Joanne (Lady Gaga Album)
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''Joanne'' is the fifth studio album by American singer
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
. It was released on October 21, 2016, by Streamline and
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
. Gaga,
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbi ...
and
BloodPop Michael Tucker (born August 15, 1990), known professionally as BloodPop (stylized as BloodPop®), is an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. He has previously used the monikers Blood Diamonds, Blood, and Michael Diamond. He is kn ...
handled its production aside variety other collaborators, such as Kevin Parker,
Emile Haynie Emile Haynie (born July 13, 1980), often credited simply as Emile, is an American music producer from Buffalo, New York. His range of production includes alternative rock, hip hop, indie and pop music. Haynie has worked with several prominent ar ...
,
Jeff Bhasker Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013. An accomplished producer, he ...
and
Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he form ...
. Musically, ''Joanne'' is a stripped-down,
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
and
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
record with
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elements, aimed to focus on Gaga's vocals. Lyrically, the album delves into the theme of family and life's emotions; the death of Gaga's aunt Joanne Stefani Germanotta deeply influenced the record. The release and promotion of the album marked a softening of Gaga's image, who took on a more singer-songwriter-oriented look, consisting mainly of a pink, wide-brimmed
cowgirl A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
hat, vintage denim and pastel colors, evoking the 1970s. The singer's experience working on the television series ''
American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...
'' influenced ''Joanne''s creative process. To promote the album, three singles were released: "
Perfect Illusion "Perfect Illusion" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released for digital download on September 9, 2016 through Interscope Records as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). The track was written an ...
", "
Million Reasons "Million Reasons" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). Initially released as a promotional single, it was released to radio stations on October 29, 2016, as the album's second single. Th ...
" and the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may al ...
. "Perfect Illusion" was released as the album's lead single on September 9, 2016, and reached number one in France, while "Million Reasons" reached number four in the United States. A piano version of the title track was released to radio in selected territories as the album's third single. Gaga promoted the album with her
Joanne World Tour The Joanne World Tour was the fifth headlining concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). It began on August 1, 2017, in Vancouver, Canada and ended on February 1, 2018, in Birmingham, Eng ...
which began in August 2017 and ended in February 2018. ''Joanne'' received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised Gaga's musical direction, vocals, production and lyrical content, but had ambivalent reactions for its lack of cohesiveness. It became Gaga's fourth consecutive album to reach number one in the United States and also topped the charts in Brazil, Mexico, the international charts of Japan and Korea, as well as reached the top ten in over 25 countries. It earned
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in some of them. ''Joanne'' was nominated for
Best Pop Vocal Album The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality vocal pop music albums. Awards in several ...
at the
60th Annual Grammy Awards The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongc ...
. Two of its singles, "Million Reasons" and "Joanne" were nominated for
Best Pop Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop So ...
, for which the latter won the award.


Background and development

Gaga's third studio album ''
Artpop ''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 ...
'' was released in November 2013 to mixed reviews. It debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, and had sold 2.5 million copies as of July 2014. Gaga split from her longtime manager
Troy Carter Troy Carter may refer to: * Troy Carter (physicist) (born 1973), American plasma physicist *Troy Carter (politician) (born 1963), American politician * Troy Carter (talent manager) (born 1972), American music talent manager Fictional characters *2 ...
in late 2013. By June 2014, she and new manager Bobby Campbell had joined Artist Nation, the artist management division of
Live Nation Entertainment Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertainme ...
. Gaga confessed to ''
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'' that she had considered quitting music altogether when feeling depressed about herself and "wasn't able to see my own ability or my own talent". The ambivalent reception to ''Artpop'' led Gaga's management to come up with an image change for her. Along with a more subdued appearance in the media, Gaga emphasized her vocal prowess. A tribute to ''
The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. Se ...
'' at the
87th Academy Awards The 87th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best 2014 in film, films of 2014 and took place on February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, ...
, where she sang a medley of songs from the film, was critically lauded. She and
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
also released ''
Cheek to Cheek "Cheek to Cheek" is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1934–35, specifically for the star of his new musical, Fred Astaire. The movie was ''Top Hat'', co-starring Ginger Rogers.
'', an album of
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
duets, in September 2014 to generally favorable reviews. It debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Gaga's third consecutive number-one album in the United States, and won a
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented ...
. Gaga also starred in '' American Horror Story: Hotel'' (2015–2016), the fifth season of the American
anthology television series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
''
American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...
'', winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. At the awards ceremony the singer confirmed she would be releasing her fifth studio album later in 2016, and was working on the logistics and aspects including the look she would portray for the record. Throughout most of 2015 and 2016, Gaga teased fans about the album's creative and recording processes on her social media accounts. She was seen collaborating with longtime producer
RedOne Nadir Khayat ( ar, نادر الخياط; born 9 April 1972), better known by his stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan singer, songwriter, record producer and record executive. As a record producer and songwriter, he has worked with many high-profi ...
, as well as new collaborators like
Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance mu ...
,
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbi ...
and
Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
.


