5 Reasons Lady Gaga’s “Stupid Love” Feels So Refreshingly Retro

I have strong opinions about pop music. I was born in ’88 and grew up in the 90s, so my basis of modern pop tunes is everything from Mariah and Michael and Sheryl to Britney and Ricky and J.Lo. Jock Jams. Now That’s What I Call Music! I remember hip-hop sliding itself into the Top 40 in a huge way during the turn of the millennium, and alternative rock struggling to stay mainstream if it was anything less than catchy.

As of 2020, popular music has hedged in more directions that I can count. Between the 90s bubblegum pop surge and now, we’ve seen the charts topped by almost every genre there is: R&B, EDM, country, trap, soft rock, latin dance, folk, synth-pop, soul… Think about how utterly lucky we are to exist in a period of creation where this much variety in music is available to us.

In case you need a refresher, Lady Gaga emerged in 2008. First, as a chic underground pop star in small venues, and in a behind-the-scenes video series on YouTube called Gagavision. (Never knew this existed? Do yourself a favor and watch the first one. Diehard fans, you’re welcome. Enjoy this gem of a throwback.)

The following year, she dropped “Just Dance.” (Side Note: 2009 was the best damn year for modern pop music on record. Here’s the evidence. Come fight me about it.) Then “Poker Face,” closely…