Yeah.
You could even go back to the 80's and look at the even older electronic-infused acts like Soft Cell or Devo.
The real reason that it is more popular now is that (IMO) its much easier to get a copy of fruity loops, auto-tune and make your own crappy electro-pop song. Back in the day, it required a bit more know-how to program a sequencer, and make techno music. Heck, look at YMO and Kraftwerk's rigs from the 70's - what took 4-7 people back then for techno can now be done by any person in their basement.
Devo would be the best example. They were decently popular in the 80's, and were formed in 1973.
Oh, and YMO is considered 'Technopop' - they were quite successful in the 70s, playing sold out shows like this:
And YMO totally destroys anything Lady Gaga can come up with. She just combines a little bit of techno with typical pop hooks - absolutely nothing new. 20 years from now, she will be on the ash heap of music history while guys like YMO, Devo and Kraftwerk's contributions to music continue to pile up.
I wonder if she even knows how to program a sequencer.
*edit*
One thing to look up, Leo-J is the New Wave genre from the late 70's and early 80's. That genre was entirely based on electronic beats and pop singing, which became the dominant style of pop music in the early 80's. Gaga isn't very different from New Wave, outside of the fact she has more hip-hop hook influences.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