Writing and recording

According to Gaga, she wanted "fans to be surprised y the albumnbsp;... it's a wonderful, soul-searching experience. And it's very unlike 'ARTPOP''in that way". In an interview with ''Billboard'', producer RedOne said the singer was mentally in a "cleaner" state of mind, hearkening back to her earlier days, which he felt was beneficial. Gaga and Ronson served as ''Joanne''s executive producers. The two grew up within blocks of each another in New York's
Upper East Side The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the wes ...
, and had collaborated on
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's song " Chillin" (2009). They reunited in late 2015, when Gaga presented the song "
Angel Down ''Angel Down'' is the third solo release and the first studio album by heavy metal singer Sebastian Bach. Released on November 20, 2007, it is the first release to feature all original studio recorded material. It is also Bach's first release s ...
" to Ronson at a studio in London. Later, the duo worked for six months in
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
's Shangri-La recording studio in Malibu, while he was between projects. On Gaga and Ronson's first day at Shangri-La, they wrote the song " Joanne". Ronson encouraged Gaga to write lyrics about "whatever was happening in her life or on her mind". Recording continued until the album's final mastering session. Gaga was deeply involved with the technicalities of the music being recorded. "She loves just sitting at a piano and barking orders at a drummer and she has an incredible voice", Ronson said, adding that they began with the music and then proceeded with the songs. He later said that the music recorded with Gaga was "some of my favorite music I've really ever worked on. It's incredible – I love it. I can't wait until you can hear it because the music speaks for itself". Ronson also hinted at the involvement of Kevin Parker, frontman for the Australian
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
band
Tame Impala Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. In the recording studio, Parker writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring act, Tame Impala consists of Parke ...
, which
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later confirmed to be true. Many prominent musicians make guest appearances on ''Joanne''. Gaga invited
Father John Misty Joshua Michael Tillman (born May 3, 1981), better known by his stage name Father John Misty, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has also performed and released studio albums under the name J. Tillman. Maintainin ...
to play drums on the record. Ronson invited
Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he form ...
to play guitar on the song "
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
" because of his work for the band
Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple line- ...
; in addition, Homme drummed and was a co-producer. Ronson also invited
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
to collaborate on the album, resulting in the song "Dancin' in Circles". Gaga, a longtime fan of Beck's, was initially starstruck at working with him. Gaga and
Florence Welch Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986) is an English singer, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine. The band's debut studio album, ''Lungs'' (2009), topped the UK Albums Chart and wo ...
developed the concept of their duet, "Hey Girl", during a meeting at New York's
Electric Lady Studios Electric Lady Studios is a recording studio in Greenwich Village, New York City. It was commissioned by rock musician Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and designed by architect John Storyk and audio engineer Eddie Kramer by 1970. Hendrix spent only ten ...
. According to Gaga, the song's theme demanded a female collaborator. She selected Welch, calling her "if not the best, one of the greatest vocalists in the world". Ronson crafted the album's organic sound by recruiting musicians he had previously worked with on projects for
Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded 10 studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical operas and set ...
and
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...
. He credited producer
BloodPop Michael Tucker (born August 15, 1990), known professionally as BloodPop (stylized as BloodPop®), is an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. He has previously used the monikers Blood Diamonds, Blood, and Michael Diamond. He is kn ...
with "
ringing the album Ringing may mean: Vibrations * Ringing (signal), unwanted oscillation of a signal, leading to ringing artifacts * Vibration of a harmonic oscillator ** Bell ringing * Ringing (telephony), the sound of a telephone bell * Ringing (medicine), a rin ...
into the modern era". In the meantime, Gaga collaborated with
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
; their sessions resulted in a song titled "Room in My Heart", that did not make the album's final cut. In 2017, Gaga released her documentary film '' Gaga: Five Foot Two'', which included scenes of the singer and Ronson shot during the album's recording sessions.


Themes and influences

Family is an underlying theme on ''Joanne''. Gaga explained the album "goes through all of ifes emotions". While crafting it, she envisioned a girl in the middle of the country, who would understand the singer's lyrics and find a human connection. To achieve that, Gaga said in an interview with E! she decided to encompass an assortment of genres, including " rossingbetween country and funk, pop, dance, rock, electronic music, folk". The tragic early demise of Joanne Germanotta added to the emotional quotient of the songs, as well as to their lyrics. Along with identity, feelings such as loss, heartbreak, frustration, desire and nostalgia also influenced the album. The singer clarified that with ''Joanne'' she wanted to go "out into the world ... bringing with me its deepest stories that I have of my life and turning them into songs that I hope will touch people in a deep and meaningful way about their own lives and their own stories." The singer's experience working on ''American Horror Story'' influenced ''Joanne''s creative process. Gaga mentioned: "I have returned to something I've believed in so much, which is the art of darkness." Being on the show also impacted her vocals. She explained that she would "listen" more to the music and then write. She added that ''Joanne'' would talk less about her painful time during the ''Artpop'' era and would have more clarity; "Now I'm thinking more about what it is I want to say and what I want to leave on Earth. It's less an expression of all my pain", she concluded. The album became an outlet for the singer to relieve herself of the "pain and anguish" she felt from the constant expectations people had of her music. Other influences came from the men in Gaga's life, from her father Joe Germanotta and ex-fiancé
Taylor Kinney Taylor Jackson Kinney (born July 15, 1981) is an American actor and model. He has played Mason Lockwood in ''The Vampire Diaries'', Jared in ''Zero Dark Thirty'', Phil in '' The Other Woman'', and Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Kelly Severid ...
. She said that using her "rebellious spirit" she wanted to understand the different relationships she had gone through, saying that ''Joanne'' was not a "sad album. It's an album that is very revealing of me as a woman". According to Kevin Fallon of ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'', "The act of being Lady Gaga had drowned out the brilliant music, and the importance of Lady Gaga had somehow muddied the simple pleasure of being her fan: It was her authenticity, in all of its strangeness and lofty artistic pursuit, that spoke to us. That seemed to have gone missing." He felt that with ''Joanne'', Gaga was able to eliminate that redundancy and present herself as an "evolved performer", who could lay down bare emotions in the songs, rather than "mask" them in
electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
beats.


