Art pop claims artistic cachet without ever threatening commercial underlying

Evidence

But perhaps Lady Gaga was the most radical pop possible in the poptimist era. Jimmy Iovine didn’t need her to challenge the conventions of art—he just needed new beats to sell Beats. Scholar Natasha Degen defined her overall aesthetic as “art pop,” which “claims high-art cachet while never challenging the commodification of culture.” Gaga’s success—as one of the loudest voices proclaiming allegiances to both radical creativity and marginalized communities—augured how much commerce would go on to fully triumph over art. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 254

Categorization

• DEFINE: Art pop as defined by Degen: high-art cachet without challenging commodification.