Nicki Minaj + Lady Gaga Parallel on Pop Charts

Nicki Minaj is trying to draw a line in the pop music sand between herself and Lady Gaga. The wig-loving 'Starships' singer said that the comparisons between the two "irk" her while proclaiming, "Gaga is an incredible artist and she's made her own lane for herself, and I respect that, but I have my own lane, too…We never cross paths. Ever!"

Well, a recent Billboard analysis of Minaj's ascendant performance on the pop radio charts with her latest album 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' reveals that she's a lot closer to Gaga on the pop food chain than she would like to acknowledge.

Minaj, who asserted that she is a rapper from Queens, is also a pop/dance act. She can choose not to label herself as such, but the formats are embracing her and propelling her to more success.

'Starships,' the poppy lead single from the album, which bowed at No. 1 on release week, is parked at No. 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart. It's also No. 9 on the Dance Club Songs chart. That's Gaga territory right there.

Her Chris Brown-assisted 'Right By My Side' is also at R&B radio, as is the harder, more aggressive 'Beez in the Trap.' She is straddling the line between pop and urban, balanced perfectly on her heels. She's crossing over to the mainstream, regardless of how she classifies herself and whether she likes it or not.

It appears that Minaj and Gaga are traveling in the same lanes, at least when it comes to music industry stats.