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Readers of this blog will know, I am a genuine Lady Gaga fan. I've defended her honour against those who claim she's an attention seeking harlot and fiercely argued her creative genius, as I believed it to be.
The arrival of the third album this week has changed that.
No longer am I convinced she is a musical visionary. Rather, I feel she's been sucked into her own hype machine, becoming more concerned with promoting her outlandish image than making innovative music.
Born This Way is the opposite of innovative. It is derisive and thoroughly mediocre.
There are clear parallels between her 'original' music and at least four other songs - recorded long before she set foot in the studio.
Don't believe me? Have a look at this:
VIDEO: Original Gaga? See the parallels
(2:41)
Here we have Gaga v. Madonna's 'Express Yourself' and 'Vogue',
Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance', Robyn's 'Dancing on my Own'.
Now, I'm not saying this is direct plagiarism. There are obvious differences. But there are also a surprising - some might say shocking - number of similarities.
On first listen, Gaga's album triggers thoughts of numerous other songs.
Sometimes for the melody and chorus, sometimes for the structure and formula of the song.
Of course, all pop music shares similarities. There's only so many ways to put together the nine notes of the musical alphabet.
But at least be open about it. Gaga has lashed out at anyone who dares suggest her music be anything other than wholly original.
She claims to be the only original artiste operating in the current industry. She denies any inspiration or affiliation with Madonna.
Which is ridiculous. And faintly offensive. Does she really think her fans are so musically ignorant they can't hear the blatant similarities?
Gaga was always confident to the point of arrogance. Now she's bordering of the verge of total delusion.
She thinks she's on an upward trajectory that can never end. But the fact is, pop music is cyclical. There isn't an artist in the world who hasn't experienced down swings.
Michael Jackson, Madonna, Kylie, all of them have experienced the peaks and pit falls of the music industry.
And while all of them sported healthy egos - and were probably horribly shocked and dismayed when their record sales began to slide - they didn't take themselves half as seriously as Gaga does.
It's not a question of if but when will the world grow tired of her schtick? And what will she do when it does?
Read more Joanna Hunkin entertainment opinion .
