Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ heartfelt ballad “Die With a Smile” has officially become the fastest track to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
Released as a standalone single in August, the song made an immediate impact, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its staying power has been undeniable, bolstered by additional releases like a “Live in Las Vegas” version and an acoustic rendition, both of which hit streaming platforms in October.
The duo premiered the song live at Bruno Mars’ concert celebrating the grand opening of Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome. The performance set social media abuzz, and the artists reunited weeks later to perform the track twice during Mars’ residency at Las Vegas’ Park MGM.
“Die With a Smile” has since garnered critical acclaim, earning nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the upcoming 2025 Grammy Awards.
While the song’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down, Lady Gaga is gearing up for the release of her highly anticipated seventh album, set to arrive in February. Last month, she dropped the album’s lead single, “Disease,” a brooding pop anthem accompanied by a horror-inspired music video. Earlier in the year, Gaga released “Harlequin” as a companion piece to the film Joker: Folie à Deux, in which she starred. That album featured haunting reinterpretations of American songbook classics.
Bruno Mars, meanwhile, continues to explore creative collaborations. His recent feature on Rosé’s “Apt” became a sensation, amassing over 100 million Spotify streams within its first week.
As “Die With a Smile” cements its place in pop history, both Gaga and Mars show no signs of slowing down, proving their enduring impact on the music world.