Billboard: The 15 best Lady Gaga songs

[Talent 9,333]

Trying to narrow down the best Lady Gaga songs is always going to be a difficult task: the pop superstar has multiple albums with multiple hits, and most of those hits are critically adored. Yet when it comes to the essential Gaga smashes — the ones that define her and her dazzling career — these tracks distinguish themselves. Whether you’re a Little Monster that got into Gaga during The Fame, The Fame Monster, Born This Way, ARTPOP or Joanne, you’ll find your favorite songs well-represented here.

Here are Billboard’s picks for the 15 best Lady Gaga songs, from her debut single up to her most recent album. Peruse, debate, listen and enjoy.

15. Lady Gaga, "You and I"
14. Lady Gaga, "MANiCURE"
13. Lady Gaga, "Monster"
12. Lady Gaga, "Alejandro"
11. Lady Gaga, "Perfect Illusion"
10. Lady Gaga, "Speechless"
9. Lady Gaga, "The Edge of Glory"
8. Lady Gaga feat. LADY GAGA, "Do What U Want" 
7. Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
6. Lady Gaga, "Million Reasons"

5. Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance"

Gaga has evolved an incalculable amount since her debut single — which, by the way, was presented as new music from co-writer Akon, his protege Colby O’Donis and an unknown female artist when it launched — but the constants have been the cleverness of her songwriting, and her vocal power. Both are on display in “Just Dance,” a throbbing party cut focused on gyrating your troubles away… does anyone know if Gaga ever found her phone at the club, by the way?

4. Lady Gaga, "Marry The Night"

The Born This Way opener and late single didn’t connect quite as well as Top 10 hits “Born This Way” or “The Edge of Glory,” topping out at No. 29 on the Hot 100 chart. Looking back, however, “Marry The Night” is the album’s most explosive moment, a shot of adrenaline full of delicious lyrical phrases (“I’ll hold my whiskey up high, kiss the bartender twice, I’m a loser” remains pure genius) and a handclap-introduced breakdown that pushes it into the top 5 here.

3. Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce, "Telephone"

A year-and-a-half before Jay-Z and Kanye West linked up for a joint album, Gaga and Beyonce unveiled the original throne that needed watching. “Telephone” remains an ass-kicking piece of empowerment pop during Gaga’s most prolonged win streak, and while the fierce duet should be celebrated, give credit to Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins for teaming up with Gaga to co-produce a shuttering electro-pop banger.

2. Lady Gaga, "Poker Face"

Few phrases in modern pop music can outmatch “Mum mum mum MAH” as an opening tease, or “P-p-p-p-poker face” as a lynchpin hook. The elements of “Poker Face” combine into an intoxicating formula that represents pop music at its sharpest: smartly constructed, instinctively catchy, easy to replay and downright fun. And then there’s Lady Gaga in the middle of the many pleasure centers, singing her guts out and becoming a singular star.

1. Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance"

It’s rare for a pop artist’s signature single to encapsulate all of their respective strengths, but “Bad Romance” manages to do so for Gaga, capturing her grandiose aesthetic, daring songwriting, lyrical flourishes and dramatic vocal flair. Think of it this way: it would be impossible for any other pop artist to perform this Lady Gaga song as successfully as she does, because “Bad Romance” is fitted to her passions and persona. The song also helped make her an international superstar following its release in late 2009, and sent her on her way to becoming one of the defining artists of the 2010s. “I want your love — love, love, love, I want your love,” Gaga intones in the verses. She never needed to demand it.

 

[migamiga 12,073]

JUSTICE FOR SHICD!!!! 

[QueenGaga 3,447]

Marry The Night getting the praise it deserves. Billboard better stan 

[Bio 23,538]

Telephone shouldn't even be there.

[Talent 9,333]

Meh and BORING list, tbh. She has better songs than Poker Face, Telephone or Just Dance. That top 5 (except for GODLY THE NIGHT) is just her biggest hits. Do better, Billboard. 

[endless 143]

Where the ****'s Heavy Metal Lover. And frankly, for that matter, Venus, Hair, and Diamond Heart. Meanwhile Telephone and MANiCURE are on the list? Please. 

[arthurhmangum 4,408]

PI getting that attention that she deserves. Billboard, sweetie, you're doing amazing. 

 

[JohnnyVersace 8,586]

Telephone needs to gtfo. 

And WHERE are Paprazzi and Scheiße?

Otherwise, respectable choices. 

[ThePerfectCure 135]

3 minutes ago, arthurhmangum said:

PI getting that attention that she deserves. Billboard, sweetie, you're doing amazing. 

 

PI deserves to be number 1

[leecy 1,476]

They're almost all big songs

where are the sidetracks?

billboard cancelled 

[Brolysskins 4,166]

Slow news day

[Talent 9,333]

I mean, Dance in the Dark, So Happy I Could Die, Heavy Metal Lover, Diamond Heart, Paparazzi, Bloody Mary, Summerboy are better. But... 

[Miracle 14,068]

This is so wrong on many levels.

No Paparazzi? No DIDT?

 

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

an interesting list, but my #1 would have to be DIAMOND HEART tbh

[Reality 66,042]

It's probably a very unpopular opinion, but some of Gaga's biggest hits are some of my least favorite songs.

I love Just Dance and Bad Romance, but I'm not a fan of Telephone and Poker Face at all.