Born This Way

Lady Gaga's second studio album, Born This Way, dropped on May 23, 2011 via Interscope Records. Co-written and co-produced by Gaga with Fernando Garibay and RedOne, the album also brought in E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons and Queen guitarist Brian May. While her debut leaned heavily on synth-pop and dance-pop, this record explodes into electronic rock, techno, heavy metal, disco, house, and rock and roll. The lyrics tackle sexuality, religion, freedom, feminism, and individualism. Critics praised the ambitious genre-spanning sound and Gaga's vocal performance, though religious and conservative groups were divided. The album earned three Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and Rolling Stone later placed it on their 500 Greatest Albums list.

Commercially, Born This Way debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 1.108 million copies in its first week, boosted by a controversial 99-cent Amazon promotion. It went quadruple platinum in the US and was the third best-selling album globally in 2011, with over 5.8 billion streams and 31 million digital track sales by 2021. Four singles hit the Hot 100 top ten: the title track, "Judas", "The Edge of Glory", and "You and I". The title track became the fastest-selling single on iTunes at release. "Marry the Night" reached the top 30, while "Bloody Mary" went viral on TikTok in 2022, becoming the sixth single eleven years later. Gaga supported the album with performances at the Grammys, VMAs, and her Born This Way Ball tour. A tenth anniversary edition in 2021 featured covers by LGBT artists.

Recorded primarily in 2010 at studios like Studio Bus, Allertown, and Germano Studios, the sessions were intense. Gaga described the sound as a marriage of electronic music with classic metal and rock and roll. The album's cover art, featuring Gaga as a motorcycle-riding creature with a transparent face, was designed by Nick Knight. The deluxe edition included remixes and bonus tracks like "Fashion of His Love" and "The Queen". The album also sparked controversy: "Judas" drew criticism for its biblical references, and "Government Hooker" was initially banned in Lebanon. Despite this, Born This Way became a cultural touchstone for the LGBTQ+ community, with its title track adopted as an anthem of self-acceptance.[edit]