"Hold My Hand" is a song by American singerLady Gaga, released on May 3, 2022, throughInterscope Records. It is the lead single to thesoundtrack for the filmTop Gun: Maverick (2022). The song was written and produced by Gaga andBloodPop as "a love letter to the world during and after a very hard time". Benjamin Rice received additional production credits. Musically, "Hold My Hand" is a "hopeful"arena rock track, featuring ananthemic chorus and an electric guitar. It drew inspiration from 1980spower ballads, the decade in which the originalTop Gun (1986) was released.
In April 2021, gossip website ShowBiz 411 reported thatLady Gaga would be involved with thesoundtrack forTop Gun: Maverick (2022), a sequel to the 1986action drama filmTop Gun.[1] The rumor soon spread to other publications, includingW magazine.[2] In April 2022, Gaga began posting cryptic messages onTwitter, which fans interpreted as lyrics to the rumored song.[3][4] She formally announced "Hold My Hand" and its release date on April 27, 2022, and unveiled the cover art, which shows her standing in front of an aircraft marked with the initials "LG".[5][6]
Tom Cruise (pictured at the film's premiere in London in 2022) described the song as "the heartbeat" ofTop Gun: Maverick.
A preview of the song was released on April 30, followed by the release of the full track on May 3 as the first single from the soundtrack forTop Gun: Maverick.[5][7] A week after the release, "Hold My Hand" received airplay throughadult contemporary andcontemporary hit radio stations in the US.[8][9] The song was later also included on the Japantour edition of Gaga's sixth studio album,Chromatica, as the final track.[10] To celebrate Singles Day 2022, "Hold My Hand" was issued as anUrban Outfitters exclusive12-inch single, pressed on coke-bottle clear vinyl with etched detailing on the reverse.[11][12]
Several other artists were considered to contribute music for the film.Tyler Joseph, frontman of Americanalternative rock music duoTwenty One Pilots, revealed that he had been working on a song before, but as he put it,Tom Cruise, the lead actor and co-producer ofTop Gun: Maverick, "came in and just fired everyone."[13] Ahead of the release, Cruise described "Hold My Hand" as the piece that completed the film's emotional landscape. He recalled that when Gaga came in with the track, "it became our score, the heartbeat of the movie," and said that hearing it eased his concerns about the emotional arc. Its ability to fuse with the story, he noted, was "a real moment" for the whole team.[14] ComposerLorne Balfe echoed Cruise's remarks, explaining that the film had lacked an emotional center before Gaga's involvement, and "Hold My Hand" reshaped the musical direction of the score, replacing earlier cues.[15]
Randy Spendlove, Paramount's president of motion picture music, explained that Gaga saw the film very early in its development. After she wrote "Hold My Hand", she was invited to contribute to the score as well, with the song serving as the film's "love theme".[16] Melodic motifs from the track recur throughout the score, appearing in cues such as "The Man, The Legend/Touchdown" and "Penny Returns (Interlude)".[17][18] The theme surfaces not only in moments highlighting the love between two people but also during emotionally charged scenes, reflecting the personal sacrifices the pilots endure.[19] WithinTop Gun: Maverick, the song itself appears during a bar scene when Penny (played byJennifer Connelly) and her daughter are having a conversation. The full track plays near the end of the film as Penny and Maverick (Tom Cruise) fly off into the sunset in hisP-51 Mustang.[16]
"Hold My Hand" was co-written by Gaga with the song's main producer, BloodPop, with Benjamin Rice providing additional production work.[20] Gaga has said that she and BloodPop developed the track together in the basement studio of her home.[21] Critics in both music and film circles have described the result as a "hopeful, anthemic"arena rockpower ballad with the qualities of atorch song.[22][20][23][24] Jazz Tangcay ofVariety characterized it as a soaringrock piece, shaped by violins and guitar lines reminiscent of classic'80s power ballads.[25]
A 28-second sample of "Hold My Hand" featuring the final chorus, showcasing anarena rock vibe with drivingelectric guitars, Gaga'sbelting, and a key change up to A♭ major.
