For someone who opposes social boundaries with such vigor, I very much enjoy a good list. Ranking an artist’s discography is a great way for me to sit down and listen actively to the music of an artist I love in an orderly way. Lady Gaga is one such artist who was not only held paramount importance in my formative years, but continues to inspire me. Thus, for my first ranking post, I have decided to rank the discography of one of the greatest pop stars of our generation, Lady Gaga.
Now, for the rules. In this ranking, I will only be including complete, original albums which had global releases. This will include duet albums and soundtracks, like A Star Is Born and her jazz albums with Tony Bennett, but not remix albums, like Dawn of Chromatica. Beneath each album review, I will include a track ranking of the album. I will also include original tracks from deluxe releases of each album in said track rankings. Please keep in mind that, like with all art, my opinions are based on a subjective perspective individual to myself. In other words: IT’S MY OPINION! So, without further delay, let’s dive in!
11: A Star Is Born
What an incredible way to make her major motion picture debut. This album features the very grounded, almost classic rock style that Lady Gaga has enjoyed showing in the more recent points in her career. Not only is the emotion of the album influenced by the incredible character building she did for this film, but her vocals are just as raw and impressive as ever. She also showcases the country/road sound which I assume stayed with her on the heels of Joanne. Stylistically (and I’m sure this is partly due to the nature of her character’s journey in the film) this album isn’t as cohesive as the rest of her impressive discography and some of the more pop-style songs lack the bite of her solo music, but her lyrical work and powerhouse vocals make up for it. Some of the best parts of the album also feature the surprisingly compatible vocals of actor Bradley Cooper. Standouts from the album include two of her most poignant ballads after “Dope”, “I’ll Never Love Again” and “Always Remember Us This Way”
Overall, this album comes in last because of its stylistic inconsistency, the lack of “punch” and tenacity compared to the rest of her discography, and it’s more mainstream musical feel. While it ranks last in regards to her own discography, it is, however, still a fantastic work of art.
Track Ranking:
I’ll Never Love Again
Diggin’ My Grave
La Vie En Rose
Look What I Found
Music To My Eyes
Black Eyes
Is That Alright?
Always Remember Us This Way
Alibi
I Don’t Know What Love Is
Out of Time
Shallow
Why Did You Do That?
Before I Cry
Hair Body Face
Maybe It’s Time
Too Far Gone
Heal Me
10: Love for Sale
In the penultimate ranking, we have Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett’s second collaborative album. This album, featuring the music of Cole Porter, showcases Lady Gaga’s versatility and true understanding of music and its history. It’s the first of many examples on this list that boldly declares her as one of the most versatile artists in the industry. The album not only features an incredible balance of her smooth yet crisp jazz stylings, but provides a great many opportunities for us to be serenaded by the legendary Tony Bennett and his impressive vocal prowess. Even well into his nineties, he gave meaningful and expertly delivered vocal performances in songs like “Just One Of Those Things.” This album also features interesting reorchestrations of classic numbers, like an almost Bossa Nova inspired version of “I Concentrate On You.”
The drawback of this album is, ironically, what places it above A Star Is Born: its consistency. It’s to be expected, as all the songs had the same writer, but I felt this album lacked the variety of energy featured in albums higher in this ranking. The song structures were largely the same and the stylistic adjustments made in some of the arrangements weren’t enough to keep the tracks of this album from largely blending together.
Overall, it’s an exquisite introduction to the music of Cole Porter to Gaga fans who are jazz novices and a lovely highlight of music staples by two legendary musicians. Vocally, it’s nothing short of magical but stylistically, it lacks the appropriate variety to keep the listener as engaged as in her higher ranked albums.
