The 20 best Lady Gaga songs ranked, to celebrate Mother Monster's birthday

All hail Lady Gaga!

Lady Gaga is one of the most memorable, fierce, and amazing performers out there. She launched into fame back in 2008, and her out-there outfits, colorful videos, and deep connection with music made her an instant hit.

She's just announced another Las Vegas residency for summer 2024, and today marks Mother Monster's 38th birthday. What better time to celebrate the starlet than with a ranking of her top 20 tracks over the last 15+ years?

G.U.Y.

Gaga's genderbending song about power bottoming starts off this list. Easily one of the more underrated singles off ARTPOP, "G.U.Y." is sexy, forward, classy, and funny; pretty much everything we love about Lady Gaga.

Perfect Illusion

A rock-inspired pop record about the artificial nature of social media, Gaga disguises the song's underlying message through a love affair that wasn't all it seemed. Oh, and the music video is something else, too. Check us rave about it over here.

Applause

A song dedicated to Gaga's fans, "Applause" celebrates their love for her while criticizing the shallow detractors she often ends up dealing with. Catchy and upbeat, it's a gorgeous 'thank you' to all of Mother Monster's Little Monsters.

Stupid Love

Whether you loved Chromatica or not, "Stupid Love" was a banger. It had a great beat, a singable melody, and a super colorful and out there music video. What else could we expect from Mother Monster?

Telephone

Even though Beyoncé and Lady Gaga each had their own version of "Telephone," I think Gaga's takes the cake for the winners here. Don't get me wrong, Beyhive -- we wouldn't be the same without either one of them. As far as lasting appeal goes, however, Gaga's version wins. Unless maybe Beyoncé actually gives us another version...?

Judas

One of Gaga's many religious-themed tracks off Born This Way, "Judas" is about the singer's infatuation with a bad boy, even after being separated from him. It's easy to see how her hit falls in line with "Monster." Both songs are about being hopelessly attracted to someone who isn't good for you. An upbeat and catchy pop song, chalk "Judas" up as another dance floor hit.

The Edge of Glory

"I thought about that idea, that the glorious moment of your life is when you decide that it’s okay to go, you don’t have any more words to say, more business, more mountains to climb," Gaga said about this song in The New York Times. Featuring a killer saxophone solo by the late E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons, "The Edge of Glory" is easily one of the strongest singles off Born This Way.

Boys, Boys, Boys

In 1987, Mötley Crüe released "Girls, Girls, Girls," a single all about lusting after girls. "Boys Boys Boys" is Gaga's take on the song, from the perspective of a girl attracted to all sorts of boys. Released back in 2007, it's hard to forget such classic lines as "Baby is a bad boy / With some retro sneakers / Let's go see The Killers / And make out in the bleachers."

Shallow

We all knew Gaga was capable of acting. One look at basically any of her music videos would have told you that. This one might be a duet, but "Shallow" from Gaga's movie A Star is Born alongside Bradley Cooper is arguably one of the best songs in history, so we had to sneak it in here.

Alejandro

Gaga's pop ballad off The Fame Monster, "Alejandro" is a song dedicated to unrequited love. Both the single and its music video have been open to interpretation for a long time, especially due to the imagery of political oppression, homoeroticism, and BDSM found throughout the latter.

Til it Happens to You

Co-written with Diane Warren and first unveiled in the 2015 documentary The Hunting Ground, Gaga's performance for "Til It Happens To You" is heartwrenching. The song, which explores loss and alienation after dealing with a sexual assault, is filled with sadness, anger, and lost hope. It's delivered powerfully through Gaga's dynamic voice range, making it easily one of the top five songs she's ever performed. The official music video isn't to be missed, as it deals with the sexual assault of several women and a trans man in explicit, but realistic, detail.

Paparazzi

"Paparazzi" was the start of Gaga's movie-like music videos. It continued the catapult she'd already started with "Just Dance" and "Poker Face," and solidified Gaga as the legend she's since become.

A Million Reasons

When Gaga wants to sing it to you, Gaga sings it to you. "A Million Reasons" from her Joanne album is one of the best Gaga songs out there. Anyone who saw her Super Bowl performance might also remember she took a beat during this song to say hi to her parents, and we have to say we're grateful to them for bringing her to us.

Born This Way

A love letter to expressing yourself and your sexuality for who you are, "Born This Way" is the titular single off Gaga's album of the same name. It was a dance floor hit at the time, and it's still one of her hottest songs off the album. While we're including this single on our top 15, it should be noted that the song has its problems: particularly with the the terms Gaga uses in the bridge to refer to people of color. And her use of "transgendered" is, while an appreciated shout out for us trans folks, certainly outdated by today's standards.

Rain on Me

One last little duet here, because this one deserves a spot on the top. "Rain on Me" with Ariana Grande smacked us all during the middle of COVID and reminded us there was always a reason to dance, always a reason to be in a good mood, and always a reason to own your power.

Poker Face

How can you do a top list ranking Lady Gaga's best songs and not include "Poker Face?" The single was one of her strongest thanks to its catchy lyrics, mesmerizing beat, and absolutely entertaining bridge. Not to mention, those bangs she sports in tthe music video? Pretty much iconic now. I half suspect she brought back the style.

Just Dance

"Just Dance" was the single that brought Lady Gaga into the public eye. Clever, spunky, and absolutely killer to dance to, "Just Dance" represented everything we would later come to love about Mother Monster.

LoveGame

Who can forget their first time hearing "LoveGame?" "Let's have some fun, this beat is sick / I wanna take a ride on your disco stick?" You're a girl after my own heart, Gaga. Whether listening to it on the ride home from work or dancing to it at 1 AM, "LoveGame's" sick beat and catchy lyrics will stick with you for days.

Bad Romance

There's no way around it: "Bad Romance" is not just the Lady Gaga single, it's easily her best. A tormented song about love, lust, and desire over your best friend, "Bad Romance" is still just as hot as it was when it was released back in 2009. Its music video was ahead of its time, too: parading Gaga around a bathhouse full of quirky and stunning imagery.