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LoveDrug

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"LoveDrug"
Song by Lady Gaga
from the album Mayhem
ReleasedMarch 7, 2025 (2025-03-07)
StudioShangri-La (Malibu)
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"LoveDrug" is a 2025 song by Lady Gaga,[1] originally released on her studio album Mayhem. It was written and produced by Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt and Cirkut, with Michael Polansky providing additional songwriting.

Production and composition

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Co-writers Andrew Watt (left) and Henry Walter, also known as Cirkut (right)

Lady Gaga wrote and produced "LoveDrug" with Andrew Watt and Cirkut, while Gaga's fiancé, Michael Polansky, provided additional songwriting. Paul Lamalfa recorded the track at Shangri-La Studios in Malibu, California; Marco Sonzini provided additional engineering, while Tyler Harris worked as the assistant engineer. "LoveDrug" was mixed by Serban Ghenea at Mixstar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound Studios in Edgewater, New Jersey. Gaga additionally played keyboards; Watt played drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards; and Cirkut played synthesizer and keyboards and provided drum and bass programming. Bryce Bordone worked as the assistant mixing engineer, and Marc VanGool served as the studio technician.[2]

Autostraddle described "LoveDrug" as "heavy hooked" and "80's rock tinged".[3] Billboard said, "Embodying AOR bands like Boston and Foreigner, 'LoveDrug' feels like a perfect transition song between Mayhem's front and back halves, bridging the gap between the twisted, dark imagery of the first seven songs and the more light-hearted, love-tinged fare of the last 6. It helps plenty that Gaga's voice sounds excellent as she belts out the instantly-catchy chorus."[4] The Guardian said the song "indulges Gaga's love of AOR, but a four-to-the-floor rhythm means it doesn't jar with its surroundings".[5] Screen Rant said the song has a "thumping" dance beat.[6]

Reception

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American Songwriter said the song "feels like a return to old Gaga perfectly blended with modern Gaga".[7] Vulture said the song has "Olivia Newton-John and Pat Benatar vibes" and a "Ratatat-ish closing dual-lead-guitar riff [that] dovetails with Andrew Watt's production work, which yields either instant vintage or pre-distressed jeans and nothing in between".[8] In the website's ranking of every Gaga song, Kristen S. Hé ranked "LoveDrug" number 79 and wrote, "It’s one of Mayhem’s stronger tracks, but it doesn’t fully achieve liftoff, teasing an epic ending before flowing back into the suite that forms the album’s second half."[9] Adam White of The Independent ranked "LoveDrug" number 70 in a list of Lady Gaga song from Born This Way to present and wrote, "One of the more innocuous numbers on Mayhem, this sounds a lot like a Pat Benatar B-side from 1985 – which may have been the intention."[10]

The Atlantic said the song "imagines what a duet between Daft Punk and the E Street Band would sound like".[11] Paste magazine said the song "feels like [a] leftover from the Weeknd's After Hours or Miley Cyrus's Plastic Hearts".[12] The New York Times said the midtempo song "gets lost in lyrical clichés".[13] One writer for Clique magazine wrote, "LoveDrug has more of a pop-rock feel compared to the dance and synth pop vibe that we have seen throughout the course of this album. This feels like a classic Gaga song, blending in with a lot of her previous work. This song seems to have an interesting meaning and I can't wait for Lady Gaga to go more in depth about the inspiration for these songs."[14]

Sputnikmusic said "LoveDrug" and "Shadow of a Man" give "some sonic consistency by going for a bit of an evil Abba vibe that contains Ratatat-esque guitar licks that hit pay dirt for some of the most moment-to-moment fun throughout".[15] Clash magazine called the song "superb" and said Gaga "leans on her imposing vocal chops".[16] A writer for The Penn said the song "shows her continued exploration of using dance not just as a form of expression, but to reclaim power in moments of vulnerability".[17] Another for the Campus Times opined, "This pulse-pounding dance track doesn't exactly have too many notable creative liberties that make it stand out on Mayhem, but it is still a very well-executed song."[18]

Commercial performance

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"LoveDrug" charted in several countries following the release of Mayhem. The song debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Global 200, a chart that ranks the most streamed and best-selling songs worldwide. In the United States, it debuted at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 6 on the Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart, both for the week of March 22, 2025. In Canada, it peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100, while in Brazil it reached number 95 on the Brasil Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 76 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart and number 80 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.[19] In France, the track entered at number 183 on the SNEP Top 200.[20]

Credits and personnel

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Mayhem.[2]

  • Lady Gaga – songwriter, producer, lead vocals, background vocals, keyboards
  • Andrew Watt – songwriter, producer, drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards
  • Cirkut – songwriter, producer, synthesizer, keyboards, drum programming, bass programming
  • Michael Polansky – songwriter
  • Paul Lamalfa – recording engineer
  • Șerban Ghenea – mixing engineer
  • Randy Merrill – mastering engineer
  • Marco Sonzini – additional engineer
  • Tyler Harris – assistant engineer
  • Bryce Bordone – assistant mixing engineer
  • Marc VanGool – studio technician

Charts

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Chart performance for "LoveDrug"
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[21] 88
France (SNEP)[20] 183
Global 200 (Billboard)[22] 103
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[23] 76
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[19] 80
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 95
US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard)[25] 9

References

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  1. ^ "Lady Gaga praised by critics for returning to her freaky dance roots with Mayhem". The Irish News. 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  2. ^ a b Gaga, Lady (2025). Mayhem (vinyl liner notes). Interscope Records. 602475451099.
  3. ^ Rubino, Stef (2025-03-07). "Lady Gaga's 'Mayhem' Is a Return To Form AND an Evolution in Sound". Autostraddle. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  4. ^ Daw, Stephen (2025-03-07). "Every Song From Lady Gaga's 'Mayhem' Album, Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  5. ^ Petridis, Alexis (2025-03-06). "Lady Gaga: Mayhem review – a fabulous return to her freaky first principles". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  6. ^ Hedden, Chris (2025-03-07). "Lady Gaga's New Album: Every Song On Mayhem Ranked". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on 2025-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  7. ^ Boisvert, Lauren (2025-03-11). "Mother Monster is So Back: Lady Gaga's 'MAYHEM' Brings Her Classic Imagery to the Forefront Again". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  8. ^ Jenkins, Craig (2025-03-11). "Lady Gaga Throws Everything in the Pot". Vulture. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  9. ^ Hé, Kristen S. (2025-03-19). "Every Lady Gaga Song, Ranked". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  10. ^ "Lady Gaga's 123 songs ranked, from Born This Way to Abracadabra". The Independent. 2025-03-08. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  11. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (2025-03-10). "Lady Gaga Sounds Like Herself Again". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2025-03-12. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  12. ^ "Lady Gaga Returns to the Pop Arena With the Familiar Yet Fun Mayhem". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  13. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (2025-03-10). "On 'Mayhem,' Lady Gaga Wants You to Party Like It's 2009". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2025-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  14. ^ "Lady Gaga's Mayhem: Track By Track Review". Clique. 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  15. ^ "Review: Lady Gaga - Mayhem | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  16. ^ "Lady Gaga - MAYHEM | Reviews". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. 2025-03-07. Archived from the original on 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  17. ^ HEMING, LAKYN (2025-03-24). "Media Monday: 'Mayhem' explores Gaga's journey of self through sound". The Penn. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  18. ^ Lansing, Mariah (2025-03-25). "Lady Gaga's "MAYHEM" is essential listening". Campus Times. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  19. ^ a b "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "Tops de la semaine - Top Singles". SNEP (in French). Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  21. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  24. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  25. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Hot Dance/Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
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