Title and packaging

Gaga named the album after Joanne Stefani Germanotta, her father's sister. She died on December 18, 1974, at age 19 due to complications arising from
lupus Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Comm ...
. Gaga, whose middle name is Joanne (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta), recognized her aunt's death had a profound effect on her family and her work. The booklet in her debut album, ''
The Fame ''The Fame'' is the debut studio album by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. After joining Kon Live Distribution and Cherrytree Records in 2008, Gaga began working on the album with different p ...
'' (2008), contained a poem titled ''For a Moment'' written by Joanne. Gaga credits Joanne with helping her overcome addiction problems, and dedicated
The Fame Ball Tour The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album ''The Fame'' (2008). North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia ...
to her. The singer tattooed the date of Joanne's death on her left biceps, between lines of a verse from a poem by
Rainer Maria Rilke René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke (), was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recogni ...
. The singer's parents opened a restaurant called Joanne Trattoria in New York in 2012. Gaga has often said that although she never met her, Joanne was "one of the most important figures in my life". After she wrote the song "Joanne" with Ronson, they decided to use the name as the album's title as a tribute to her aunt. Along with revealing the album's title, Gaga also unveiled the cover artwork. It consists of an image of the singer's left profile, with her wearing a pink, wide-brimmed hat, against a blue background. The hat was designed by
milliner Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...
Gladys Tamez Gladys Tamez (born in McAllen, Texas) is a Mexican-American haute couture milliner or hat designer. She is considered a preeminent milliner and arguably the most famous in America. She founded her eponymously named Gladys Tamez Millinery in Los Ang ...
who revealed it was another source of inspiration behind the overall direction of ''Joanne''. The milliner explained to ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' that one of the hats was inspired by English singer
Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...
. She added, "Gaga was the first to ever request this hat in pink, because it's her favorite color". Tamez named it "Lady Joanne" and added that Gaga had her change the shape, color and the ribbon on the hat. While designing the cover and the overall image, Tamez and Gaga spoke of using more
pastel colors Pastels or pastel colors belong to a pale family of colors, which, when described in the HSV color space, have high value and low saturation. They are named after an artistic medium made from pigment and solid binding agents, similar to cr ...
, inspired by the 1970s. Dominique Redfearn of ''Billboard'' noted that the cover appeared simpler compared to those for '' Born This Way'' and ''
Artpop ''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 ...
''. ''Billboard''s Andrew Unterberger described it as "thoughtfully composed", adding it was an indication that the album's music was much more straightforward than her earlier work. The standard version of the album contains 11 songs; the deluxe edition includes three additional tracks—two bonus songs and a demo. The booklet includes Gaga and her father's pictures, Joanne's driving license as well as her handwriting. Gaga felt it was "nice to include family heirlooms that carry meaning to me still today ... And a Polaroid of me and onsonin the studio".


Music and lyrics

Journalists have described ''Joanne'' as a
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
, and
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
album, with elements of
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
. According to ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', Gaga "didn't give much thought to genre" while creating ''Joanne'', which ranges from the
dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco ...
of its lead single, "Perfect Illusion", to the introspective country songwriting of the title track, "Joanne". Gaga stated she professed a fascination with all aspects of country music, which in turn influenced the album. In terms of production and composition, ''Joanne'' continued the "stripped-down" approach to music Gaga had taken following ''Artpop'', emphasizing her vocals and the songwriting. Gaga told ''Rolling Stone'' that the tracks consisted of "stories about my family, my sister, my father and his sister. My mom's family. My relationships with men, my failures".