Track Ranking:
Let’s Do It
Do I Love You
I Concentrate On You
You’re The Top
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
I Get A Kick Out Of You
It’s De-Lovely
Dream Dancing
Night And Day
Love For Sale
Just One Of Those Things
So In Love
9: Harlequin
Codenamed LG6.5, this next album was released as sort of a concept album in tandem with her third major motion picture Joker: Folie a Deux. “Harlequin,” in this case, is a reference to the clownish homonym for her character Harley Quinn. This album was a refreshing surprise from Lady Gaga. It married her love of classic music with the edgy, almost unhinged dynamic of her character. This jukebox-like work is made up predominately of standards and musical theatre songs performed in a way we’ve never heard before. A perfect example is her reimagination of “World On A String”, which sounds almost like a beachy hallucination. She also wrote two original songs inspired by her character’s journey. “Folie a Deux” is a mesmerizing, sinister waltz that pulls the listener into the beautiful madness of her romantic desires. “Happy Mistake” reveals a strikingly human side to what most would see as a lost and malevolent character.
While I have no major drawbacks from this album, I think the imbalance of impact the tracks have on the listener are the primary reason this album is ranked so low. While Lady Gaga’s vocal stylings are unsurprisingly astounding, some of the songs, like “Get Happy” just aren’t diverted enough from their original interpretations to properly lend themselves to the demanding emotional and musical blend of the album. While this album has high highs, like “That’s Life,” some of the lower ranked numbers just didn’t have the body to stand with them.
Overall, I thought this album was wildly entertaining, but wish the lower ranked songs had the spirit and tenacity of the songs ranked above them. This album was interesting, vocally stunning, and clearly an absolute labor of love for Mother Monster.
Track Ranking:
That’s Life
That’s Entertainment
Folie a Deux
Close To You
The Joker
Gonna Build A Mountain
Happy Mistake
If My Friends Could See Me Now
World On A String
Smile
Oh, When The Saints
Get Happy
Good Morning
8: Cheek To Cheek
Following the success of “The Lady Is a Tramp,” Lady Gaga’s first collaboration with Tony Bennett on his 2011 album Duets II, the two partnered again in 2014 to release Cheek To Cheek. This marked a major turning point in Gaga’s career, as it was the beginning of her shift in public perception from an avant garde pop star to a versatile, multifaceted artist. For her first full length jazz release, she came out swinging (pun intended). Not only does this album feature a side of Lady Gaga that was new to fans and wider audiences alike, it showed her reverence for and mastery of the art of jazz. The album also featured vibrant, engaging arrangements of familiar standards, like “Anything Goes” and “I Won’t Dance.” It also demonstrates a softer, gentler side of Gaga’s voice in tracks like “Nature Boy” and “Lush Life.” Of course, no review of this album is complete without mentioning the force that is Tony Bennett. At almost 90, he delivers energetic, meaningful, terrific performances with ease. His voice blends beautifully with that of Lady Gaga’s and their kinship is palpable throughout the entire album.
This album is a masterpiece and only ranks so low on this list because it lacks the individual perspective featured in Lady Gaga’s original music. Though her vocals are spectacular, her musicianship is top tier, and her love of Tony and the jazz genre is clear; this album lacks the heart of her lived experience which is showcased in her original works.
Overall, this album is enjoyable for Lady Gaga and jazz music fans alike. It’s a great first step outside of the pop genre for Gaga and a wonderful introduction of Tony Bennett to a younger audience. With shining vocal performances, chemistry to spare, and permeable energy, this album is uplifting, exciting, and nothing short of a masterpiece.
Track Ranking:
It Don’t Mean A Thing
Lush Life
Let’s Face The Music And Dance
Nature Boy
Firefly
Anything Goes
I Won’t Dance
Goody Goody
They All Laughed
Cheek To Cheek
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
But Beautiful
Sophisticated Lady
Don’t Wait Too Long
7: Joanne
The next album on this list is the first of Lady Gaga’s solo albums I will cover. Joanne is a country themed album named for her late aunt. This one is a slower burn, but grows on the listener quite easily. This album showcases a softer side to Lady Gaga, especially in contrast to her previous solo album ARTPOP. As usual, her vocals are strong and blend very well with her interpretation of the country style. We aren’t without hints of the harder, more aggressive vocal stylings we all love, however. Perfect examples can be found in “John Wayne,” which is a pound-the-pavement, racing-down-the-country-road masterpiece, and “Perfect Illusion,” the album’s lead single and a striking blend of rock/pop and country. We also get a feature from my favorite musician of all time, Florence Welsh. “Hey Girl” is a supportive, sensual song that sounds like the feeling of arms wrapping the listener in a warm hug.
