Lady Gaga’s fans think ‘Artpop’ never got enough respect

They’re working to change that.

The applause for “Artpop” lives on, reassuring what some of Lady Gaga’s fans already knew about the divisive and overlooked album: It was ahead of its time.

The pop star’s third studio album, released in 2013, landed at No. 2 on itunes’ album chart Tuesday after #buyartpoponitunes went viral on social media. The hashtag is part of a fan-powered movement for the “Applause” singer to release the second volume of “Artpop.”

And even Gaga board. is on

“The petition to #buyartpoponitunes for a volume II has inspired such a tremendous warmth in my heart. Making this album was like heart surgery, I was desperate, in pain, and poured my heart into electronic music that slammed harder than any drug I could find,” Gaga wrote on Twitter late Monday.

“I fell apart after I released this album,” she added. “Thank you for celebrating something that once felt like destruction. We always believed it was ahead of its time. Years later turns out, sometimes, artists know. And so do little monsters. Paws up.”

Rumors of a second installment have been teased since 2012. The sequel is allegedly, according to Mother Monster herself, more “experimental”

than the original album, which included fan favorites “Applause” and “G.U.Y.” “Artpop” was Gaga’s first attempt at funkier, electronic dance music, but the album also came with a lot of baggage.

Controversy arose when R. Kelly, who sang “Do What U Want” with Gaga on the original album, faced sexual abuse allegations. Gaga subsequently apologized for the collaboration and pulled it from streaming services in 2019.

Upon its release, “Artpop” received mixed reviews from critics and was hailed as a “commercial flop,” while others claimed it failed to make an impression. The Los Angeles Times’ review decided a few of the songs were “duds,” rating it two and a half out of four stars.