Songs

Joe Lynch of ''Billboard'' described ''Joanne'' as "a stylistically eclectic collection of swaggering rock, introspective
ballads A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
and soulful, danceable grooves". It opens with the track "Diamond Heart" which sets the album's tone. Hearkening back to her earlier works, this autobiographical song talks about Gaga's time as a
go-go dancer Go-go dancers are dancers who are employed to entertain crowds at nightclubs or other venues where music is played. Go-go dancing originated in the early 1960s at the French bar Whisky a Gogo located in Juan-les-Pins. The bar's name was take ...
in New York. "Diamond Heart" varies from a moody vibe in the verses, to a drum-oriented pre-chorus, and finally a rock-
EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstrat ...
chorus, with Homme playing guitar. The second track, " A-Yo", has touches of country, and is reminiscent of the music played in
dive bar A dive bar is typically a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style drinking establishment with inexpensive drinks; it may feature dim lighting, shabby or dated decor, neon beer signs, packaged beer sales, cash-only service, and a local clientele. ...
s, with double hand claps and brass-accentuated beats. Lyrically, it is a metaphor for having sex. The repetition of the same two chords in the song's instrumentation is complemented by BloodPop's background shouts and synth elements. As the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may al ...
starts, the general
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
drops. Accompanied by just an acoustic guitar and minimal percussion, Gaga sings "heartfelt" lyrics about her late aunt Joanne. The singer described the track as "the true heart and soul of the record". The electronic "
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
" is more tongue-in-cheek lyrically, with Gaga including
cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
references in the lyrics: "I just love a cowboy, I know it's bad, but I'm, like, can I just hang off the back of your horse and can you go a little faster?". Gaga's vocals are accompanied by Homme's guitar, and the track alludes to her previous relationships, with comparisons to actor
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
. The Beck-composed track "Dancin' in Circles" is a pop song, consisting of a dance beat, a spoken-word
bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
, and lyrics about having a good time by oneself. It was described by Nicholas Mojica of the ''
International Business Times The ''International Business Times'' is an American online news publication that publishes five national editions in four languages. The publication, sometimes called ''IBTimes'' or ''IBT'', offers news, opinion and editorial commentary on busi ...
'' as an "ode to
masturbation Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinatio ...
". It has influences of
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
and
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
, hearkening back to Gaga's own "
Alejandro Alejandro is the Spanish form of the name Alexander. Alejandro has multiple variations in different languages, including Aleksander (Czech, Polish), Alexandre ( French), Alexandros (Greek), Alsander (Irish), Alessandro (Italian), Aleksandr (Rus ...
" (2010), as well as the music of
Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
. The lyrics find Gaga, dancing alone late at night, fantasizing about a past lover and masturbating: "I lay around, touch myself to pass the time / I feel down, I wish you were mine". According to Mark Savage of
BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...
, "
Perfect Illusion "Perfect Illusion" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released for digital download on September 9, 2016 through Interscope Records as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). The track was written an ...
" is a
disco-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco ...
song, composed around a building chord sequence, which he felt leads to a "compelling sense of urgency". The singer's vocals are kept raw and "untreated", eschewing
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances. Auto-Tu ...
. The composition consists of "pulsing verses" and a guitar-and-vocal breakdown before the final chorus, where Gaga sings the title multiple times. Around the two-minute mark, there is a
key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...
change for the final chorus. In "
Million Reasons "Million Reasons" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). Initially released as a promotional single, it was released to radio stations on October 29, 2016, as the album's second single. Th ...
" Gaga talks about love which does not last, uttering several variations of the title in the verses. The composition consists of a simple, country-oriented piano and guitar instrumentation. In the chorus Gaga sings, "You're giving me a million reasons to let you go / You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show". Tom Rasmussen of ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
'' feels "Million Reasons" has the strongest country music influence of all the songs on ''Joanne''. "Sinner's Prayer" consists of instrumentation from bells and whistles, and is a mixture of country music, R&B and pop. The Father John Misty-assisted track finds a vulnerable Gaga wanting her man to love her true self. The lyric, "Her love for him ain't cheap / But it breaks just like a knockoff piece from Fulton Street" references the said street in Manhattan, New York, where cheap trinkets are available. For the ninth track "Come to Mama", Gaga sings in an affected voice, elongating her vowel enunciation. The 1970s-inspired composition has a big chorus, highlighted by a brass section and an upbeat drum rhythm, and talks about accepting one another. The song has biblical references, with Gaga alluding to both the
Old Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...
and
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
s. The lyric about "a forty-day flood" references
Noah Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
's
ark Ark or ARK may refer to: Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva'' * Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood * Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses Hebrew ''aron'' * ...
while "stop throwin' stones at your sisters and your brothers" is taken from one of
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
'
aphorisms An aphorism (from Ancient Greek, Greek ἀφορισμός: ''aphorismos'', denoting 'delimitation', 'distinction', and 'definition') is a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression of a general truth or principle. Aphorisms are often hand ...
, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." In "Hey Girl", BloodPop and Ronson added a
downtempo Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...
funk production to accompany Gaga and Welch's prominent vocals. The lyrics are an "ode to friendship". The eleventh track, "Angel Down", was inspired by the
death of Trayvon Martin On the night of February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, United States, George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American boy. Zimmerman, a 28-year-old man of mixed race, was the neighborhood watch coordinator for h ...
, who was shot dead by
George Zimmerman George Michael Zimmerman (born October 5, 1983) is an American man who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black boy, in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. On July 13, 2013, he was acquitted of second-degree murder in '' Florid ...
in 2012. Gaga sings lyrics like "Shots were fired on the street, by the church where we used to meet" in this
torch song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affecte ...
. Deluxe edition bonus track "Grigio Girls" was written for Sonja Durham, creative coordinator of her team, the Haus of Gaga, who had breast cancer. The song's lyrics include, "I was 23 / She was 35 / I was spiralin' out / And she was so alive". The second bonus track, "Just Another Day" was inspired by glam and the work of
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
.


Release

Gaga's manager Bobby Campbell confirmed the album would not be released until the latter half of 2016; Elton John said it would not be released until 2017. In September 2016, Gaga updated her official website announcing the new album and revealed the title of the lead single, "Perfect Illusion". On September 15, the singer appeared on Apple Radio's Beats 1 and announced the album was titled ''Joanne'' and its release date would be October 21, 2016. She also confirmed that within the next 48 hours, the recording would be finished. Gaga confessed that finally announcing the album's name and release date was a bittersweet moment for her, acknowledging "this isn't the end just the end of this moment. It's also the beginning of this moment." During the same interview, the singer confirmed that, unlike recent releases, the album would not be available exclusively on streaming services like
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
or
Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * Tidal (album), ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * ...
. "I told my label that if they signed those contracts with Apple Music and Tidal, I'd leak all my own new music," she explained to host Zane Lowe. Gaga's was opposed to these services having exclusive streaming rights to an artist's releases. Before its release, the album was
leaked A leak is a way (usually an opening) for fluid to escape a container or fluid-containing system, such as a tank or a ship's hull, through which the contents of the container can escape or outside matter can enter the container. Leaks are usuall ...
several times. On
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
, the album was listed for pre-order and the songs were to be made available as and when they were released. However, on Amazon's
Echo In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the list ...
speaker, fans found that if they instructed it to "play ''Joanne'' by Lady Gaga", it previewed 30-second snippets of each track. Amazon later disabled previews for the whole album. Three days prior to the official release date of October 21, the album was mistakenly put out for sale in shops in Belgium. This allowed people to post it on the Internet, leading to leaks of songs.


