deviation from her previous sounds, but she had no issue pulling it off.
04:54Oh, I can't give you anything but love
04:59It went gold, with critics and fans adoring it equally.
05:05Seven years later, the pair released another album, Love for Sale, which turned out to be Bennett's final album.
05:11This one was entirely Cole Porter material, and Gaga again displayed her versatility in pulling it off with ease.
05:18Yet I get a kick out of you
05:22Soundtracks
05:27Additionally, Gaga has released two soundtrack albums worth a mention.
05:31First was for her 2018 movie A Star Is Born featuring her and Bradley Cooper.
05:36In the show
05:38The musical revealed that Gaga wasn't just a talented musician, but an impressive actress as well.
05:49It became a hit, earning hundreds of millions at the box office, plus earning eight Oscar nominations.
05:55Every time we say goodbye, baby, it hurts
06:01The major track Shallow managed to win an Oscar for Best Original Song.
06:05In 2024, she also worked on the soundtrack for Joker Folie à Deux.
06:10While it was well-received, it didn't make nearly as many waves as her previous soundtrack,
06:15and the accompanying movie was largely considered a flop.
06:18Number 3. Mayhem
06:27The longest gap between studio albums was between Chromatica and Mayhem, lasting five years in total.
06:34Was it worth the wait?
06:35Most people agree that it was.
06:45It's reminiscent of her debut album, which is largely synth-pop, but has all sorts of genres mixed into it.
06:50It had already become widely successful before its actual release, largely due to Die With A Smile,
06:56a Grammy-winning collaboration between her and Bruno Mars.
07:00It's currently her highest-rated album on Metacritic, showing how loved it's quickly become.
07:13It was also Gaga's seventh album to top America's Billboard 200 list, a mind-blowing achievement.
07:27Number 2. Born This Way
07:29After Gaga's first two albums, expectations for a follow-up were huge.
07:34That came in the form of Born This Way, which overwhelmingly satisfied her fans' hopes.
07:47It's one of her most experimental albums, displaying more heavy metal and rock influence than any other project.
07:53Its titular lead single turned into an enormous hit,
07:55selling over 8.2 million copies globally, alongside acquiring billions of streams.
08:09Fascinatingly, its final single was Bloody Mary, issued as a single in 2022 after it trended on TikTok.
08:15Other huge hits from the album included Judas, The Edge of Glory, and You and I,
08:20which all still get played regularly.
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08:44Number 1. The Fame Monster
08:48In 2009, her debut album was reissued, featuring 8 new songs and doubling as her second studio album.
09:02Unlike on her debut, here she was discussing fame while actually being famous.
09:07The result is a mind-blowing album, which is captivating from start to finish.
09:11New tracks included Bad Romance, Telephone, and Alejandro.
09:23As such, there's no reason to listen to her debut when this includes the original plus the new material.
09:29The two combined have sold over 18 million copies globally, an incredible figure.
09:34It won three Grammys, including Best Pop Vocal Album.
09:37It has become the essential Gaga album, cementing her status as a pop legend who is here to stay.
09:51How would you rank her albums?
09:53Let us know your favorites in the comments below.
09:55It's not a statement as much, it's just a move of passion.
