Yesterday, Lady Gaga's "Applause" and Katy Perry's "Roar" were inevitably pitted against each other. Following leaks of both singles before their due dates of Aug. 19 and 12, respectively, both new songs were officially released to radio and iTunes within 24 hours of each other.
"Applause" and "Roar" both have their high and low points. Perry's single excels in its lyricism and power, whereas Gaga's new song is more apt to get people dancing in the clubs and singing along in their car.
However, "Roar" can lull in its mid-tempo, and "Applause" adds nothing new to Lady Gaga's discography (and there is that off-putting accent).
Though "Roar" barely edged out "Applause" in Mstars News' examination of the two songs, the question must be asked: what track do music fans prefer?
Does Perry out-"Roar" Gaga? Or does the "Applause" drown out the new Perry track? Vote in the poll below!
Despite which songs fans and critics may prefer, both tracks are expected to excel in terms of sales and radio play this week. As of press time, "Roar" holds the No. 1 spot on the iTunes songs chart, while "Applause" follows at No. 2. According to Billboard, each song is projected to sell over 400,000 digital copies this week.
Because it was released for sale a day before "Applause," Perry's "Roar" will inevitably have an edge in sales. "Roar" is also expected to hit the Hot 100 this week, due to its Monday release date. Billboard estimates it will debut in the low half of the chart this week to rise to the top 10 next week. "Applause" is less likely to make its Hot 100 debut on Wednesday due to its rush release.
This likely isn't the last time Katy Perry and Lady Gaga will battle for the charts, since both have their third studio albums due out in the coming months. Perry's "Prism" is due to be released Oct. 22, and Gaga's "Artpop" is set for a Nov. 11 release date.