Promotion

Chris Willman of ''Billboard'' wrote that the promotional "blitz" for ''Joanne'' "felt like something from a bygone era" due to the traditional route taken by Gaga and her team, in place of surprise album launches. During her interview on ''
The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...
'' Gaga confirmed that she wanted to promote ''Joanne'' in the "old-school style". The events leading up to the release were described by Willman as "the most culturally ubiquitous rollout since Taylor Swift's ''1989 (Taylor Swift album), 1989'' two years ago". He theorized that after the perceived commercial disappointment with ''Artpop'', Gaga's management wanted to make sure of a comeback with ''Joanne''. Adding to this was the musical and stylistic change that Gaga underwent with the release, which would have confused her core audience and fans without promotion. Willman concluded that the promo would "provide a pre-Super Bowl LI halftime show, Super Bowl primer to Middle America — that somewhere between the Lady Gaga's meat dress, meat dress and the Tony Bennett collaboration, Gaga has settled into a middle path".


Singles

"Perfect Illusion" was released as the album's first single on September 9, 2016. It received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented its catchiness, the song's key change and Gaga's vocal delivery. Others deemed it a disappointing choice as a lead single compared to the singer's previous releases. The song debuted at number one in France while reaching a peak of number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This was followed by the release of two Promotional recording, promotional singles—"Million Reasons" on October 6 and "A-Yo" on October 18, 2016. "A-Yo" was initially chosen as the second single of the album, but "Million Reasons" proved to be more successful commercially and was released as a single first. The song debuted at number 76 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, initially peaking at number 54. However, after Gaga's Super Bowl performance, it re-entered the chart at number four, becoming her fourteenth top-ten in the nation. The placement was aided by the song reaching number one on the Digital Songs, Digital Songs Chart with sales of 149,000 copies, 7.6 million US streams and 15 million radio airplays. Most critics reacted positively to the song, highlighting its simple nature and the lyrics. It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). For further promotion, both singles were accompanied by music videos, with the clip for "Million Reasons" being a continuation of "Perfect Illusion". The loose narrative contained in the two clips was continued later in a video for "John Wayne". "Joanne" was released as the third single from the album in Italy on December 22, 2017, and a piano version of the song as well as its music video (dedicated to her deceased aunt Joanne) was released as a digital download worldwide on January 26, 2018.


Performances

Promotional activities for ''Joanne'' began with the announcement of "Perfect Illusion" as the album's lead single. Gaga performed it live for the first time at Moth Club in London, on September 10, 2016. She featured "Perfect Illusion" in a trailer for ''American Horror Story: Roanoke'', adding to the anonymous nature around the season's theme. Gaga released a number of commercials for
Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
featuring the track. She gave interviews to ''Good Morning America'' and ''The New York Times'', and appeared at Manhattan's Best Buy shop to purchase ''Joanne'' for unsuspecting customers. The singer performed " A-Yo" and "
Million Reasons "Million Reasons" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). Initially released as a promotional single, it was released to radio stations on October 29, 2016, as the album's second single. Th ...
" on ''Saturday Night Live'' on October 22, 2016, assisted by Ronson and Lindsey. ''Paste (magazine), Paste''s Chris White called her an "incredible performer and vocalist" based on her performance. On October 25, 2016, Gaga appeared on ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' in the Carpool Karaoke segment singing her previous singles, along with "Perfect Illusion" and "Million Reasons". Later she sang "A-Yo" on the main stage of ''The Late Late Show''. The following week Gaga headed to Japan to promote ''Joanne''. She performed a piano version of "Perfect Illusion" on ''Sukkiri'', " Joanne" on ''News Zero'' and a medley of "Million Reasons", "Perfect Illusion" and "A-Yo" on ''SMAP×SMAP''. Gaga sang "Million Reasons" at the 2016 American Music Awards of 2016, American Music Awards and the Ali Forney Center, a LGBT community centre, LGBT pride center. Album tracks "Come to Mama" and "Angel Down" were performed at presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016, final campaign stop in Raleigh, North Carolina. Gaga traveled to Paris where she performed "Million Reasons", "A-Yo" and "John Wayne" at the 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Cole Delbyck of ''The Huffington Post'' felt the ''Joanne'' tracks were not suitable for the show. In the United Kingdom, Gaga began her promotion of ''Joanne'' with a surprise gig at London's Shepherd's Bush Westfield London, Westfield shopping center. She later performed "Million Reasons" on the semi-final of the The X Factor (British series 13), 13th season of ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor'', and at the 2016 Royal Variety Performance, attended by Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as well as on ''Alan Carr's Happy Hour''. Gaga was the headliner of the Super Bowl LI halftime show, where along with past material, she performed "Million Reasons" on the piano. She was also a main headliner at the 2017 Coachella (festival), Coachella Festival. Her setlist included "John Wayne", "A-Yo", and "Million Reasons" from the album. Benjamin Lee of ''The Guardian'' praised her performance, although he noted the tracks from ''Joanne'' were met with "surprising disinterest" compared to her older hits. In 2018, Gaga performed "Joanne" and "Million Reasons" on the piano at the
60th Annual Grammy Awards The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongc ...
, where she was joined on stage by Mark Ronson, who played guitar. Writing for ''E! News'', Vanessa Jackson called the performance "powerful and heartbreaking".