The lyrics of "Hold My Hand" show Gaga expressing deep care for someone who is hurting, promising to support them unwaveringly and without hesitation.[6][22] She described it as "a love letter to the world during and after a very hard time,"[26] explaining that she wrote it not only forTop Gun: Maverick but also for anyone who feels they will not be okay. Gaga revealed that she had been developing the song for years and "didn't even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film's heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we've been living in" while writing it.[27] Drawing on lessons from her own struggles, the song emphasizes faith in humanity even when self-belief wavers and aims to reach listeners who feel isolated, offering hope that they can ultimately find the strength to stand on their own.[28]
Musically, the arrangement opens with an "atonal, warbling vocal chop"[29] and a piano-led foundation that gradually builds into a larger arena-rock sound, featuring electric guitar, piano, synthesizer elements, and a steady drumbeat, with additional strings in the bridge supporting Gaga's "reverb-soaked" andbelted vocal delivery.[30][6][31] The song is composed in G major, and in the final chorus, it modulates upward to A♭ major.[32][33] Lars Brandle ofBillboard noted that the song has a close lineage toBerlin's "Take My Breath Away" andKenny Loggins' "Danger Zone", two tracks from thesoundtrack of the originalTop Gun (1986).[34] Critics have also compared it to songs such as "Open Arms" byJourney (1982), "Alone" byHeart (1987), and Gaga's own 2011 single, "The Edge of Glory".[35][36]
"Hold My Hand" received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who highlighted Gaga's vocals and the song's emotional impact. Robin Murray ofClash called it "a triumph of bombast" that "finds Lady Gaga cutting loose as a vocalist,"[24] whileVariety's Jazz Tangcay described it as a "catchy earworm" with a "strong guitar solo," predicting it could be "anOscar frontrunner in theoriginal song race."[28] Nancy Tartaglione fromDeadline Hollywood noted it as another strong entry in Gaga's andTop Gun's musical canon, also suggesting it could go all the way to the Oscars.[20] Stuart Heritage ofThe Guardian praised the track for its emotional intensity and classic Gaga power-ballad style.[37]
Critics emphasized that Gaga's performance carries the song. Kristen S. Hé ofVulture noted that while the song is "one of her only pop songs with zero subversive elements," its lyrics consist largely of potential clichés—yet Gaga lifts them with "sheer vocal power", turning the track into a sincere end-credits ballad.[29]Screen Rant's Benjamin Weiss highlighted Gaga's "soaring" vocals, noting the track relies more on her performance than on production or instrumentation.[38] Gemma Samways of theEvening Standard and Ross Bonaime ofCollider noted that its exaggerated style only works because of Gaga, calling it both "brilliantly overblown" and "cheesy, but effective."[39][40]
Some reviewers appreciated how the song elevates the movie. Mikael Wood of theLos Angeles Times called it a standout track of 2022, achieving "popcorn nirvana" when paired with the film, even if it "can't hold aBic lighter to 'Shallow' fromA Star Is Born."[41] Stephen Thompson ofNPR added that, though the lyrics are simple, they complement the film's cinematic imagery effectively.[42]Peter Travers ofABC News called it the "closest"Top Gun: Maverick "gets to passion", with Gaga "belting her feels full out in an Oscar-ready new theme song".[31]Screen Rant's Erin Edmonson felt the song "rounds out the movie's soundtrack and sends Maverick's story out on a high note."[17]
However, some critics found "Hold My Hand" less compelling. Michael Cragg ofThe Guardian called the track "mildly underwhelming" and "bloated and saggy",[43] while Adam White ofThe Independent felt the stadium-sized ballad fell short, noting that "she's done far better with similar ingredients".[44] Alexa Camp ofSlant Magazine wrote that despite years of development, the song "struggles to take flight".[30] Others were more dismissive:USA Today's Melissa Ruggieri described it as "a middling ballad",[45]NME's Nick Levine called it "tepid",[46] andDallas Observer's Carly May Gravley found it "forgettable".[47]
Due to being released on a Tuesday, in its first week "Hold My Hand" did not enter the United States'Billboard Hot 100 but entered at number 17 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 based on three days of tracking.[48] A week later it debuted at number 82 on theBillboard Hot 100. Following the theatrical release ofTop Gun: Maverick, the song reached a new peak of number 49 in its fifth week on the chart.[49] Additionally, the song peaked at number 19 on theBillboardMainstream Top 40 chart, number 12 on theBillboardAdult Pop Airplay chart, and number nine on theBillboardAdult Contemporary chart.[50][51][52] On theBillboard Global 200 chart, the song debuted at number 62 following its first full week of availability and reached a peak in the top 40 at number 37.[53]
