The World Record Lady Gaga Snatched From Madonna

Singer-songwriter Lady Gaga is no stranger to setting world records. Dating all the way back to her groundbreaking debut album, "The Fame," the pop icon set her first notable record in 2009 by becoming the first artist to garner 4 million digital downloads across multiple songs. That same year, her dance-pop anthem "Poker Face" smashed the U.K. charts by becoming the most-downloaded song in the country's history, while she simultaneously dominated the U.S. Billboard charts with four chart-topping songs — the most of any artist from a debut album.

Nearly two decades later, Mother Monster (as many fans call her, endearingly) is still devouring world records in the music industry, most recently coming for a crown previously worn by the multi-record breaking queen, Madonna. With over a dozen Guinness Book of World Records accolades under her belt, Madonna's unsurpassed musical achievements include best-selling female recording artist of all time. However, after Gaga's most recent achievement, the "Like A Prayer" singer no longer holds the title for drawing the largest audience for a female performer.

The concept of attending a free concert by a chart-topping artist might sound too good to be true, but it does happen. Singer Christina Aguilera kicked off April of 2025 with a free concert at the Hollywood Bowl for first responders and fans affected by the monumental LA wildfires, filling the 17,000 capacity venue to the brim. A year earlier, in May 2024, Madonna set the record for the highest-attended concert by a female performer ever by drawing 1.6 million fans to a free show at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Nearly one year later, Lady Gaga smashed this record on the same hallowed stage. Fresh after winning her 14th Grammy for best pop duo/group performance alongside Bruno Mars and releasing her bewitching dance single, "Abracadabra," the pop diva announced a free show of her own at the Copacabana in an Instagram post on February 21. Proving the power she holds over her devoted fans, the "Mayhem on the Beach" concert (which took place on Saturday, May 3) drew in a whopping 2.5 million people, marking the highest-attended concert — free or otherwise — by a female in history, per Billboard.

The staggering achievement wasn't lost on Lady Gaga. According to Variety, she thanked the audience during her show by proclaiming, "Tonight we're making history. Thank you for making history with me." Opening with an alternative operatic rendition of "Bloody Mary," Gaga wowed the crowd with a 21-song setlist consisting of an eclectic mix of new tracks from her latest album, "Mayhem," as well as beloved classics like "Paparazzi" and "Poker Face." A captivated sea of fans raised their cell phone lights and voices as the "A Star is Born" star belted her anthems for all to hear, inspiring a shimmering scenescape amidst the beachside backdrop of Rio de Janeiro. Always one to dazzle with costumes, Gaga embraced her South American audience by donning a dress inspired by the Brazilian flag.

The day after the historic show, the record-breaking icon took to Instagram, writing to fans: "I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you. An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history. I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world."