The Fame Monster is areissue of American singerLady Gaga's debut studio album,The Fame (2008).[c] It was released on November 17, 2009, byInterscope Records, Streamline Records,KonLive Distribution, andCherrytree Records. Initially planned solely as a deluxe edition reissue ofThe Fame, Interscope later decided to release the eight new songs as a standaloneEP in some territories. The decision was also because Gaga believed the re-release was too expensive and that the albums were conceptually different, describing them asyin and yang. The deluxe edition is adouble album featuring the eight new songs on the first disc andThe Fame on the second disc. A super deluxe edition was released on December 15, 2009, holding additional merchandise, including a lock from Gaga's wig.
Anelectropop record,The Fame Monster has influences ofdisco,glam rock, andsynth-pop music of the 1970s and 1980s, as well asindustrial andgothic music. The album was also inspired by fashion shows and runways. According to Gaga, the album deals with the darker side of fame, with its theme lyrically expressed through amonster metaphor. The album's two covers were shot byHedi Slimane. One of the covers has aGothic theme and was declined for release by her record company, but Gaga persuaded them.
"Bad Romance", the album's lead single, was a commercial success, topping the charts in more than twenty countries and reaching number two on theBillboard Hot 100 in the US. The next two singles, "Telephone" and "Alejandro", reached the top ten in multiple countries worldwide, including the US. "Dance in the Dark" was released as a single only in select territories, achieving moderate chart success in the respective countries it was released in. The rest of the album's tracks would also chart, despite not being released as singles.
The Fame Monster received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album charted asThe Fame in some countries, and topped the charts in Australia, Belgium, Finland, New Zealand, and Poland. In the United States, the EP reached number five on theBillboard 200 and topped theDance/Electronic Albums chart. It has since been certifiedfive-times Platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album has wonmultiple awards since its release. It was nominated in a total of six categories at the53rd Annual Grammy Awards, including Gaga's second consecutiveAlbum of the Year nomination. It won three, includingBest Pop Vocal Album. To promote the album, Gaga embarked onThe Monster Ball Tour (2009–2011), which became the highest-grossing tour in history by a debut headlining artist.
Background and development
Lady Gaga released her debut studio album,The Fame, in 2008. Consisting ofelectropop andsynthpop songs, the album offered a commentary on fame, duality between celebrity and fan base, as well as a wealthy person's life. After the worldwide success ofThe Fame, the idea of a re-release arose.[2] However, Gaga felt that re-releases were a disservice to music artists because "it's artists sneaking singles onto an already finished piece of work in an effort to keep the album afloat." Her label,Interscope Records, initially wanted three songs for the project, titled asThe Fame Monster. Gaga had already composed a song, "Monster", by March 2009.[3] She sought for a darker and edgier concept than she had previously done,[4] and cited her love ofhorror films and "the decay of the celebrity and the way that fame is a monster in society" as creative inspirations forThe Fame Monster.[5] Gaga explained in an interview withDaily Star:
I have an obsession with death and sex. Those two things are also the nexus of horror films, which I've been obsessing over lately. I’ve been watching horror movies and 1950s science fiction movies. My re-release is calledThe Fame Monster so I've just been sort of bulimically eating and regurgitating monster movies and all things scary. I've just been noticing a resurgence of this idea of monster, of fantasy, but in a very real way. If you notice in those films, there's always a juxtaposition of sex with death.[2]
Unlike her debut album, the new record was inspired by the singer's personal experiences.[2] The early musical direction was also shaped by Gaga's touring experiences withthe Fame Ball Tour, during which she allegedly encountered "several monsters" that encapsulated her biggest fears. These fears were divided into various monster metaphors, such as the "Fear of Sex Monster", "Fear of Love Monster", "Fear of Alcohol Monster", and so forth. "I spent a lot of nights inEastern Europe," the singer said. "And this album is a pop experimentation with industrial/Goth beats,90'sdance melodies, an obsession with the lyrical genius of 80's melancholic pop, and the runway".[6] In an interview withMTV News, Gaga said thatThe Fame andThe Fame Monster were likeyin and yang because of their contrasting styles and concepts.[4]
A 30 second sample of "Bad Romance", which set the musical tone ofThe Fame Monster. It illustrates thechorus and the club beat, which forms the backbone of the track, as well as the "rah-rah" hook repeated throughout the track.
