Does anyone think HBDYWM is just a cute 80s throwback song?

[Alfonso 1,547]

People love to hate.. it’s a fun song. Just enjoy ir

[Ziggy 11,753]

10 hours ago, Raivo said:

Well one of them 3 was a lady, so not fully mansplaining  OT YES Gaga has flirted with this sound a lot and also before Taylor, but it is also very sus that it is directly referencing 3 of Taylor's songs and it would be insanely accidental if there was no intention for that. On the podcast they play the songs side by side and you cannot unhear that. And I mean... everyone and their mom says it sounds like a Taylor's song. I live in delusion that this song is a tribute to Taylor's sound, you live in a delusion that it has nothing to do with it. I am sure gaga knew exactly what she was doing and how and why it sounds like it does. I think the truth might be somewhere in the middle. 

sure! it does sound like her stuff but im just saying i think it sounds like it bc it has a generally 80s pop sound that taylor has become fairly synonymous with. BUT i will contend that I think its inclusion is probably something to do with taylor's general popularity and that sound's popualirty (looking at sabrina carpenter, carly rae jepsen, other random one hits, etc.). So i agree i think the truth is somewhere in the middle  

[StrawberryBlond 14,819]

I love the song, Gaga needs more cute songs in her discography, she hasn't made them in years. Just because it suits Taylor's brand of breezy pop doesn't mean it was directly lifted from her. Taylor totally copied Carly Rae's style, she only started making this type of pop after Carly put out Call Me Maybe and her Kiss album, then, boom, 1989 was all about the same style. It's a song that makes me feel like an 80's teen even though I wasn't born until 1989 and I feel no shame in loving it. Kinda disappointed how dead the crowd was when she sang it at Coachella, I thought a good reception might have secured it as a single but now I'm not so sure.

[SimonBaetens 8,448]

I’m loving it more and more

[Ladle Ghoulash 23,533]

This debate is so stale that both sides of the argument are so predictable that they’re basically baked in atp lmao. It’s 80s by way of 2010s synth pop with 90s girl group influences with a pretty obvious (and prominent) nod to Taylor Swift. 

[Bronco 10,779]

1 hour ago, Ladle Ghoulash said:

This debate is so stale that both sides of the argument are so predictable that they’re basically baked in atp lmao. It’s 80s by way of 2010s synth pop with 90s girl group influences with a pretty obvious (and prominent) nod to Taylor Swift. 

Yeah it's 100% an 80s nod in the same way Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen is an 80s nod. Honestly, people only compare it to Taylor because of her recent post-Midnights switch to synth pop. And I firmly think Taylor & Jack's 80s synth pop style is a rip off of Carly Rae Jepsen. 

[Lucas 26,700]

It's cute but I don't think it should be on Mayhem

[Ladle Ghoulash 23,533]

2 minutes ago, Bronco said:

Yeah it's 100% an 80s nod in the same way Emotion by Carly Rae Jepsen is an 80s nod. Honestly, people only compare it to Taylor because of her recent post-Midnights switch to synth pop. And I firmly think Taylor & Jack's 80s synth pop style is a rip off of Carly Rae Jepsen. 

In terms of 2010s synth pop, I def hear CRJ, CHVRCHES, and Teagan and Sara, but I also absolutely hear 1989 + Reputation era Taylor (“You hate the crash, but you love the rush” both rhythmically and lyrically, the repetition of “How bad, bad do you want me” and the “Uh-oh you love a good girl” on the bridge are pretty clearly reminiscent of Taylor specifically). 

[Bronco 10,779]

14 minutes ago, Ladle Ghoulash said:

In terms of 2010s synth pop, I def hear CRJ, CHVRCHES, and Teagan and Sara, but I also absolutely hear 1989 + Reputation era Taylor (“You hate the crash, but you love the rush” both rhythmically and lyrically, the repetition of “How bad, bad do you want me” and the “Uh-oh you love a good girl” on the bridge are pretty clearly reminiscent of Taylor specifically). 

I mean it mashes up with All You Had to Do Was Stay near enough perfectly tbf and Gaga is very clear she loves Taylor and the Tay comparisons. 

I just think it's a bit simplistic (much like how some people have interpreted the inspirations of other Mayhem tracks as well) to attribute it heavily to recent pop music. Especially when that music is itself heavily influenced by the same music Gaga openly adores. 
HBDYWM definitely has Tay in it, definitely has 80s teen pop in it. But ultimately is just the child of the last 40 years of American teen summer movie lead singles tbh. Like legit any classic all american girl falls in love with the jock in highschool movie would fit this song lol 

[Burim 316]

On 4/12/2025 at 12:12 AM, Carl Grimes said:

i am OBSESSED with your live renditions omg

that is so sweet, thank you!! 

[ryansamonster 1,705]

I don’t listen to Taylor enough to hear any kind of similarity. This is just an 80s pop throwback for me and it’s become one of my faves. 

[skaxboy 5,397]

It’s a simple pop song with synth leads. 
 

The song has grown on me over the last month. I think the verses are pretty weak but the chorus is very catchy and makes it a decent song. 
 

It also reminds me of Peter Griffin saying “hehehe”

 

 

Edited April 14 by skaxboy

[chathonnete 754]

I couldn't watch the HBDWM Coachella performance it was too cringe for me it's not Gaga's level I'm sorry... It's worse live 

[elegidadedios 1,926]

Hot take but I feel like the people (some of them) purposely disliking HBDUWM - because it simply ressembles a type of music Taylor made her thing - might be the ones who think to this very day Brooklyn Nights should've been released back in the day (rightfully so, it is a great song).

Not saying Brooklyn Nights and HBDUWM fall into the same type of sound but the overall vibes they leave when the tracks finish are kinda... The same? At least for me. Why is Brooklyn Nights so beloved within this fanbase and HBDUWM is not? 

Like HBDUWM is not my favorite track on MAYHEM by any means nor my thing at all but is not bad. Just a cute song. Reading ppl say "it is not on Gaga's level" is a bit too much idk

 

[HairBow 599]

People who think it's a Taylor Swift ripoff obviously haven't heard any 80s pop songs, lol.

If this is a Taylor Swift song, then it's a Taylor Swift song with infinitely more interesting production, IMO.  No offense to Swifties but she does nothing for me, personally.

Also, upon listening to this song for the first time, my mind immediately went to Pat Benatar when it came to the vocals.  It's not the first song from Gaga where's I've "heard" Pat Benatar's voice either-- Fashion of His Love has always reminded me of Benatar in the best ways as well, but I digress.

Gaga has always been inspired by the 80's.