The downside to this album are its lower ranked songs. This album is ranked lower than her other solo works because it features some of the least interesting songs in her discography, like “A-Yo” and “Million Reasons.” While they aren’t bad songs by any means, they just don’t have the punch to catch the listener like most of Gaga’s other original songs.
Overall, however, Joanne is another successful genre variation for Lady Gaga. With striking vocals, commitment to the style, and poignant songwriting, Joanne is a comforting and enlightening listen. This album is for the girlies and we love it.
Track Ranking:
John Wayne
Dancin’ In Circles
Hey Girl
Sinner’s Prayer
Come To Mama
Perfect Illusion
Diamond Heart
Grigio Girls
Just Another Day
Joanne
Angel Down
A-Yo
Million Reasons
6: Chromatica
This next album got many of us through the pandemic. Chromatica is a house-inspired dance album that explores Lady Gaga’s emotional journey through her career. This is the only solo album of hers that features orchestral interludes, which divide the album into three distinct acts. These interludes (titled “Chromatica” I, II, and III) blend masterfully with the subsequent tracks. The “Chromatica II” to “911” transition is especially seamless and guides the listener into a powerful new sound for the second act of the album. The legendary Elton John also makes an appearance on “Sine From Above,” showcasing both his and Gaga’s unique vocal prowess and brilliant songwriting skills. “Replay” is another standout that both embodies the album’s unique sound and pays homage to icons of the past with it’s sample of “It’s My House” by Diana Ross.
This album ranks in the middle of Gaga’s discography because, while it’s a great example of her incredible vocal and musical skill, it lacks much of the risk and grit that make the top five albums on this list so exciting. It has all of the pop power we love from her, but leaves out a lot of the drama that make the higher ranked albums so enticing.
Overall, this album is perfect for listeners who love boppy, dancy tunes. From gorgeous orchestrations to hard hitting dance numbers, Gaga takes the listener on a unique journey into the land of Chromatica and we’re happy to be along for the ride.
Track Ranking:
Sine From Above
911
Enigma
Sour Candy
Replay
Babylon
Alice
Free Woman
Rain On Me
Stupid Love
Chromatica I
1000 Doves
Plastic Doll
Chromatica II
Fun Tonight
Chromatica III
Love Me Right
5: The Fame
In 2008, the music industry was changed forever. Lady Gaga burst onto the scene with her first album, The Fame, with drive, dedication, and individuality to spare and I, for one, have never looked back. This powerful introduction is an unparalleled exploration of fame and its impact and a marvel of a debut album that catapulted Lady Gaga into international stardom. From show stopping dance numbers like “Poker Face” to genre bending numbers like “Summerboy” and “Disco Heaven”, this album has it all. Truly, The Fame has no skips. It’s an expertly crafted dive into the psyche of a young artist influenced by fame.
There are no drawbacks from this album. The Fame ranks at number five because it feels, however powerful and groundbreaking, like Lady Gaga is still finding her stride. This album just doesn’t feel as grounded as later works in her discography.
Overall, The Fame is the first major milestone in the incomparable career of Lady Gaga thus far. Her hard hitting dance-pop songs, powerful vocals, palpable emotion, and a solid point of view make this album truly one for the history books.