The Fame Monster begins with the track "Bad Romance", which Simon Price fromThe Independent felt set the tone for the album. He added that the track contained a "dominant atmosphere and aGothic aesthetic, from the monochrome cover artwork of the single version to the crucifix logo".[10] For Paul Lester from BBC, the refrain of "Bad Romance" has sonic similarities to songs byBoney M, and the composition is reminiscent ofDepeche Mode's fifth studio album,Black Celebration (1986).[12] A "catchy" chorus and a club-like beat is the crux of the song, talking about how love hurts in both good and bad ways. There is a sing-along hook—"Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah/Roma, roma ma/Gaga, ooh la la"—present in between the verses.[13] Second track, "Alejandro", incorporates elements from music of ABBA andAce of Base, with the lyrics talking about Gaga fending off aharem ofLatino men.[11] The lyrics were also interpreted as bidding farewell to a lover, accompanied by RedOne's production.[13] "Monster" consists of stuttering synths and instrumentation from heavy drums.[14] The intro contains a double four-square beat andAuto-Tune on Gaga's vocals as she sings the lyrics with aDon Juan womanizer metaphor.[13]
The fourth track is the ballad "Speechless", a 1970srock-inspired number that discusses abusive relationships with lyrics like "I can't believe how you slurred at me with your half-wired broken jaw". It consists of vocal harmonies and guitar riffs, which according toPopMatters, is comparable to the work ofFreddie Mercury andQueen.[14] Gaga's inspiration for the track was her father's heart condition. She recalls how her father used to call after having few drinks, but the singer was speechless in her response, fearing for his death.[15] Produced byRon Fair, "Speechless" was recorded with all live instruments such as drums, guitars, bass and piano played by Gaga.[16] The album's fifth track, "Dance in the Dark", talks about a girl who likes to have sex with the lights off as she is ashamed of her body.[17] Gaga has "resolute" vocals in the song, and the synths ultimately lead to the chorus where she belts, "Baby loves to Dance in the Dark, 'Cause when he's looking she falls apart".[18]
"Telephone" was originally written by Gaga for singerBritney Spears's sixth studio album,Circus (2008), but Spears' label rejected it.[19] Gaga later recorded it as a collaboration withBeyoncé forThe Fame Monster.[20] The song talks about the singer preferring the dance floor rather than answering her lover's call, with the verses sung in arapid-fire way, accompanied by double beats.[11] Gaga explained that the song deals with her fear of suffocation, "fear [of] never being able to enjoy myself. 'Cause I love my work so much, I find it really hard to go out and have a good time."[21] In "So Happy I Could Die", Gaga presents anode to sexual feeling and actions, stating, "I love that lavender blonde, The way she moves the way she walks, I touch myself, can't get enough." The object of affection in the track becomes Gaga herself[10] as she sings about drinking, dancing, observing, and touching herself, in a sedated, Auto-Tuned[12] voice.[11]The Fame Monster ends with the song "Teeth", which has agospel style composition.[11]
Release and artwork
French photographerHedi Slimane shot the album covers.
Gaga confirmed that the eight new songs would be released in North America as a standaloneextended play (EP). She felt thatThe Fame Monster should be treated as her sophomore release and did not want to "add, nor take away any songs from this EP. It is a complete conceptual and musical body of work that can stand on its own two feet".[22] The EP was released in North America on November 23, 2009. The deluxe editiondouble album featuring the eight new songs on the first disc andThe Fame on the second disc—was launched the same day. The limited edition, which included a lock of her wig, followed three weeks later. Interscope had planned to release only a double-disc deluxe edition ofThe Fame, but Gaga fought with the record label arguing that her fans who already purchasedThe Fame should be able to purchase only the new tracks. So in countries like the United States,The Fame Monster was also released as a separate standard EP.[23] On May 3, 2010,The Fame Monster Limited EditionUSB flash drive was released. It included the explicit version of the tracks, as well as nine remixes, eightmusic videos, adigital booklet, singlecover artworks, and a photo gallery.[24]
