When you ask pop stans what Lady Gaga's best album is (let's say, in 2024) chances are high (I'd argue 80%+) they'd answer The Fame Monster or Born This Way. As a stan, I'd probably argue:

The Fame Monster: The most popular and well rounded pop album by Gaga (amazing pop hooks and production)

Born This Way: The most uniquely Gaga pop album, with interesting sonic blends and hooks and that stand out from other artists.

Flash forward to today, where MAHYEH has had generally positive reviews and is her most critically acclaimed album. It marks a "return to form" for Gaga, but on a scale of TFM and BTW, where exactly does it rank? Would you argue it leans more forward TFM territory, BTW territory, or somewhere else?

Hot take but it's her third best album after BTW and TF/TFM

Just now, B-Luke said:

Hot take

in the sense that

I'll place it third only because the second half of the album pulls it down, as opposed to the glorious first

Below

It sits

It's up there

I really believe it's her best, most cohesive album.

BWT either comes close or they are equal. I love them both the same.

TF/TFM is third.

Artpop highs are still higher.

7 minutes ago, B-Luke said:

Hot take

How is it a hot take when it is an undeniable fact?

The Fame Monster

Born This Way

Mayhem

The Fame

Chromatica

Artpop

Joanne

4 minutes ago, Diocles said:

How is it a hot take when it is an undeniable fact?

Hot take as in disclaimer for those without taste

TFM> BTW=Mayhem >>>>>The Fame>Chromatica>>>>>> Artpop>>>>>>>Joanne

For me, Mayhem has reached the fame monster level of quality but born this is way is still that album

Sure they are top 3 in her discography

Ranks below TFM and Born This Way, but still a great album.

Far better than The Fame, TFM is #1. BTW #2 because it's more experimental and Gaga at her peak, but overall the album needs some tweaking. So #3

It stands nowhere near them. Good pop record but no need to overrate it.

1. The Fame / Monster

2. Born This Way

3. Artpop

4. Mayhem

5. Chromatica

6. Joanne

I agree these 3 generally are her best. I think TFM is hard to compete with because 1) It has Bad Romance and Alejandro and 2) It's all killer no filler approach makes it hard to beat.

That being said, if you narrowed Mayhem down to 7-8 tracks it could beat TFM track by track as well as BTW. As they stand I have a hard time ranking them though, some tracks on the latter half bring Mayhem down... hopefully she takes notes and edits herself for LG8. I think that's all it takes for her to release her undeniable Magnum Opus. The quality level of the first 8-9 tracks on Mayhem is superb. Had she cut DCT/Blade of Grass and replaced with a ballad on the level of Speechless, this would be her best album easily.

Edited June 22Jun 22 by SweetOreosOfHeaven

Commercial success wise

TF/TFM

Born This Way

A Star is Born

MAYHEM

ARTPOP

Chromatica

Joanne

Cheek to Cheek

> everything else is commercially irrelevant

They all rank below ARTPOP

5 minutes ago, Loca said:

They all rank below ARTPOP

Loca

Okay, here's my edgy ranking:

#1 BTW

#2 Mayhem

#3 TFM

But TFM's lows are very high, compared to the other two.

BTW and TFM don't even stand next to each other in the first place

Its behind BTW & TFM/TF for me