Tour

Gaga announced her Dive Bar Tour (Lady Gaga), Dive Bar Tour, sponsored by Budweiser, Bud Light. The 3-date tour saw her visit
dive bar A dive bar is typically a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style drinking establishment with inexpensive drinks; it may feature dim lighting, shabby or dated decor, neon beer signs, packaged beer sales, cash-only service, and a local clientele. ...
s in the United States on October 5, 20 and 27, 2016. Her performances were Streaming media, live streamed on Gaga and Bud Light's Facebook pages. In a statement Gaga said: "My first performances were in dive bars in New York City and around the country, so working with Bud Light to go back to my roots to perform songs from my new album ''Joanne'' is such an exciting way to connect with my fans and share this music with them for the first time". She added the venues would accentuate the "raw
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
vibe" of her then-upcoming album. During the tour, Gaga premiered "A-Yo" and "Million Reasons", with the latter subsequently released for streaming on her Vevo channel. On February 5, 2017, Gaga announced she would embark on the
Joanne World Tour The Joanne World Tour was the fifth headlining concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her fifth studio album, '' Joanne'' (2016). It began on August 1, 2017, in Vancouver, Canada and ended on February 1, 2018, in Birmingham, Eng ...
to support the album. It began on August 1, 2017, and ended on February 1, 2018. Gaga postponed the European leg of the tour due to severe pain caused by fibromyalgia and was forced to cancel the last 10 shows. The concert was deemed "more minimalist" compared to the singer's previous tours, but received praise for its visuals, Gaga's singing abilities and her connection with the audience. The tour ultimately grossed $95 million from sales of 842,000 tickets.


Critical reception

AnyDecentMusic? summed up the critical consensus as 6.6 out of 10. British music journalist Neil McCormick gave the album a four-out-of-five-star rating in his review published in ''The Daily Telegraph'' and complimented the old-fashioned songs on the album. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave it a three-and-a-half-out-of-five rating. In a positive review he wrote that unlike Gaga's previous endeavors where she appeared as a "high-wire act", ''Joanne'' was more "earth-bound" and is a "record made by an artist determined to execute only the stunts she knows how to pull off ... Gaga's feet remain firmly planted in
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
even when she brings in a number of collaborators". The same rating was given by ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''s Rob Sheffield, who described the release as an "old-school Nineties
soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
album, heavy on the acoustic guitar". He complimented the understated production by Ronson and the other producers. Writing for ''The A.V. Club'', Annie Zaleski commended the "genre fluidity" of ''Joanne''. Rating it a "B", Zaleski noted that songs like "Diamond Heart", "John Wayne", "Sinner's Prayer" and "Hey Girl" are the album's best tracks and highlighted Gaga's vocal prowess. In a three-out-of-five-star review for ''Slant Magazine'', Sal Cinquemani criticized the album for its oversung ballads and lack of strong Hook (music), hooks but deemed it more consistent and focused than ''Artpop''. Maeve McDermott of ''USA Today'' complimented Gaga for "expanding her artistic vision and toying with different genres [on the album], while still recording the customary pop tracks listeners have come to expect". Andy Gill gave the album three out of five stars in a review for ''The Independent''. Gill commended the album's rock-leaning tracks, and Homme's work on " A-Yo" and "John Wayne" as highlights, but called "Perfect Illusion" dull. ''The Guardian''s Caroline Sullivan considered ''Joanne'' a "brave move" for Gaga and rated it three-out-of-five-stars. She explained that "Gaga's huge voice adds a self-protective veneer, as does the presence of the other musicians, but at least she's done the groundwork for future albums that might show her with true transparency". Digital Spy's Lewis Corner wrote: "''Joanne'' is clearly Gaga's most personal album, popping aside the synthetic personas for something more honest and, well, human. Mother Monster may be retired for now, but Lady Gaga's sheer musical brilliance still shines through." For Evan Sawdey of ''PopMatters'', the album—with its "flaws and all"—was a correct musical step for Gaga, which he believed would make "fans and observers once again rethink what they know about the daring diva". Similarly, Amanda Petrusich of ''Pitchfork (website), Pitchfork'' remarked how Gaga explored an alternative path musically, diverging from "visual provocations" that permeated most of her career. Mikael Wood of the ''Los Angeles Times'' felt that most songs on the album "lacked strong stories" and were "mere stylistic exercises" on Gaga's part. Rich Juzwiak, who reviewed ''Joanne'' for ''Spin (magazine), Spin'', did not find the musical evolution that Gaga presented on the album authentic. Rating the album two-out-of-four stars, journalist Greg Kot wrote in the ''Chicago Tribune'' that "[Gaga] sounds like she's just trying too hard" with ''Joanne''. He also criticized the social commentary-filled lyrics on songs like "Come to Mama" and "Angel Down". Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' noted the album's elemental sound did not come as a surprise and felt that it was not "daring or radical—it's logical, a rejoinder to her past and also to the candy-striped pop that surrounds her".