Two covers were created forThe Fame Monster, both of which were shot by French photographerHedi Slimane. The first cover artwork features Gaga sporting a blond wig and a sleek, angular black coat, the collar of which covers the lower half of her face.[25] The angular obscuring of her face was a reference to the similar cover art forThe Fame, but was relegated as "sleek" by Andrew Unterberger fromBillboard. He added that "there's a danger in Gaga's eyes this time out, and the feeling of greater depth in its austerity: A star, but one with a lot to say."[26] The second cover artwork is reminiscent of Gaga's appearance as "Stefani" before she became famous and developed her image. In this photo, Gaga is draped in thick brown hair similar in style and color to her natural hair with heavy, streamy black eyeliner running down her face to represent tears.[25] In interviews, Gaga explained that the two album covers are part of the "yin and yang" concept depicting who she was before and after achieving fame. Avinylpicture disc edition ofThe Fame Monster features the "blonde" cover on the A-side and "brunette" cover on the B-side.[27]
Gaga initially had a dispute with her record label over the artwork; Interscope found the brunette cover to be too dark and gothic for a mainstream release. However, Gaga convinced them by explaining that both would be suitable with the yin and yang concept of the album.[16] The font used on the cover is thesans-serif letterform used byChristian Dior in their campaigns.[28]
Promotion
Singles
The album's lead single, "Bad Romance", was released for digital download on October 23, 2009.[5] The song topped numerousrecord charts, as well as reaching a peak of number two in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and Switzerland,[29][30] ultimately selling 12 million copies worldwide.[31][32] The accompanying music video, featuring Gaga inside a surreal whitebathhouse, garnered acclaim from critics, who praised the risqué and symbolic nature of the plot, as well as its artistic direction and vivid imagery.[33][34] In 2011, the music video was voted the best video of the 2000s (decade) by readers ofBillboard.[35]
"Telephone" was released as the album's second single on January 26, 2010.[36] The track reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Gaga's second consecutive UK chart topper and fourth in total.[29] It peaked at number three on theBillboard Hot 100, making it her sixth consecutive single to reach the top ten.[37] "Telephone" also reached number one on theMainstream Top 40 chart, becoming Gaga's sixth consecutive number-one on the chart, tying withMariah Carey for most number-ones since the chart's launch in 1992.[38] The music video is a continuation of the clip for Gaga's previous single, "Paparazzi" (2010), with the plot showing Beyoncé bailing Gaga from jail and together going on a murder spree.[39]
"Dance in the Dark" was intended by Gaga's record label to be the third single. However, Gaga chose "Alejandro" after a confrontation with her label and it was released on April 20, 2010.[40][41][42] "Alejandro" reached the top five of the Australian and Canadian charts, as well as the top ten of the charts of other nations.[29] In the United States, it reached number five, becoming her seventh consecutive top ten single on theBillboard Hot 100.[30] "Dance in the Dark" was then released as the fourth and final single fromThe Fame Monster in France and Russia in the second half of 2010.[43] It had minor chart placements, reaching number 24 in Australia and number 30 on the French Digital Charts.[44]
Performances
Gaga performingThe Fame Monster's third single, "Alejandro", during "GagaKoh" in Tokyo, Japan
Gaga appeared onThe Oprah Winfrey Show in January 2010, and performed a medley of "Monster", "Bad Romance", and "Speechless".[54] At the52nd Grammy Awards, the singer opened the show by performing a medley of "Poker Face", "Speechless", and "Your Song" withElton John.[55] At the2010 Brit Awards, Gaga sang a ballad version of "Telephone" and then "Dance in the Dark", in memory of designerAlexander McQueen.[56] In March 2010, "Bad Romance" and "Monster" were added asdownloadable content for theRock Band video game series, along with "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" fromThe Fame.[57] Gaga appeared onFriday Night with Jonathan Ross, and sang "Brown Eyes" (fromThe Fame) and "Telephone".[58] The next month, she held a mini-concert in Japan forMAC Cosmetics, collaborating with Canadian performance artist,Terence Koh. Billed as "GagaKoh", the concert took place on a rotating stage where Koh had created a statue of a naked woman with rabbit ears. The singer performed "Speechless", "Alejandro", and "Bad Romance" in the event.[59]
Gaga performing lead single "Bad Romance" atThe Monster Ball Tour. The concert series became the highest-grossing tour by a debut headlining artist.
