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It's a deluxe album as only
Gaga could do it: larger than life, over the top and, yes, even monstrous.
The Fame Monster is stuffed to the gills with eight -- count 'em,
eight -- new tracks. Most don't radically depart from her debut's uber-hipster dance-pop vibe, but they do reinforce Gaga's particular talents -- namely, making somewhat familiar musical ideas a wee bit edgy and a whole lot addictive. The vaguely tropical pop of "
Alejandro," with its borderline-telenovela drama, for instance, is positively coated in "
La Isla Bonita" and "
Fernando" (down to the similar sound of its love object's name). It's so close, it's almost a cover -- and yet,
something is slightly off. This is where Gaga lives, right smack in the midst of our comfort zone, where she sets up camp with the goal of screwing it up, just a little bit, just enough so that we feel not quite as certain of where we are. Then there's the
Beyonce-featuring "
Telephone." Now undoubtedly, this is a calculated collaboration from which both of these artists will benefit. And frankly, nothing about it is shockingly novel. But that's what's kind of interesting. Beyonce's cameo sounds every inch like a Beyonce track -- that's immersed in a track that's every inch Lady Gaga. Despite her relative youth as an artist, Gaga at once manages to pay tribute to those who have gone before her and yet make those influences her own.
It's finally here. After months of careful leaks, garish videos and audacious stunts (the Grammy egg!), Lady Gaga's Born This Way is finally upon us, without question the most anticipated new record of 2011. Full of synths, sleaze, self-empowerment and some good ol' sacrilege, it's bound to electrify Little Monsters and bloodthirsty detractors alike. We love it. You should listen to it. Right now. We've prepared a warm welcome for it: an extended review, a list of pop's most blasphemous moments, a Gaga Family Tree, an exclusive video recounting her epic battle with Rhapsody's own The Box and more. So let's get to it: the wait is over.
Gay men and female pop stars have always had a special relationship. For decades, the latter have spoken to (and sometimes for) a demographic that has endured a great deal of prejudice and abuse, providing a mainstream voice (or at least outlet) for those who historically have had none in mainstream society. To adore a particular diva has been, at times, a means of building community, articulating a dangerous desire or simply making friends. But gay men also have plenty to offer their beloved divas: long renowned as tastemakers and trendsetters, gay men have increasingly become a sought-after demographic for the pop diva, more than one of whom has the Friends of Dorothy (and, especially, their dance clubs) to thank for her latest hit or, sometimes, her entire career.
Editor's Note: Listen to a selection of the songs mentioned here on a playlist at the end of this post, or click through to listen to all of the artists listed here on Rhapsody. If you're not a member, 
The music of Lady Gaga, M.I.A. and countless other pop divas is yours to listen to whenever and however you want with your Rhapsody
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(In addition to great premieres from your favorite artists, cool
radio stations and exciting exclusives, Rhapsody also offers in-depth
reviews, analysis and fun features written by our team of nationally renowned
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know if you agree or disagree, and 
Oh, 
Lest there be any doubt about it, Lady Gaga wants us to know that her song "Poker Face" is about fantasizing about women when she's hooking up with men. (It's a double entendre, capiche?) Sure, you could write that off as merely an attempt to stir up a little controversy -- although, if it's a ploy, it pales in comparison with her teasing suggestion that she may or may not have hermaphroditic features. But Gaga has backed up her sexuality in interviews, insisting that "people are born the way they are," and she's vocal in her support for gay and lesbian communities. Whatever you may think of her music, it's a refreshingly different approach from Katy Perry, who flirts with Sapphos on "I Kissed a Girl" -- mostly for the benefit of her ego and her boyfriend -- and then gets regressive on "Ur So Gay," her ode to an insufficiently butch boyfriend. ("I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf" -- classy!)
Ever since the early days of MTV, 
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