While Joanne introduced us to a softer and refreshed version of Lady Gaga, Chromatica welcomes back her original self – but with an extra touch of fire and electricity. The superstar’s sixth studio album is a spoonful (or shall we say mouthful – it gets a little much sometimes) of electro-pop and disco sounds that takes listeners on an otherworldly and colorful journey.
We can’t say this is Gaga’s best album, but there are some decent tracks on this record that are worth the play button. If you’re wondering what they are, check out our list of Chromatica songs ranked from worst to first…
The Chromatica interludes were omitted from our ranking.
13. Alice
Gaga introduces us to her Wonderland that is Chromatica with the album opener, Alice. The loud, Madonna-esque track kicks off the rest of the album perfectly with its disco and electro-pop vibe. While it’s our least favorite on the record, Alice still makes for a good listen – if you’re up for an wild dance-a-thon, that is!
12. 911
911 plays and we’re immediately in 2008 – classic Gaga is back, guys – not the best version of her, though. The popular star channels her signature style in this techno-pop track, but it’s just not good enough to be ranked better in our list. 911 is repetitive, too robotic, and rather annoying to say the least.
11. Babylon
Babylon might just be the sequel to Madonna’s Vogue, am I right? It’s a fun hit with a brilliant saxophone instrumental that successfully concludes the overall upbeat mood of the album. It’s safe to say that crowds will be fist pumping to this track at concerts, but for us, it doesn’t quite compare to its preceding songs on Chromatica.
10. Sour Candy – Feat. BLACKPINK
There’s no surprise why the release of Sour Candy broke the internet, BLACKPINK is one of the biggest K-Pop bands in the world. On its first listen, the song is certainly bubbly, catchy and energetic. But afterwards, you realize that it just doesn’t cut it. We wish this track was BLACKPINK’s alone because when Gaga steps in, it just doesn’t fit.
9. Sine From Above – Feat. Elton John
A Gaga and Elton John collab sounded like heaven until we found out that it was another techno-infused track. If Sine From Above was a ballad, or just a tad less EDM-inspired, we would have been a lot more impressed. I guess we’ll just have to wait for the acoustic version, right?
8. Enigma
We’re back in regular Gaga territory with this one. In fact, it sounds like it was ripped straight out of her Artpop days. Enigma is loud, thumping and groovy enough to make you want to dance your feet off. The title of this song also happens to be the name of Gaga’s recent Vegas residency – we can only imagine how wild the crowd would go with this one played in front of them.
7. Replay
Gaga gets personal as she croons about her inner demons “torturing” her over disco vibes fused with house beats. Replay is cool and that, but by the time you get to the end of the album, you feel kinda exhausted and delirious from the repetitive deep house sounds. All in all, we guess it’ll get a few replays from us.
6. 1000 Doves
1000 Doves is Gaga’s attempt at a typical Euro-disco hit, and it actually works. It’s triumphant and euphoric and Gaga’s soaring vocals make it all worth the listen. The lyrics are also some of the best on the album, with the singer truly wearing her heart on her sleeve.
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5. Stupid Love
The first single to drop from Chromatica lands at fifth place in our ranking. Stupid Love is the fun, upbeat and cheerful song we’ve been craving – the fact that it dropped right before the Coronavirus lockdown was very fitting indeed. It was the cheesy dose of pop we all needed during self-isolation.
4. Plastic Doll
Chromatica is so brim full of heavy and loud EDM-infused tracks, that we almost forgot the original bubblegum pop that Gaga once owned. But then comes along Plastic Doll like a breath of fresh air, giving us that sweet and sugary sound we’ve missed. This one’s great.
3. Free Woman
It was tough juggling between the top 3 songs in our ranking. Free Woman is positioned at third place for its sincere brilliance. Once again, Gaga goes full disco, but this time, it’s so much more bearable compared to other tracks. There’s Gaga’s powerful vocals, a positive message about girl power, and an upbeat instrumental as a chorus that’s enough to get us on our feet.
2. Fun Tonight
Here it is – the second-best song ranked on Chromatica. Fun Tonight promises exactly what its title suggests – fun – but with an extra drizzle of power and raw emotion. Gaga’s broken heart thumps loud in this one as she sings so passionately about a broken relationship. Thankfully, Fun Tonight is one of the very few songs on Chromatica that isn’t so intense and clubby. It’s perfect and actually listenable.
1. Rain on Me – Feat. Ariana Grande
Call us predictable, but Rain on Me is officially the best song on Chromatica. Not only does it feature the wonderfully talented Ariana Grande, but it delivers a genuinely joyful listening experience. Ariana’s sweet vocal blended with Gaga’s deeper voice is a mix we never knew we wanted. Rain on Me isn’t just the highlight moment on this album, it’s probably one of Gaga’s best songs yet.
It’s been a while since we saw – and heard – Gaga’s eccentric side. Chromatica is certainly a sound you’d expect from this top female artist, but overall, we wished there were just a few tracks that let us take a breather throughout – the EDM and house sound becomes too much of a racket at times.
Let us know what the best song from Chromatica is and how you would rank every track in the comments below!
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