Gaga had initially planned to accompany rapperKanye West on concert tourFame Kills: Starring Kanye West and Lady Gaga.[60] After hiscontroversy at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards withTaylor Swift, West announced that he was taking a break from music. All the Fame Kills tour dates were immediately cancelled and Gaga confirmed that she was going on tour alone to promoteThe Fame Monster.[61] Described by Gaga as "the first-ever pop electro opera",The Monster Ball Tour started from November 2009 and finished in May 2011.[62] Gaga and her production team initially developed a stage that looked like a frame with the show fitted within it. The singer felt that the design would allow her creative control.[16] Since the album dealt with the paranoias faced by Gaga over the year, the main theme of the show became evolution, with Gaga portraying growth as the show progressed. The set list consisted of songs from bothThe Fame andThe Fame Monster.[63]
For the 2010 shows, Gaga felt that a revamp was needed as the original tour was constructed in a very short span of time. The new theme narrated a story where Gaga and her friends, traveling through New York, get lost while going to the Monster Ball.[64] The show was divided into five segments with the last one being the encore. Each segment featured Gaga in a new dress and was followed by a video interlude to the next one.[65] The tour grossed an estimated US$227.4 million from 200 reported shows attended by an audience of 2.5 million, making it the highest-grossing tour by a debut headlining artist.[66] Atour special was filmed byHBO during Gaga's February 2011 shows atMadison Square Garden in New York City.[67]
The Fame Monster received generally positive reviews frommusic critics. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received anaverage score of 78, based on 14 reviews.[69] Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine felt that the album was not a huge leap forward for Gaga, but provided "small, if fleeting, glimpses behind the pretense."[11]Simon Price ofThe Independent called it "a whole new piece of art in its own right."[10]Kitty Empire fromThe Observer said that the album is "a lot more splendidly deranged" than the work ofthe Pussycat Dolls.[74]MSN Music'sRobert Christgau found it to be of "comparable quality" asThe Fame and gave it a rating of A−, describing the tracks as "streamlined pop machines". Christgau further elaborated that "after being overwhelmed by the sheer visibility of her warp-speed relaunch did I realize how enjoyable and inescapable her hooks and snatches had turned out to be."[72]
NME's Ben Patashnik describedThe Fame Monster "as pristine as you'd expect, but has a sub-zero core of isolation and fear". She went on to call the album's release as "the moment Gaga cements herself as a real star".[73] Evan Sawdey fromPopMatters commended Gaga for being "willing to try new things" and felt that the album shows "she's not complacent with doing the same thing over again [...] Gaga is allowed to make a few mistakes on her way towards popnirvana—and judging what she's aiming for withThe Fame Monster, there's a good chance she's going to get there sooner than later."[14] Mikael Wood fromLos Angeles Times felt thatThe Fame Monster continued to demonstrate Gaga's creative ambition and stylistic range.[71]
Jon Dolan fromRolling Stone called the EP "largely on point," and gave it 3.5 stars out of 5. He also said that "half the disc isMadonna knock-offs, but that's part of the concept—fame monsters needn't concern themselves with originality."[76]Edna Gundersen fromUSA Today observed that onThe Fame Monster, "Gaga's icy aloofness and seeming aversion to a genuine human connection leave a disturbing void. With anavant-garde intellect, pop-electro eccentricities and freaky theatrics competing for attention, there's no room for heart."[78]
Ed Power reviewed the album for Ireland'sHot Press magazine where he complimented Gaga's ability to "always brings her A-game" in her musical outputs.[79]Neil McCormick fromThe Daily Telegraph commented that the album has "an irrepressible quality that is given full rein. [...] Although not as thematically integrated as the original [The Fame], Gaga's vivacious energy, bold melodies and almost comically relentless sensationalism keeps things interesting."[9] Josh Modell ofSpin gave positive feedback regarding the fast-paced songs on the record, but felt that "When Gaga reaches for sincere balladry [...] she sounds lost".[77] Writing forThe Times, Sarah Hajibagheri criticized the album due to its "lack [of] the beat and bite that made us all go Gaga for the eccentric New Yorker".[80]
Commercial performance
In the United States, the individual disc ofThe Fame Monster charted at number five on theBillboard 200 with sales of 174,000 copies while the double disc deluxe edition, including the originalThe Fame, moved up from number 34 to number 6 with sales of 151,000 copies.[81] The album also topped theDigital Albums chart with sales of 65,000. Seven of the eight songs from the record also charted on theHot Digital Songs chart, led by "Bad Romance" which held the top position for the second week with sales of 218,000 copies. In total Gaga had 11 songs that week charting on the Digital Songs.[82]The Fame Monster topped theDance/Electronic Albums chart, replacingThe Fame and becoming Gaga's second number one album on the chart.[83]
In March 2020, the album was certified quintuplePlatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of five million copies.[84] As of February 2018,The Fame Monster has sold 1.65 million copies in the United States, according toNielsen Soundscan.[85] For the 2010Billboard year end tabulation,The Fame Monster was ranked at number 13 on theBillboard 200 and number two on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[86][87] In Canada, the album debuted and peaked at number six on theBillboardCanadian Albums Chart.[88] It was the 23rd best selling album in the country for 2010.[89]
