So far, it is hard to disagree with the fact that ARTPOP is a relative underperformance for a pop star like Lady Gaga. Blame has been placed everywhere, but it is hard to pinpoint exactly what went wrong:

• The Music? Most people on here went crazy for the album when it was released, and Applause became her biggest radio hit ever, spending 14 weeks in the top 10
• The Performance? True, some of her performances (*cough* X Factor UK *cough*) have been messy, but with gems such as the AMAs and Alan Carr, surely this can't be to blame
• The Looks? Her Versace campaign should do plenty to dispel this thought...

Could it be Gaga's infamous relationship with her fans that is distressing her career?

At first the little monster concept was cute. We were her fans, 'special' in her eyes, but the artist-fan boundary was still clearly visible. Now, it is more blurred than ever. The definition of 'little monster' has become more and more twisted, to the point where 'outcast' is now the more important criterion.

The monster pit was the first great mistake. A cute idea, perhaps, but rewarding the fans who were 'best dressed' and most obsessed, perhaps ignoring those who had to travel hundreds of miles to see her and/or are not the sort of people who like to make a fool of themselves...

Radio ARTPOP is the biggest mess of all. Fans who take to the internet every week to tell others what Gaga expects of them:

• To be a true fan, you must love and respect everything Gaga does
• True fans should not think that Gaga owes them anything (even though we are the reason for her success in the first place)
• Negative opinions should never be expressed, even if they are done so constructively

Just check out 44:00...



The Result?

An inner-circle of 'superfans' has been generated, who feel they have the right to speak on behalf of Gaga with 'insider' information, serving only to further alienate those who do not qualify for this cult. They are, you may say, the outsiders in the fanbase composed primarily of outsiders; itself an issue.

Gaga's internet fans are a mess. It is no longer cool to like Gaga, as it was in 2009/2010, because you are automatically associated with the fans on LittleMonsters.com, who post pictures of their 'cutting' when they need their 'Gaga medicine', or those on Radio ARTPOP.

What do you think?

For those of you on ATRL who enjoy her music but don't involve yourselves in being a fan; is it her other supporters that put you off? I know that, in public, I always deny being a 'little monster' because of the negative connotations... This, coming from someone who has been a member of this fanbase (the messiest of all) for almost 5 years, and on ATRL for almost 3...

Personally, it was the songs that put me off. When Iovine said that Applause was the best song on ARTPOP he wasn't lying

Let her perform Gypsy piano version at the Grammys, with a casual, blonde straight hair and cute black dress. She'll come back.

None of this would matter if she a bigger lead single though. I mean, the GP doesn't really know about all this do they? But I do agree her relationship with her fans is a bit too much. Beyoncé does a good job of being appreciative of her fans, yet distant from them.

But are her fans a much deeper problem that should be addressed?

The problem is that Gaga doesn't think there is one

I think people are fairly aware of her fans being 'outcasts'...

The GP doesn't know much about them.

It's not just the GP though... Look how few fans on ATRL have remained for more than a year before getting put off and leaving...

I don't like this thread at all but I will comment on one thing

Radio Artpop were very harsh and over reacted but they did have a point. Some of what was being said about Emma and Gaga was awful and needs addressing.

I don't believe for a second that Emma made up what she said about GGD either, gaga has said they have gotten close and some of you just need to deal with that and move on.

I don't agree with everything they said but I have had convo's with Tim and Tiffa about it and they were perfectly reasonable to me so I think that all just got out of control.

The GP doesn't even know things like Radio ARTPOP existed. Applause was a poor single choice and DWUW was handled impossibly badly. It's all her team.

Pretty much this.

The GP mightn't know, but as a fan, Radio ARTPOP put me off Gaga. They are TERRIBLE representation of us.

Yup.

Sadly, she just really needs to open up her eyes and take off the shades that are blinding her

I don't really know why WE keep discussing and wasting our time and come up with solutions to certain problems and great ideas when the person that should care and maybe read all this doesn't give a **** and tells us to stop being negative.

At the end of the day, we can't do more than buy her music, be supportive and let her do her thing.

That problem is perpetuated by her fans, though; an army of yes-men.

I blame a combination of Interscope's piss poor management of her career, and campaign for ARTPOP, her fans, and her. I doubt the general public knows how mean some little monsters can be on the internet but honestly when it comes down to it, this era suffered greatly when Applause leaked which set the tone for the whole era underperforming. Interscope's job as a record label is to make sure **** doesn't leak, and unfortunately Applause leaked and fought Roar on iTunes and lost.

Not really. Her fans/stans can only help her in terms of sales to an extent.
Artists like Adele are able to sell tons of albums and singles because of the gp.

She needs to reinvent her music and her image for the next era....