Gaga forced to release single 'Applause' early due to leaks

Lady Gaga has been forced to release her new single a week early because of hackers.

The 'Judas' hitmaker was left disgruntled after clips of her new track 'Applause' hit the airwaves yesterday (12.08.13), declaring it an "emergency".

DUE TO HACKERS AN ABUNDANCE OF LOW/HIGH QUALITY LEAKS...WE ISSUE THIS POP MUSIC EMERGENCY...MONSTERS SPREAD THE WORD

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 12, 2013

She wrote to her Twitter followers: "Due to hackers an abundance of low/high quality leaks we issue this pop music emergency … monsters spread the word.

MY NEW SINGLE 'APPLAUSE' IS OUT TODAY AND CAN BE HEARD ON UNITED STATES RADIO IN 15 MINUTES. INTERNATIONAL RADIO TO FOLLOW.

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 12, 2013

"My new single 'Applause' is out today and can be head on United States radio in 15 minutes. International radio to follow.

"Pop music emergency #0DAYSTillAPPLAUSE my single comes out today. 911 spread this message."

The song - the lead single from her new album 'ARTPOP' - immediately caused confusion with some radio bosses censoring what they thought was a racist slur, but was actually the singer namedropping US artist Jeff Koons.

She said: "I can't believe they bleeping out Koons - they think I'm saying the C word (sic)."