For Lady Gaga fans in China, some applause is in order.
Chinese citizens are now legally allowed to listen to the pop star's latest album, ARTPOP, after she was removed from the nation's blacklist for the first time since 2011. But that lift comes with some caveats: The album cover, which features an all-but-naked Gaga, won't appear that way in China. Instead, the cover will show Gaga sporting a pair of black tights, and her waist will be obscured by a larger version of the bright blue ball that appears between her legs on the American album. Chinese Culture Ministry officials have also altered one song title, according to CNN, changing "Sexxx Dreams" to "X Dreams."
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China's problems with Gaga began after she released her 2011 album Born This Way. The government decided that six of the songs on that album, including "Edge of Glory" and "Americano," might damage China's culture security, so they banned them along with Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night" and the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way," among others.
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television still reviews all music before it hits Chinese ears, but it has given Lady Gaga the thumbs-up for now. She seems delighted by the news.
I'm so excited!!!! The Chinese Government Approved ARTPOP to be released in China with all 15 songs! Next I hope I can come to perform!
— Goddess of Love (@ladygaga) January 14, 2014
ARTPOP sold 258,000 copies in the first week of its release in November 2013, topping U.S. charts. Perhaps beating those numbers in China will convince officials there to let her on stage.
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Image: Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images