In a striking return to form, Lady Gaga's sixth studio album, 'Mayhem', has been declared the fifth best album of 2025. The record sees the pop icon decisively abandon the tech-house of 'Chromatica' and the dinner jazz of her Tony Bennett collaborations, instead resurrecting the raw, operatic electroclash sound that catapulted her to global fame.
A Shocking Reinvention: Looking Backwards
For an artist famed for dramatic reinvention, Gaga's latest move was perhaps her most shocking: she glanced over her shoulder. 'Mayhem' is a deliberate and full-throated revival of the sonic landscape from her first two albums. The record is packed with synths that whirr like failing appliances, trashy guitars that demand a punk aesthetic, and the kind of playful, coded baby talk that defined hits like 'Bad Romance'.
Some critics might view this as a cynical, market-driven pivot following a series of commercial missteps. Projects like the broadening 'Artpop' (2013) and the rootsy 'Joanne' (2016) failed to fully connect with the public, while her ambitious work on the 'Joker: Folie à Deux' soundtrack badly flopped. Yet, Gaga's explanation, given to Rolling Stone, carries more weight. She described the album as the result of "months and months and months of rediscovering everything that I'd lost," suggesting the chaotic process was an authentic journey back to her core artistic self.
The Sound and Fury of 'Mayhem'
The album's backing tracks are cybernetic collages, Frankenstein's monsters of digital noise tailor-made for Gaga's singular voice. She leans joyfully into the theatrical hamminess that defines her greatness. Tracks like 'Perfect Celebrity' feature a Meat Loaf-esque rock yell, while 'Zombieboy' offers flirtatious backchat and 'Vanish Into You' showcases stentorian operatics.
Songs such as 'LoveDrug', 'How Bad Do U Want Me', and 'Garden of Eden' possess the zest and zip of potential hit singles, standing among her finest album tracks. The record also winks at influences beyond Gaga's own realm: a vocal tone reminiscent of Taylor Swift here, a backing track dancing close to Yazoo's 'Only You' there, with shades of David Bowie and Leona Lewis peppered throughout.
Reclaiming Influence and Legacy
Ultimately, 'Mayhem' feels like a homecoming. After projects where she seemed to strain to be bigger than herself, here she settles comfortably into her own skin. The album underscores her immense influence on pop over the last two decades, with moments that clearly informed Sia's songwriting or echoed in Rihanna's work. Even her use of Nile Rodgers-style disco guitars feels fresh, evoking genuine nightlife bliss rather than serving as a mere signifier.
This sense of self was amplified by the dramaturgically wonky but vibey 'Mayhem Ball' tour, described as a goth influencer's wedding with an infinite budget. If the sounds of 'Mayhem' feel familiar, it is largely because Lady Gaga herself has been the architect of the modern pop world for nearly twenty years. With this album, she isn't just revisiting her past; she's reclaiming her throne.
