52 Songs That Are a Work of Art

Lady Gaga premiered "Applause" Monday, the first single off of her fourth studio album, ARTPOP, due out in November. With an artsy music video, Lady Gaga heightens the connection between music and museums — art for your ears and art for your eyes.

This week's Music Monday tours the gallery of music inspired by artists, famous paintings and the art world at large. Joni Michell's 1994 album, Turbulent Indigo, is inspired by Vincent van Gogh and the album art features Mitchell's self-portrait in the painter's legendary style.

Jay Z's "Picasso Baby" makes the playlist for its constant artist name-dropping (It ain't hard to tell, I'm the new Jean Michel / Surrounded by Warhols, my whole team ball"), as well as the rapper's six-hour Pace Gallery stint, a performance art piece that became a 10-minute theatrical music video for the track Read more...