Commercial performance

In the United States, ''Joanne'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, moving 201,000 album-equivalent units of which 170,000 were pure sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It became Gaga's fourth album to top the chart following ''Born This Way'' (2011), ''Artpop'' (2013), and ''Cheek to Cheek'' (2014). It was 2016's second-highest debut for an album by a woman in the US after Beyoncé's ''Lemonade (Beyoncé album), Lemonade'' opened with 653,000 copies. As a result, Gaga became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s. The album-equivalent units for ''Joanne'' consisted of 135,000 song sales and 26 million streams along with 170,000 traditional album sales. ''Joanne''s debut helped Gaga rise to number one on the ''Billboard'' Artist 100, which measures artist activity across the publication's most influential charts. The album's sales dropped by 70% to 61,000 units in the second week, with it falling to number five on the ''Billboard'' 200. Following Gaga's Super Bowl halftime show performance, ''Joanne'' rose 66–2 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 48,000 copies and 74,000 album-equivalent units. It has sold 649,000 units as of February 2019 in the United States and was certified Platinum in October 2017 by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over a million equivalent units in the country. ''Joanne'' debuted at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart with 17,500 album-equivalent units, behind Leonard Cohen's ''You Want It Darker''. According to the Canadian SoundScan, the album had the third-highest Request (broadcasting), on-demand streams in the country. On November 4, 2016, the album was certified Gold by Music Canada for shipments of 40,000 copies in the country. Like in the United States, the Super Bowl performance also had an impact in Canada, where ''Joanne'' vaulted from 54–2 on the album chart, with a 524-percent gain in album-equivalent units. In the United Kingdom, ''Joanne'' debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, with first-week sales of 26,694 copies, behind Elvis Presley's posthumous release, ''The Wonder of You (Elvis Presley album), The Wonder of You'', and Michael Bublé's ''Nobody but Me (Michael Bublé album), Nobody but Me''. On the UK Album Downloads Chart, ''Joanne'' entered the chart at number one. It also reached number two on the Official Albums Streaming Chart and number five on the Official Physical Albums Chart. The following week it dropped to number 14, with sales of 9,602 units. Following the Super Bowl performance, the record rose from number 88 to number 11 on the chart with sales increasing to 5,289 copies. As of June 2020, the album has sold 168,564 copies in the UK and has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). ''Joanne'' debuted at number three on the Irish Albums Chart. The album's debut failed to meet expectations in France, where it entered the album chart at number nine, with sales of just over 8,000 copies. Pure Charts website theorized that the moderate performance of the lead single, "Perfect Illusion", and the absence of Gaga in the media during the album's release week contributed to the album's low debut. By year end, they deemed ''Joanne'' one of the commercially disappointing albums in France, achieving total sales of only 12,000 copies. Two years after its release, the album racked up a Gold certification for selling 50,000 equivalent units there. ''Joanne'' debuted at number two on both the ARIA Charts, Australian and Official New Zealand Music Chart, New Zealand album charts. The Australian Recording Industry Association reported that ''Joanne'' was Gaga's second consecutive solo album to debut at number two on the chart following ''Artpop''. In Japan, ''Joanne'' debuted at number 10 on the Oricon Albums Chart with first week sales of 8,026 copies. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), ''Joanne'' was the 22nd best-selling album of 2016, selling one million copies that year.


Accolades and impact

''Joanne'' was ranked in several publications' year-end lists. ''Billboard'' ranked it as the 32nd-best album of 2016, adding that the "kitchen-sink pop album" had an "instant-classic breakup ballad" in "Million Reasons", which enabled Gaga to reclaim "her sweet spot with ''Joanne''". ''Digital Spy''s Lewis Corner placed the record at number nine, believing that "simplicity" was the key to the album's success. ''Joanne'' was ''NME'' magazine's 20th-best album of the year, with the publication highlighting how it hearkened back to the stripped-down sound employed by Gaga in her early years as an artist. For ''Rolling Stone'', the album was the seventh-best pop release of 2016, with a writer from the magazine feeling that, "Gaga's soft-rock transformation takes the pop star into a new direction without losing her flair for the dramatic and penchant for the kitschy." The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the
60th Annual Grammy Awards The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongc ...
, while "Million Reasons" was nominated for
Best Pop Solo Performance The Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guides, the Best Pop So ...
. "Million Reasons" was one of the award-winning songs at the Broadcast Music, Inc., BMI Awards. The piano version of the title track won Best Pop Solo Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. While reviewing Kesha's third studio album, ''Rainbow (Kesha album), Rainbow'' (2017), Spencer Kornhaber of ''The Atlantic'' noted the use of analogue instruments in lieu of electric ones as had been done with the songs on ''Joanne''. Kesha also tamed down her image like Gaga, but kept her distinct personality. In a ''Vanity Fair (magazine), Vanity Fair'' article, Josh Duboff wrote that singer Justin Timberlake's "countryfied" musical endeavors with his ''Man of the Woods'' album era recalled ''Joanne''. Hugh McIntyre of ''Forbes'' found singer Harry Styles' debut single, "Sign of the Times (Harry Styles song), Sign of the Times" (2017), incorporated glam rock in its composition. Kornhaber and Billy Nilles from ''E! News'' identified Kylie Minogue's fourteenth studio album Golden (Kylie Minogue album), ''Golden'' (2018) and Miley Cyrus's sixth studio album ''Younger Now'' (2017) as part of a trend of pop singers going through a country phase, which they compared to Gaga's work on ''Joanne''. Brittany Spanos of ''Rolling Stone'' observed, ''Joanne'' served as singer Noah Cyrus's "muse" and songwriting for her music, incorporating the country-themes of Gaga's endeavor. Gary Trust, in an article for ''Billboard'', titled "Is Lady Gaga Bringing Back 'The Vocalist Era'?", noted that with the release of "Million Reasons" Gaga had brought her vocal abilities to the forefront. He interviewed radio programmers who theorized that releasing the song was part of a bigger musical picture and believed that the musical scene was "entering a new era of traditional ballads and big vocals".


