Album Review: Lady Gaga – ‘Mayhem’
Lady Gaga is back, and Mayhem is an absolute beast of an album—one that takes everything she’s mastered over the years and injects it with a new kind of chaos. Dropping March 7, 2025, via Interscope, this record is big, bold, and unpredictable, fusing her signature theatrical pop with electro-grunge, industrial beats, and a little bit of ‘80s swagger. It’s the kind of album that reminds you why Gaga is one of the most compelling artists in pop history—she never plays it safe, and Mayhem proves that more than ever.
The album explodes out of the gate with “Disease” and “Abracadabra”, a pair of high-energy, club-ready bangers that instantly pull you into Gaga’s world. The latter has this infectious gibberish hook that’ll get stuck in your head the same way “Bad Romance” did—pure pop chaos in the best way. Then there’s “Killah”, a collaboration with French DJ Gesaffelstein, which is dark, brooding, and dripping with tension. This one is a certified dancefloor weapon, the kind of track you blast when you’re feeling untouchable.
She doesn’t stop there—“Perfect Celebrity” is a scathing satire on fame and Hollywood excess, packing the kind of biting social commentary that made The Fame Monster so legendary. Meanwhile, “Shadow of a Man” and “Zombieboy” bring some serious Michael Jackson and Prince energy, loaded with funky basslines, slick guitar work, and a groove that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.
And then we get to “Die with a Smile”, the grand finale and, honestly, one of the most powerful songs Gaga has ever released. A massive duet with Bruno Mars, it’s already making history as the fastest song to hit a billion streams on Spotify. The emotion in this track is off the charts, and the way their voices intertwine is nothing short of cinematic. It’s the perfect way to close out an album that feels like a fever dream of pop brilliance.
Critics are already calling Mayhem her best album in 14 years, and honestly? They’re right. This album is wild, fearless, and unapologetically Gaga—a reminder that no one does pop spectacle like she does. Whether you’re in it for the stadium-sized bangers, the dark electronic experiments, or the raw, emotional moments, there’s something here for every era of Gaga fan.
Bottom line? This is Gaga at her absolute best—unfiltered, unpredictable, and completely in control of the mayhem.
