A Subjective Top 10 — The Best Lady Gaga Songs
Do you remember the day you heard “Just Dance” for the first time? It was 2008, Miley Cyrus was still Hannah Montana, Madonna was dabbling in R’n’B, and Justin Bieber’s debut was still one year away. Out of nowhere, a certain Stefani Germanotta arrived on the music scene. And all those who’d gotten bored with the omnipresent Timbaland tunes found something new to dance to.
“Just Dance” slowly turned into a massive hit. It was the follow-up single “Poker Face”, however, that truly marked the birth of a new superstar. Since 2008, Lady Gaga has sold millions of records, inspired many to be themselves, and changed the face of pop culture.
Now, with the release of her long-awaited single “Perfect Illusion”, it’s time to look back on her very best songs. So here’s a highly subjective top ten list, which may include a few surprises.
10. “Perfect Illusion” (2016 —Joanne — listen HERE)
Mother Monster’s brand new single just makes the list, kicking the ARTPOP track “Gypsy” out of the top ten. With “Perfect Illusion” Lady Gaga adopts a pop-rock sound and aesthetic. Given the need for some kind of reinvention on her part and given the fact that electropop has all but disappeared from the charts, this is hardly surprising.
The song itself is by no means groundbraking. In fact, the simple lyrics about love and loss and the short chorus make “Perfect Illusion” a very straightforward stadium anthem. Yet, that simplicity is exactly what earns it a place on this list. After the overly complex mess that was ARTPOP, this return to the simpler The Fame days — with a little rock thrown into the mix — is exactly what Gaga’s career needed.
9. “Alejandro” (2009 — The Fame Monster — listen HERE)
Next up is the synthpop masterpiece “Alejandro”, the third single to be lifted from Gaga’s EP The Fame Monster. The Spanish bits and pieces on this track sound slightly awkward, but apart from that it’s a strong ABBA-esque popsong with a killer chorus. The gloomy music video is also amazing, even though it has no connection whatsoever to the lyrics.
8. “Born This Way” (2011 — Born This Way — listen HERE)
Lady Gaga’s creative reinterpretation of “Express Yourself” comes in at number 8. The title track and lead single of her sophomore full-length album is a sleek and timeless popsong. Its empowering message and sing-along chorus make it the perfect gift to Germanotta’s diverse fandom. Upon its release, “Born This Way” impressively showed that Gaga isn’t only able to churn out catchy hooks — she can also write meaningful lyrics.
7. “Paparazzi” (2008 — The Fame — listen HERE)
This is one of the standout tracks on Lady Gaga’s debut album The Fame. According to the singer, “Paparazzi” is “a love song for the cameras” about the struggle of balancing love and fame. The midtempo dance-pop gem features what is possibly the best verse melody Mother Monster has ever created. Moreover, its music video was the first in a row of elaborate, reference-heavy short films, which soon became a defining element of Gaga’s artistry.
6. “Bad Romance” (2009 — The Fame Monster — listen HERE)
The “rah-rah ah-ah-ah” hook at the beginning of this monster of a pop song is iconic. So is, frankly, the rest of it. The infectious dance-pop stomper about being attracted to the wrong guys has become one of the best-selling singles of all time and is widely regarded as one of the best popsongs ever written. Arguably, it was “Bad Romance” — not “Poker Face” — that elevated Lady Gaga to undeniable superstar status. One could say that it’s slightly repetitive and that its lyrics are rather simple. Really, though, there’s not a lot to be criticised here.
5. “Do What U Want” feat. R. Kelly (2013 — ARTPOP — listen HERE)
The only ARTPOP track to make it into the top 10 is “Do What U Want”, the R. Kelly collaboration that was released as the second single from Gaga’s underwhelming third album. Its place on this list may be a little controversial, especially since it kicked “Bad Romance” out of the top 5. However, this synthpop/R’n’B hybrid with 80s influences is a severely underrated masterpiece that never quite got the recognition it deserves.
There are three elements that guarantee “Do What U Want” a place in the top 5: Firstly, the straightforward, effortless, and timeless hooks. Secondly, R. Kelly’s involvement. In fact, his verse may be the best part of the entire song. Thirdly, the lyrics. They seem to be about sex, but can also be interpreted as a powerful message to the media: “You can’t stop my voice ’cause you don’t own my life, but do what you want with my body.”