In Australia,The Fame Monster initially charted withThe Fame, but was later considered as a standalone entry. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and in its 18th week, the record climbed to number one.[90] It received a quadruple platinum certification by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 280,000 copies of the album.[91] In Japan, after being present on theOricon Albums Chart for over 20 weeks, the album reached its peak position of number two in May 2010.[92] By July 2011, the album had sold 548,000 copies in Japan and ranked at number 14 on the year end list for 2010.[93][94]
In the United Kingdom,The Fame Monster was only available as a deluxe edition, not as a standalone album, hence it charted as part ofThe Fame.[95] AfterThe Fame Monster's release,The Fame moved from number 55 to number 7 on theUK Albums Chart.[96] All the new tracks fromThe Fame Monster charted within the top 200 of theUK Singles Chart.[97] On the week ending March 6, 2010,The Fame reached the top of the chart.[98] Because of its chart activity across the European markets,The Fame Monster peaked at number 13 on theEuropean Top 100 Albums chart.[99] It was certified triple platinum by theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for shipment of three million copies across the continent.[100]
Time magazine listedThe Fame Monster in their "Top 10 Albums of 2009" list, noting that it demonstrates "a complete understanding of what dance audiences require and vocal talent that's easy to forget underneath all that platinum hair."[109]Spin ranked the album at number 197 on their list of "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years" and characterized it as Gaga'smagnum opus and a "mini-masterpiece".[110]
In 2012,Complex listed it at rank six on their countdown of The 50 Best Pop Album Covers of the Past Five Years. Dale Eisenger from the publication called both covers as "alluring and gorgeous", adding that Gaga's look was followed by a number of artists emulating it in later years.[111] In 2015,Billboard included the standard album cover on their list of the "50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time".[112] Andrew Unterberger from the publication wrote in a 2016 article that the cover arts were "much starker and more angular than the party-diva framing of [The Fame]. It's still very sleek, but there's a danger in Gaga's eyes this time out, and the feeling of greater depth in its austerity: A star, but one with a lot to say."[113] In November 2016,Billboard namedThe Fame Monster Gaga's best album.[114] In 2024,Apple Music placed it at 89 on their inaugural list of the "100 Best Albums".[115]
Legacy
The impact ofThe Fame Monster was observed in the subsequent projects of artists such asBeyoncé (left) andKaty Perry (right).
According toBillboard, as of 2022,The Fame Monster is one of the 15 best-performing 21st-century albums without any of its singles being number-one hits on theBillboard Hot 100.[116] With the release ofThe Fame andThe Fame Monster, Gaga was attributed to revivingelectronic dance music in the late 2000s era of popular music by professional critics,[117][118] DJsTommie Sunshine andCalvin Harris,[119][120] and radio personalityZane Lowe.[120] Additionally, Andrew Unterberger ofBillboard stated that "Gaga raised the standards for ambition in pop", concluding that she "took American mainstream music at one of its least-interesting and most star-power-deprived moments and made it bigger, weirder, more visual and infinitely more personality-driven – in other words, much more fun."[121]
Critics acknowledged thatThe Fame Monster also had an influence on the images of pop stars, beginning a trend of wearing bizarre and outrageous outfits. Tracie Egan Morrissey fromJezebel, said that2011 MTV Video Music Awards's red carpet "reeks of Lady Gaga's influence", particularly noticing the effect on the attire ofNicki Minaj andKaty Perry at the show.[122]Jon Caramanica fromThe New York Times in his article "Girl Pop's Lady Gaga Makeover" states: "It'sHalloween-costume empowerment, sure, but her fingerprints are all over the revised images ofChristina Aguilera,Rihanna, Katy Perry and Beyoncé; and on new artists likeKesha,Janelle Monáe and Nicki Minaj" and that "the work she's done since her 2008 debut album [...] has nudged loose conventional boundaries."[123]
In 2019,Pitchfork ranked the album number 151 in their "Best Albums of the 2010s" list, acknowledging that although it was officially released in November 2009, they made an exception as the album "cast such a long shadow over this decade".[124]The Fame Monster placed at number 45 onConsequence's The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time, while at six on their Top 75 Albums of the Last 15 Years. The publication commented about its relevance since it was released, stating that the album "laid a certain groundwork for many women in pop to follow."[125][126]
^[c] While Bender and Teddy Riley are not credited as songwriters of "Teeth" in the album liner notes, they are listed as songwriters byBroadcast Music, Inc. (BMI).[130]
The deluxe edition disc two mirrors the track listing ofThe Fame, and also includes the bonus track "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" (acoustic in Paris) in the FranceFnac edition, and "Paparazzi" (acoustic in Paris) in the France Virgin edition.[127][132][133][134]
The Japanese edition includes a bonus DVD which features the music video and behind the scenes of "Bad Romance".[135]
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes ofThe Fame Monster.[136]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^abc"Discography Lady Gaga".australian-charts.com.Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. RetrievedJuly 19, 2010.Click on 'Bad Romance', 'Telephone', 'Alejandro', 'Dance in the Dark' to see chart peaks
^Hajibagheri, Sarah (November 21, 2009)."Lady GaGa:The Fame Monster".The Times. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. RetrievedNovember 23, 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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