One minute you're wearing a meat dress to the 2010 VMAs, and the next you're singing with Bradley Cooper at the Oscars. Nobody has had an evolution quite like Lady Gaga—both in her career and her personal life—and she is, no doubt, one of the best artists of all time. Here, we're taking a trip down memory lane and ranking the top Lady Gaga songs of the decade. Gaga, I'll always remember you this way.
12) "Christmas Tree," 2008
Eleven years ago, Lady Gaga gave us the sexy Christmas song we didn't deserve (only available as digital download, a concept!)...and TBH, we're still not worthy. Not-for-the-family lyrics include, "Light me up put me on top, let's falalalalalalala / Light me up put me on top, let's falalalalalalala / The only place you wanna be / Is underneath my Christmas tree."
11) "Just Dance" ft. Colby O'Donis, 2008
I wish I could just dance and it'll be okay! It's hard to believe this was Gaga's very first single—one of the best-selling of all time—that only my 13-year-old self could have truly appreciated. Also, remember Colby O'Donis? He's the dude who sang "What You Got" and we haven't heard from since.
10) "Telephone" ft. Beyoncé, 2009
Two queens, one song. Think about how major it was for Beyoncé to collaborate with a fairly new artist at the time (I know), and produce such a relatable anthem for anybody who has ever dealt with an obsessive, controlling partner.
9) "Poker Face," 2008
Gaga has a thing for creating incredible music videos (as seen above with Beyoncé), and "Poker Face" is no different. It lands at number nine on this list, mainly for its lyrics that were on every Facebook timeline in 2008. "And baby when it's love, if its not rough it isn't fun. (;"
8) "Hey Girl" ft. Florence Welch, 2016
Lady Gaga's most intimate, vulnerable songs make themselves a home on Joanne (2016). Named after Gaga's late aunt, the album includes empowering bops like "Hey Girl" featuring the inimitable Florence Welch. (Yes, both of their angelic voices are in one song!) This one makes you want to call up your girlfriends immediately and tell them how badass they are.
7) "Grigio Girls," 2016
"Grigio Girls" is a powerful reminder of female strength. Gaga dedicated the beautiful song on Joanne to her late friend Sonja who passed away from breast cancer in 2017. One listen, and you'll be calling your mom to tell her how much you love her.
6) "Born This Way," 2011
Gaga has long been a supporter of the LGBTQ community (she has identified as bisexual), and she proved it with "Born This Way" from her second studio album of the same title. Six years after its release, Gaga included it in her 2017 Super Bowl halftime performance—sending a powerful message to the Trump administration.
5) "Bad Romance," 2009
"I don't wannnnnnna be friends." When you think of Gaga, inevitably you think of "Bad Romance." It was one of the most notable songs from The Fame Monster, a reissuing of Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame. Imagining The New Gaga singing it feels like the song is from another lifetime, but it'll never get old.
4) "Edge of Glory," 2011
Need a boost of energy at work? "Edge of Glory." Need a great workout song? "Edge of Glory." Need to take down the patriarchy? "Edge of Glory." That is all.
3) "Million Reasons," 2016
If anybody can put together a song with the perfect mixture of heartbreak and hope, it's Gaga. "Million Reasons" is a raw, earnest reflection of the emotional rollercoaster of a mature breakup. Fans assumed it was a direct nod to Gaga's relationship with her ex Taylor Kinney.
2) "You and I," 2011
"You and I" is pretty much Gaga slamming open the door and saying, "I'm comin' for you." It's electrifying, empowering, and 100 percent a karaoke jam. Please, just take a moment to appreciate her vocals and the electric guitar played by Queen's Brian May.
1) "Shallow" ft. Bradley Cooper, 2018
"Shallow" lands itself at number one on the best Lady Gaga songs of all time because...obviously! (I mean, it didn't win Best Original Song at the 2019 Oscars for no reason.) Ally feels less and less like a A Star Is Born character, and more of an on-screen portrayal of Gaga's incredible talent and the work she's put in to get here.
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