Madonna and Lady Gaga: Two Pop Stars in One?

In her hayday, Madonna was one of the most dominant figures in pop music (though she seems to be fizzling out these days). Currently, the topics of race, gender, and sexuality are widely discussed in relation to Madonna and the role she played in bringing these notions to the forefront of pop culture beginning in the 80s. Today, in 2010, Lady Gaga seems to be making waves in the same ways Madonna did at the height of career. In her lyrics and music videos, Madonna often challenged conventional notions of gender and sexuality through exaggeration and satire. Lady Gaga seems to be taking the same route, with explicit sexual fashion and music videos that really make you scratch your head. When I watch the music videos of these pop divas (like Madonna's "Like a Prayer" or Gaga's "Telephone") I can't help but wonder if these are attempts to break down racial and sexual barriers or if they are made to be as bizarre as possible to draw attention to themselves. I suppose it's not out of the question to try to accomplish both at the same time, but it seems like the deeper meaning of the music and accompanying videos might be lost on a lot of people. Oh well, more power to Madonna and Gaga for their creativity and ability to reach such wide audiences.