Track Ranking:
LoveGame
Summerboy
Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
Starstruck
Paper Gangsta
Boys, Boys, Boys
I Like It Rough
Poker Face
Disco Heaven
Again Again
The Fame
Paparazzi
Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
Money Honey
Just Dance
Brown Eyes
Retro Dance Freak
4: The Fame Monster
Immediately following her debut album was a succinct, but wildly impactful addendum to the first album called “The Fame Monster.” This album kept the hard hitting energy of the first album but featured a much darker sound, which was largely unexplored in mainstream pop music at the time. The Fame Monster was the beginning of Lady Gaga’s status as an icon. Although so early in her career, this album made it clear she was here to stay. With “Bad Romance”, “Telephone”, and “Alejandro”, she revolutionized the modern music video, breaking ground on a new avenue of dramatic storytelling. The album’s darker sound is accompanied by an escalation in production. The musical complexities, not only in the melodies but in the structure of the underlying synths (especially in “So Happy I Could Die” and “Alejandro”), elevate this album and set Gaga apart. This was a statement to the world; Lady Gaga is not just a pop star, she’s a master musician. And we can’t forget about the iconic collaboration with Beyonce in “Telephone”. The two powerhouse vocalists working together was just the cherry on top of an already magnificent album.
The only reason this album doesn’t quite break the top three is its length. Because it only has eight tracks, it doesn’t have the time to build an arc the way the top three albums do. While it’s a musical marvel, it simply doesn’t have the quantity of work to hold up against three albums that are equal or superior in quality.
Overall, however, this album is a foundational piece of pop music and a cornerstone of Lady Gaga’s career. It is a perfect display of the dark pop sound that Gaga helped pioneer and remains beloved to this day.
Track Ranking:
Alejandro
Teeth
So Happy I Could Die
Dance In The Dark
Telephone
Bad Romance
Monster
Speechless
3: MAYHEM
Lady Gaga’s most recent album certainly did not disappoint. MAYHEM is a perfect retrospective for Lady Gaga. Sonically, it guides the listener from the dark pop sound of her early career to a funky, new sound as she paves her way into this new era. Songs like “Abracadabra” and “Perfect Celebrity” are mirrors of songs like “Judas”, which embody the sound of her earlier career, while songs like “Shadow Of A Man” represent a funk influence that distinguish this new era of Gaga’s and keep her perspective fresh. This album also features some of the most ambitious vocal performances of her career. “Vanish Into You”, “Disease”, and “Blade Of Grass” are just a few standouts in an album comprised completely of vocal masterpieces. Some of her most poignant and grounded ballads make their appearances. “Die With A Smile” (featuring the incredible Bruno Mars) and the aforementioned “Blade Of Grass” are pinnacles of passion from Lady Gaga. They perfectly demonstrate the breadth of perspective she can communicate so eloquently in her music. “Blade of Grass” specifically shows us a level of comfort and vulnerability we don’t get to see very often, not just from Gaga but in pop music in general. Her ability to build an album where “Disease” and “Die With A Smile” make sense together is mind boggling and awe inspiring. One of the through lines of the album, and of Gaga’s career, is a reverence for music of the past. From the MJ-esque sound of “Shadow Of A Man” to the “Spellbound” sample on “Abracadabra”, Lady Gaga’s inspirations, both underground and mainstream, are displayed with honor and respect.
This album is a masterpiece. A brilliant retrospective and a funky, interesting look into the future all rolled into one. With MAYHEM, Lady Gaga proved, once again, that she is a master craftsperson, virtuosic musician, and a talent like no other.
