Song Origins & Style
Released on August 16, 2024, via Interscope Records, “Die With a Smile” is the lead single from Lady Gaga’s seventh album, Mayhem Wikipedia. Blending pop-soul with soft rock elements, the song features emotional lyrics on the urgency of love—"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you" WikipediaThem. Gaga and Mars co-wrote and co-produced the track alongside D’Mile and Andrew Watt, with James Fauntleroy contributing additional songwriting Wikipedia.
Production & Visuals
The collaboration was quickly born: Mars invited Gaga to his studio, and they completed writing and recording in a single day Wikipedia. The music video—shot on a retro TV-show set with mannequins, a noir aesthetic, and a vintage stage vibe—was directed by Bruno Mars and Daniel Ramos WikipediaYouTube.
Commercial Success & Accolades
“Die With a Smile” stormed the charts, becoming:
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Spotify’s longest-running daily number-one and the fastest to hit one and two billion streams Wikipedia.
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A Billboard Global 200 behemoth, reigning for 18 weeks atop the chart Wikipedia+1.
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A Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit in January 2025 WikipediaAntara News.
Lady Gaga expressed gratitude for this milestone, noting it marked her chart-topping presence across the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s Antara News.
The song also secured victory at the 2025 Grammy Awards, winning Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Both artists delivered heartfelt acceptance speeches—Gaga spotlighted the importance of visibility for the trans and queer communities PitchforkPeople.com.
Cultural & Fan Impact
Fans and critics alike praised the duo’s vocal chemistry and heartfelt delivery. As one Reddit user described:
“We treated it like an album rollout, not just as a single.” —
sharing how their surprise release and cohesive visual campaign propelled it to global success Reddit.
Additionally, the track holds the record for the most days at #1 on Spotify’s Daily Global Chart, edging past even mega-hits like Dance Monkey and Shape of You Reddit.
Position in Gaga’s Artistic Arc
“Die With a Smile” reflects a more introspective and mature side of Gaga aligned with the artistic growth present in her Mayhem album, where she melds past influences with fresh, poignant reflections