OFFICIAL! Lady Gaga's 'Applause' is one killer song

Mother Monster, Lady Gaga

All hail The Gaga! Mother Monster is back with her first official single 'Applause' which is featured on her much anticipated new CD, ARTPOP. The title should be self-evident, but the jam is essentially about Mother Monster's intense need for her fans' adoration in the form of good old-fashioned claps. In a sense, the song is a readymade rebuttal to anything negative critics might lob her way — and a rallying call for her Little Monsters to dole out that life force that sustains her: applause. The reviews have started to pour in for Gaga's new track, but — good or bad — Mother Monster won't be hearing any of that. As she stated on Twitter Sunday (August 11), Lady Gaga does not truck with music critics: "Dont focus on ANY blogger criticism. I have been a producer/songwriter/musician for over 10 years. Trust the artist bloggers are not critics." When it comes to opinions, Gaga only really cares what her fans think of her jams — and said thoughts best be accompanied by a lot of clapping. The majority of the song, predictably, features Gaga stressing that she lives "for the applause, applause, applause," asking fans to "put your hands up make'em touch." Lady Gaga premiered the full version of her new single "Applause" one entire week earlier than scheduled. The DJ White Shadow co-produced dance floor-ready anthem was supposed to be radio premiered and released on iTunes on 19 August, but due to speculation (although, it was more than speculation actually…new snippets were being posted online left and right) some people had obtained the full track somehow and were threatening to leak it, Gaga had to take immediate action and what she did, was the only thing she could've done, ditch 19 August, and premiere "Applause" now.  Listen to the new track, below.