Lady Gaga was always destined to steal the show at Coachella as the biggest headliner at the festival this year. The singer delivered a set that thrilled the thousands who packed the desert grounds — and countless more who tuned in via livestream. Whenever a major star commands the main stage at the event, a noticeable bump in streams, sales, and general consumption often follows. Gaga’s new debuts on a handful of Billboard charts show she’s no exception, as one track in particular even manages to become a global hit years after its initial release.
“Bad Romance” Finally Hits Billboard’s Global Rankings
“Bad Romance” has always been one of Lady Gaga’s most recognizable tracks. It’s a true pop classic that helped define her early years of superstardom. Shockingly, the dark, dramatic dance-pop anthem had never appeared on Billboard’s global rankings…but that changed this week.
Following Gaga’s Coachella set, “Bad Romance” opens on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. On the former, which offers a worldwide look at the most popular tunes each week, the cut starts its run at No. 186. Over on the latter list, which removes data from the U.S. to better reflect international popularity, “Bad Romance” earns an even stronger showing, debuting at No. 172.
Lady Gaga’s Growing List of Worldwide Hits
Throughout her career, Gaga has shown she can command attention anywhere on the planet. Before this week, the pop powerhouse had already landed 16 tracks on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S., and now “Bad Romance” joins that group and makes it 17. Meanwhile, on the broader Billboard Global 200, she’s earned 18 stays somewhere on the roster.
These updated figures also include some newer additions to her catalog. Earlier this year, Gaga unleashed her latest full-length Mayhem, which produced a number of worldwide smashes, including a few that debuted on the tally the week the set was new and then disappeared.
Why “Bad Romance” Is Only Just Now Charting Globally
Some fans might be shocked to learn that “Bad Romance” is only just now making its debut on Billboard’s two global tallies. That’s not to say the song wasn’t a massive hit internationally when it first dropped. Quite the opposite, actually. Upon its release, “Bad Romance” dominated charts around the world and became a defining cut of the late 2000s.
Billboard didn’t launch its two global rankings until several years ago, long after “Bad Romance” had peaked. Because of that timing, many older hits never had the chance to appear. It’s actually fairly common for beloved classics to only chart when something extraordinary happens — like a career-defining Coachella headlining set.
Lady Gaga Claims Multiple Global Smashes
“Bad Romance” isn’t Gaga’s only worldwide smash at the moment. This week, the superstar fills four spots on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. lists.
Alongside the debut of “Bad Romance,” two more of Gaga’s hits — “Abracadabra” and “Poker Face” — grow on both rankings. Meanwhile, her collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile,” holds steady at No. 1 on each list for another frame.