4. “Just Dance” feat. Colby O’Donis (2008 — The Fame — listen HERE)
This is the song that everything began with. The first taste of Lady Gaga’s artistry. The song that got us all hooked. “Just Dance” is simple, silly, and brilliant. It’s a glittering dancefloor fantasy that brought synthpop back into the charts. Interestingly, it took the song no less than five months (!) to climb to the top of the US charts. Once it had arrived there, however, it inspired everyone to forget their worries and “just dance”. Up until today, this first Gaga gem is the one song that should be on every party playlist.
By the way, does anybody know what happened to Colby O’Donis?
3. “Telephone” feat. Beyoncé (2009 — The Fame Monster — listen HERE)
We’ve arrived in the top 3, and the third best Lady Gaga song is (drum roll): “Telephone”. The follow-up single to “Bad Romance” is arguably even better than that masterpiece. When the first verse slowly starts you’re already hooked. Then when the beat kicks in you’re up on your feet, ready to dance until you cannot stand any longer.
The “stop calling, stop calling, I don’t wanna think anymore” hook is as infectious as pop music gets. Then Gaga starts singing “call all you want but there’s no one home and you’re not gonna reach my telephone.” The post-chorus elevates the track to new heights, and you know that you’re listening to one of the best popsongs this world has ever had the pleasure of dancing to.
Incidentally, the Beyoncé verse is the weakest part of the song, sounding slightly out of place. Without her involvement, “Telephone” would have ended up one place higher on this list.
2. “Starstruck” feat. Flo Rida (2008 — The Fame — listen HERE)
It may come as a surprise to some that the second best Lady Gaga song is an album track from The Fame. But no other song — not even “Just Dance” — captures the essence of that record as well as “Starstruck” does. According to Mother Monster, The Fame was intended to enable people “to encompass, in their own lives, a sense of inner fame that they can project to the world”. The nightclub setting of “Starstruck” — stressed by Flo Rida’s presence — does exactly that. Where, if not in nightclubs, do ordinary people feel like superstars for an hour or two?
“Starstruck” is a brilliant meditation on nightlife and the ways in which music can influence our feelings. The lovesong to a DJ neither has the best lyrics nor the best instrumental you’ve ever heard in your life. But, somehow, it radiates carefreeness and takes your mind on a journey to that perfect party you’ll probably never find yourself at in real life.
From the “groove, slam, work it back” hook to the “I’m so starstruck” chorus that is flawless in its simplicity, this dance-pop gem is pop music at its best. Simple. Straightforward. And yet, quite inexplicably, absolutely brilliant.
1. “Yoü And I” (2011 — Born This Way — listen HERE)
This is it. The best of the best. The number 1 Lady Gaga song. “Yoü And I” (yes, written with “ü” for whatever artistic reason) served as the fourth single from Gaga’s Born This Way record. The track saw her leave her pop roots behind to dabble in rock and country long before the release of “Perfect Illusion”.
“Yoü And I” is complex and layered with the various hooks and different vocal styles the singer often used on Born This Way and — even more so — on ARTPOP. This complexity makes many Lady Gaga tracks sound decidedly desperate. “Yoü And I”, however, is the welcome exception to that rule. On this track, the complexity works to Gaga’s advantage, supporting the impressive lyrics sonically.
The pop-rock masterpiece sees Gaga remembering the early days of a romance set in Nebraska and then describes her longing to return to that place and that person. In this regard, the song isn’t groundbraking. Nevertheless, it’s exceptionally well-written, introducing Stefani Germanotta as a storyteller.
“Yoü and I” has distinguished small town / countryside vibes. The picture that its lyrics paint is a far cry from the glittering pop world of Lady Gaga’s other releases. The song’s music video, which is certainly one of her best, highlights this rural setting, too. Furthermore, Gaga’s powerful and slightly strained vocals, which she recorded while on tour after “30 cigarettes and a couple of glasses of Jameson,” are perfect for this particular kind of song.
All in all, everything fits together here, creating an oustanding listening experience. “Yoü And I” is a refreshingly unusual Lady Gaga song. It’s a brilliant moment of raw musical power, which takes us away from the dancefloor straight to Nebraska — and straight into Stefani Germanotta’s heart.
You may have noticed that some well-known Lady Gaga songs are missing from this list. “Poker Face” above all, but also “Applause”, “The Edge Of Glory”, and “Marry The Night”. Would they have made your own subjective top 10?
