What went wrong with The Dead Dance?

[TheMontebello 770]

It's just not that good, the video is mid, and attempts to recreate viral moments never work.

[chathonnete 850]

Little monsters are a smart fanbase with great taste, also because Gaga got us used to amazing things

[LUST FOR GAGA 58]

song just isnt that good. it would've been a mid album track but as a single its just bad. totally didn't deserve a video compared to other mayhem songs and the video we got was not that exciting especially coming off of abracadabra 

[Starmie25 20,716]

The whole crowd was loving it during my Sydney show. 

[Chouchou 703]

because of this fandom!!!! I have to be honest. Imagine this song was released by Taylor, no matter what, Swiftties still ate it up!!!!!

 

[Freud 5,735]

I like the Verses of the song, but the chorus sounds very childish. It's very repetitive and mediocre compared to Gaga's whole discography. Mayhem is full of 10/10 songs, TDD is just a 6/10 if we're honest.

Disease and Abracadabra Song and Music Video are quintessential Gaga - dark lyrics, edgy production and strong POV, "The Dead Dance" is missing all of this. They should have chosen "Zombieboy" for the Series instead. Add onto it the Music Video is cute, but I expected more with the name "Tim Burton" attached to it.

Edited December 15, 2025 by Freud

[Alfonso 1,551]

What do you mean? It's bop. I don't know why people don't enjoy it haha. 

No, but, as far as I know it's succesful. It's being played in the radio along Abra and Disease, so.. If anything it should have been used/performed more. 

[Lava 3,692]

Honestly I just dgaf about Wednesday and the catering of her song as related to it kinda lost me. It’s a fine song but almost doesn’t feel like Mayhem to me? 

[Nycboy 1,146]

What went wrong is that it represents massive waste of potential. The opportunity cost was HUGE. In an alternate reality, HBDUWM should have been sent to radio as a summer song and could have hit #1. VIY should have been a fall single for adult contemporary fans, becoming her ARUTW 2.0. And Mayhem would be gliding EASILYYYY  into AOTY at the Grammys right about now. 

But instead, the Dead Dance was released lol. 

[Addison Rae 17,310]

it’s just a bit cringy. bloody mary went viral because it’s edgy AND catchy. the dead dance is like a good “spooky” kids movie song at best 

[ReplayBoss 348]

I mean. At least it's better than Kill For Love 

[DESTROY UR DISEASE 14,410]

55 minutes ago, ReplayBoss said:

I mean. At least it's better than Kill For Love 

...

[KNJ 4,282]

It is what it is   I think it's a fun bop that will be in Halloween rotations from here on out. It didn't go BM viral but still good for what it was for, a YA tv show. The MV was mid but may've been hobbled by Netflix funding and time constraints before the tour? I really don't feel it contributed to the success/failure of any Mayhem single/MV like ppl are saying. I consider it two different things. It's not a part of Mayhem, it just happened to drop in the era. And if she wants to have fun with it and give it air at her ball...good for her.

Edited December 17, 2025 by KNJ

[PartySick 165,991]

Nothing went wrong. The video is better than the Disease video and the song is a jam from start to finish.

It did fine on the charts, had a cute viral movement on socials, inspired her to do something funny at her shows (random dead dancing), and was generally an enjoyable mini-era that was seasonally appropriate.

It was never gonna live up to the smash hit Abracadabra and the home invader DWAS. But it didn't need to.

[Sugar Baby 940]

It’s so childish for me and clear attempt to get a viral tiktok hit