Applause was a smash even after the break and her star power diminishing and we've got another single coming at the end of this month, an SNL performance coming, Gaga's performance in MK was highlighted as one of the only redeeming points by critics and the ARTPOP cover was acclaimed. Things really are going well for Gaga and the monsters right now
Only Gags would take a 2 year break and come back with something as awful as Applause.
Britney did the same and came back with the worst song of the year I mean at this point in her career Madonna, whom Britney is often compared to, was still slaying the charts AND being universally acclaimed