Track listing

Notes *  signifies a co-producer


Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Joanne''.


Music

* Victor Axelrod – piano , synthesizer *
Jeff Bhasker Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013. An accomplished producer, he ...
 – synthesizers *
BloodPop Michael Tucker (born August 15, 1990), known professionally as BloodPop (stylized as BloodPop®), is an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. He has previously used the monikers Blood Diamonds, Blood, and Michael Diamond. He is kn ...
 – synthesizer , keyboards , organ , bass , drums * Thomas Brenneck – guitars * Jack Byrne – guitar * J. Gastelum Cochemea – tenor saxophone * Dave Guy – trumpet * Este Haim – percussion *
Emile Haynie Emile Haynie (born July 13, 1980), often credited simply as Emile, is an American music producer from Buffalo, New York. His range of production includes alternative rock, hip hop, indie and pop music. Haynie has worked with several prominent ar ...
 – drums, additional synths * Matt Helders – drums * Ian Hendrickson-Smith – baritone saxophone *
Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he form ...
 – guitar , drums , slide guitar * James King (musician), James King – baritone, tenor and alto saxes * Brent Kolatalo – drums * Steve Kortyka – saxophone * Lady Gaga – vocals , piano , percussion , backing vocals * Don Lawrence – vocal instruction * Sean Lennon – slide guitar * Ken Lewis (musician), Ken Lewis – drums * Hillary Lindsey – additional vocals , guitar , background vocals * Kelsey Lu – cello * Leon Michels – keyboards, Mellotron * Tom Moth – harp * Nicholas Movshon – bass * Brian Newman – trumpet * Kevin Parker – drums, guitar, synthesizer *
RedOne Nadir Khayat ( ar, نادر الخياط; born 9 April 1972), better known by his stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan singer, songwriter, record producer and record executive. As a record producer and songwriter, he has worked with many high-profi ...
 – guitar *
Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Robbi ...
 – bass , guitar , keyboards , Mellotron strings , electric piano , synthesizer * Anthony Rossomando – guitar * Harper Simon – guitar * Homer Steinweiss – drums * Father John Misty, Josh Tillman – drums *
Florence Welch Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986) is an English singer, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine. The band's debut studio album, ''Lungs'' (2009), topped the UK Albums Chart and wo ...
 – vocals


Production

* Ben Baptie – mixing * Jeff Bhasker – co-production * Joshua Blair – recording * BloodPop – production , rhythm track , rhythm programming , string programming , synthesizer programming * Brandon Bost – mixing assistance , recording * Johnnie Burik – recording assistance * Christopher Cerullo – recording assistance * Chris Claypool – recording assistance * David "Squirrel" Covell – recording assistance , recording * Tom Coyne (music engineer), Tom Coyne – mastering * Matthew Cullen – recording * Riccardo Damian – recording * Abby Echiverri – recording assistance * Tom Elmhirst – mixing * Serban Ghenea – mixing * John Hanes – mix engineering * Michael Harris – recording assistance * Emile Haynie – production * Josh Homme – co-production * T.I. Jakke – mixing * Jens Jungkerth – recording * Brent Kolatalo – recording * Lady Gaga – production * Ken Lewis – recording * Barry McCready – recording assistance , recording * Ed McEntee – recording assistance * Randy Merrill – mastering * Trevor Muzzy – recording * Kevin Parker – production * Charley Pollard – recording assistance * RedOne – production, mixing, programming * Benjamin Rice – recording * Mark Ronson – production * Dave Russell – recording * Brett "123" Shaw – recording * Justin Smith – recording , recording assistance * Joe Visciano – mixing assistance , recording * Alekes Von Korff – recording


Management

* Bobby Campbell – management * Lisa Einhorn-Gilder – production coordination * Ashley Gutierrez – assistance to Lady Gaga * John Janick – Artists and repertoire, A&R * Lady Gaga – executive production * Mark Ronson – executive production * Sandra Amador – styling * Frederic Aspiras – hair * Andrea Gelardin – creative direction, photography * Ruth Hogben – creative direction, photography * Lady Gaga – creative direction, photography * Brandon Maxwell – creative direction, fashion direction * Brian Roettinger – graphic design * Collier Schorr – photography * Sarah Tanno – makeup * Florence Welch – photography * An Yen – graphic design


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications and sales


See also

* List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2016, List of ''Billboard'' 200 number-one albums of 2016 * List of Gaon Album Chart number ones of 2016 * List of number-one albums of 2016 (Mexico) * List of Oricon number-one albums of 2016 * List of UK Album Downloads Chart number ones of the 2010s


References


External links

* {{Authority control 2016 albums Albums produced by Josh Homme Albums produced by Kevin Parker Albums produced by Mark Ronson Albums produced by RedOne Interscope Records albums Lady Gaga albums Soft rock albums by American artists Albums produced by Lady Gaga Albums recorded at Shangri-La (recording studio) Albums recorded at Electro-Vox Recording Studios Albums recorded at Electric Lady Studios