All Lady Gaga’s No. 1 Songs, Ranked Worst to Best
Lady Gaga was one of the biggest stars of the late 2000s and early 2010s, so it’s no surprise she racked up a few No. 1 songs. Some of her biggest tracks didn’t manage to top the charts. Here’s a look at all five of her no. 1 singles, from the basic to the great.
5. ‘Born This Way’
“Born This Way” has a great message, encouraging the LGBTQ community, people of color, and people with disabilities to take pride in their identities. If only that message was delivered in a better musical package. The buzzing production of “Born This Way” is annoying, and it paved the way for Gaga’s overproduced flop Artpop.
“Born This Way” garnered controversy for its similarities to Madonna’s “Express Yourself.” That controversy will hang over both songs until the end of time, which makes it harder to appreciate them. “Born This Way” was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, making it Gaga’s longest-running chart-topper. It’s also her worst.
4. ‘Rain on Me’
House music has made a huge comeback in the 2020s. “Rain on Me” was early to the party. It’s smooth, fun, and well-produced. Despite this, the track doesn’t have the over-the-top antics you would want in a Gaga track. The main reason the tune performed so well was her decision to collaborate with fellow superstar Ariana Grande.
While “Rain on Me” came from Chromatica, an album that was supposed to sound futuristic, the tune doesn’t display much evolution from the sound Gaga brought to the airwaves in 2008. “Rain on Me” is good. It could have been great.
3. ‘Poker Face’
It’s impossible to hear “Poker Face” once without remembering that opening synthesizer riff for the rest of your life. The crisp, tight production sounds as fresh as it did 15 years ago. In many ways, “Poker Face” is the culmination of 2000s music. It perfectly fuses that era’s R&B with the dance music experiments of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland.
“Poker Face” is lyrically interesting because it describes being sexually open and emotionally reserved. Few songs discuss this duality, but many people can relate to it. This attitude toward sex might’ve helped her gain some gay fans.
2. ‘Just Dance’
Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel.” The Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” “Just Dance.” Each of these songs changed the world for years to come.
“Just Dance” was so awesome and so huge that it made dance-pop the dominant sound of pop music for the next five years. Few stars thoroughly recreated pop music in their own image like Gaga did. Some have said that “Just Dance” is Gaga’s most normal song, but the avant-garde breakdown bridge shows that Mother Monster was an oddball from day one.
1. ‘Shallow’
When Gaga started, she proved herself capable of writing hooks but she didn’t have much depth. With “Shallow,” the singer showed that she doesn’t need all the bells and whistles to make a good song. Sometimes, a powerful voice, a good set of lyrics, and an emotional wallop are all you need.
If Gaga gets into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame someday, “Shallow” will be one of the main reasons why. With one song, Gaga managed to please her fans, country radio, and Boomer rockists. That’s one heck of a feat.
