Artpop (stylized in all caps) is the third studio album by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released on November 6, 2013, by Streamline and Interscope Records. Gaga began planning the project in 2011, shortly after the launch of her second effort, Born This Way. Work continued until 2013 while Gaga was traveling for her Born This Way Ball tour and recovering from surgery for an injury she had sustained while touring. Gaga described Artpop as "a celebration and a poetic musical journey". It displays an intentional "lack of maturity and responsibility" compared to the darker and anthemic nature of Born This Way.
Gaga collaborated with various producers on the record, including DJ White Shadow, Zedd, and Madeon. Musically, Artpop is an EDM and synth-pop album, with influences from R&B, techno, industrial, and dubstep, among other genres. The themes of the album revolve around Gaga's personal views of fame, sex, and self-empowerment; references include Greek and Roman mythology. It also features guest vocals from T.I., Too Short, Twista, and R. Kelly. On January 10, 2019, as a reaction to the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, Kelly's featured song, "Do What U Want", was removed from all streaming and online versions, as well as new vinyl and CD pressings of the album.
The release of Artpop was preceded by a two-day album release party dubbed ArtRave. While the album received generally mixed reviews from music critics, it was included in several year-end lists and has since earned positive retrospective reviews from critics and publications. It debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 258,000 copies, becoming Gaga's second consecutive number-one record in the country. It also topped the charts in Austria, Croatia, Japan, Mexico, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, while charting within the top five in many countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Artpop was the ninth-best-selling album globally of 2013, with 2.3 million copies worldwide. Despite this, the album was considered a commercial failure by some compared to Gaga's previous albums.
"Applause" was released as the lead single from Artpop on August 12, 2013. It was a critical and commercial success, charting within the top ten in more than 20 countries worldwide and peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The second single, "Do What U Want", was released on October 21 and reached number 13 in the US. It was followed by the promotional singles "Venus" and "Dope" shortly before the album's release. "G.U.Y." was the third and final single released from the album. Gaga promoted Artpop with several television appearances and performances, including her second Thanksgiving Day special. After a short residency at Roseland Ballroom, she embarked on her fourth headlining concert tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball.
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