The first paragraph sets up the narrative for the second paragraph to base itself on.
Paragraph one) Lady Gaga had a hard time with ARTPOP.
Paragraph two) That doesn't matter because she's already cemented her legacy and she's an amazing performer.
Nothing they said was bad or even that negative. In fact, they are actually praising her for pushing forward and not letting the backlash keep her down. The media backlash was a big part of the ARTPOP Era, and it's what eventually kept ARTPOP from even having a chance to succeed. It's important when talking about the album and its era.
