Lady Gaga, one of America’s biggest pop stars, released her album “Mayhem” on March 7, 2025. Within days, the album reached top of the chart in 21 different countries, including the United States, where it hit number one on the U.S. Billboard 200. In addition to topping the charts, “Mayhem” also received over 45 million streams on Spotify within the first day, outdoing her debut album.
“The Fame,” released on August 19, 2008, was Lady Gaga’s first full album, which quickly rose to fame. Since her debut in 2005, Gaga has produced a plethora of different genres and sounds, most known for what Gen Z has nicknamed “recession pop,” referring to a genre of dance-pop music that emerged in the late 2000’s during the Great Recession. Most songs in this genre are high-energy and considered party songs.
Before “Mayhem” was released, Lady Gaga put out three singles that would later be included on her newest album: “Disease,” “Abracadabra,” and “Die With A Smile,” featuring Bruno Mars. All three singles had their moment of fame, reaching a large audience after going viral on social media app TikTok. Even though each of the three songs has an entirely different vibe, they all share a catchy chorus that could easily be played on repeat for days.
From these songs also arose certain trends, such as people recreating Gaga’s dance in “Abracadabra.” Fans took to TikTok and recorded themselves doing the choreography of Gaga’s iconic chair dance, as it was simple, but high-energy. Many praised Gaga for this, since it is disability-friendly and overall fun to learn.
A few songs on “Mayhem” that stay true to Gaga’s original sound are “Shadow Of A Man” and “Zombieboy.” Both songs have a distinct early 2000’s sound. “Shadow Of A Man” resembles one of Gaga’s earlier songs “Telephone,” and the “Zombieboy” chorus sounds similar to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani, released in 2004.
Both songs have a great beat, reminiscent of Gaga’s old dance-pop sound. Despite their upbeat sound, both songs have some deeper messages and dark lyrics, which reflects on Lady Gaga’s style. “Zombieboy” was a tribute to Gaga's long time friend who unfortunately passed away. “Shadow Of A Man” discusses how women are usually seen as men’s shadows and are dehumanized by society. This song talks about being confident enough to show your true self, and not to let societal norms dictate your character.
One of my favorite songs from the album is “Vanish Into You,” a song Gaga wrote about wanting to disappear into the person she loves most, according to a Little Monster Press Conference interview. The song took inspiration from David Bowie’s sound, turning the backtrack into a glam-rock beat with mellow-dramatic lyrics. The song is very glitz and glam, really embracing the Bowie vibe.
Overall, the entire album was extremely successful and had a nostalgic feel to it. Each song brings something a little different to the table, which many fans enjoyed. “Mayhem” is an incredible album to put on repeat if you want to dance or add an upbeat pep to your day.