Track Ranking:
Vanish Into You
Perfect Celebrity
Abracadabra
Shadow Of A Man
Zombieboy
Can’t Stop The High
Kill For Love
Die With A Smile
Blade Of Grass
Disease
The Beast
Killah
LoveDrug
Garden Of Eden
How Bad Do U Want Me
Don’t Call Tonight
2: ARTPOP
ARTPOP, arguably Lady Gaga’s most under appreciated album, takes the second place spot on my list. Sonically, this album is the hardest hitting album of her discography. She’s gone on record as saying she wanted to make an album that “hit harder than any drug.” She made ARTPOP at a tumultuous period in her life and the anguish and abandon she was feeling at the time is palpable in the music. This album embodies the sound of catharsis and features some of her most emotional, and in my opinion best, ballad of her career; “Dope”. Not only is it the most gut wrenching poetically, it is the ballad with her most striking vocal performance. Her raw emotion and remarkable range make devastation and longing sound easy and desirable. This album also features some of the most masterful production of her discography. “Aura” and “G.U.Y.” feature the talents of genius electronic musician and producer Zedd, while “Venus” is Lady Gaga’s first self produced track. The full and bombastic sound are best featured on “Aura” and “Swine,” which hide dark subject matter beneath the deafening, yet beautiful electronic/dance sound and perfectly encompass the heart of the album. ARTPOP doesn’t just focus on negative emotions, however. “Gypsy” is one of the most free sounding songs Gaga has ever written. Finding adventure and joy in being lost is the message I take from this remarkable display of Gaga’s impressive vocal and songwriting ability.
This album, like most of Gaga’s discography, is singular in sound. There is no other album that is able to wrap a broken heart and mind inside a boxing glove and hit the listener with infectious recklessness the way ARTPOP does. While appreciation was delayed, ARTPOP went No. 1 in 2021. A perfect example of Lady Gaga’s tenacity and longevity.
Note: In this track ranking, I will be using the version of “Do What U Want” featuring Christina Aguilera and NOT the version featuring the disgraced R. Kelly.
Track Ranking:
Swine
Aura
G.U.Y.
Fashion!
Donatella
Gypsy
Venus
Mary Jane Holland
Dope
Do What U Want
ARTPOP
Sexxx Dreams
Applause
MANiCURE
Jewels N’ Drugs
1: Born This Way
Lady Gaga’s third studio album is her magnum opus. Born This Way is an album like no other. Listening to it was the first time I truly felt seen by an artist. Sonically, vocally, and poetically this album sits head and shoulders above most of the pop music canon. From hard hitting electronic numbers like “Judas” and powerful ballads like “You and I” to interesting, allegoric numbers like “Bloody Mary” and expertly produced bangers like “Marry The Night”, it is impossible for the listener not to be moved in some capacity by this FORCE of an album. Born This Way features a Lady Gaga who has sat into her persona and identity, but still has the hunger of a young artist. It’s edgy, experimental, reverent, and feisty. The rebellious sound is accompanied by heavy religious allegory. Finding the love of self in an oppressive world or ideology is a theme that runs throughout. From “Born This Way” to “Edge Of Glory”, the music tells the tale of someone living on the edge, but finding themselves for the first time. This album is a cornerstone, not just of Lady Gaga’s career, but of my own life.
The deluxe release features three magnificent tracks that only help round out an already perfect album. “Black Jesus + Amen Fashion” nails in the religious allegory in a modern and avant garde way. “Fashion Of His Love” is an exquisite vocal showcase and infectiously optimistic listen. “The Queen” is a show stopping powerhouse of a song with an outro that makes the listener feel as though they are sailing into a blissful night sky on a Challenger with wings.
This album also bends genres in a singular fashion. “Americano”, “You and I”, and “Electric Chapel” each blend in different genres to help provide a unique and diverse sound to the album.
Born This Way is Lady Gaga’s most interesting listen. Its massive body of work features her best songs and her most powerful messaging. The album is hard hitting, comforting, soothing, energizing, and rebellious all in one. No other artist has been able to blend genres, styles, and sounds the way Lady Gaga can and Born This Way is the pinnacle of her musical mastery. This is one of the best albums ever made, on this hill will I die.
Track Ranking:
Bloody Mary
Judas
Black Jesus + Amen Fashion
Heavy Metal Lover
Fashion Of His Love
Government Hooker
The Queen
Highway Unicorn (Road To Love)
Marry The Night
Americano
Electric Chapel
You and I
Born This Way
Sheiße
Hair
The Edge Of Glory
Bad Kids
Thank you all for coming along with me on my ranking journey! Let me know if you’d like to see me rank any other artist or media and whether or not you agree with this ranking!