The song entered at number six on the Canadian Digital Song Sales chart with just three days of tracking.[54] A week later the song debuted at number 38 on theCanadian Hot 100, marking her 25th top 40 entry on the chart. In its sixth week on the chart, the song reached a new peak of number 25.[55] The song debuted in the top 40 in Australia on theARIA Singles Chart, making its entry at number 36, becoming her 30th top 40 entry there. In Australia, the song peaked at number 29 in its eighth week on the chart.[56] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 33 on theTop 40 Singles Chart following the release ofTop Gun: Maverick.[57]
Throughout Europe, the single fared better. "Hold My Hand" entered theUK singles chart at number 51 before falling to number 60 the following week. In its fourth week on the chart, following the theatrical release ofTop Gun: Maverick, the song climbed to a new peak position of number 24.[58] It was the 22nd best-selling song of 2022 in the UK.[59] The song debuted at number 63 on theSwiss Singles Top 75 chart in its first half week of release but entered the top 20 the following week after a full week of availability, charting at number 13. In Switzerland, the song reached a peak of number five.[60] On Belgium's WallonianUltratop 50 Singles chart, the song reached a peak of number six, while peaking at top twenty in Flanders.[61] In the Netherlands, the song debuted at number 35 on theDutch Top 40 chart and at number 26 on the country'sSingle Tip chart, on the latter of which it later peaked at number one.[62][63]In France, the song debuted outside the top 100, at number 123, by the week of May 7, 2022. A few weeks later, the week of July 23, 2022, the song reached the top forty, at number 32.[64] The song was later certifiedDiamond for more than 330,000 units sold.[65]
Gaga standing atop her piano in the music video, wearing a billowing parachute-inspired gown, as a plane flies past in the background
The accompanying music video was directed byTop Gun: Maverick filmmakerJoseph Kosinski and released on May 6, 2022. Partially presented in black and white,[28] the video blends nostalgic flashbacks from the 1986Top Gun with theatrical footage fromTop Gun: Maverick. Featured moments include Tom Cruise astest pilot Maverick repairing his aircraft, riding his motorcycle, and confronting memories ofAnthony Edwards' character, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, holding him after the character tragically dies.[66] These film excerpts are intercut with shots of Lady Gaga performing dramatically—playing a grand piano on a military runway and singing inside an airplane hangar.[28][67]
For the first part of the video, Gaga appears in a white tank top,aviator sunglasses, and the original aviationbomber jacket that Cruise wore in the originalTop Gun film. She later switches her outfit for a beige gown. At the climax of the song, Gaga stands on top of her piano while a plane soars past, making her gown explode off her and swirl dramatically in the wind.[68][69] This outfit was created by Ukrainian designer Lessja Verlingieri for her brand Lever Couture, and she was approached by long-time collaboratorNicola Formichetti–Gaga's creative director–to design a fashion piece that fits the theme of the movie.[69][70] The dress took its cues from parachute design, built from roughly 200 yards of fabric and detailed with ropes, complete with a sweeping cape that billows strikingly in the wind. Verlingieri envisioned Gaga as someone who had wandered the desert for two decades, with the dress symbolizing independence, courage, and endurance.[70][69]
Gaga explained that noCGI was used for the scene in which the plane flies over her head and that the shot required many takes with the actual aircraft.[71] As the video concludes, the sun sets and she raises her hand toward the sky from the piano bench, the plane disappearing into the horizon.[68] The music video has been called "powerful" and "emotional" by journalists.[71][72]
"Hold My Hand" served as theencore on Gaga's 2022 stadium tour,The Chromatica Ball.[73] The performance featured heavy guitar work, pyrotechnics, and Gaga in latex and leather with a metallic claw.[43][74][75] Reactions were mixed: some reviewers felt the choice of encore was "a mistep [sic]"[76] or "a little flat" as a closer,[76] while others praised her "scorching vocal"[46] and described it as an "exceptional encore".[77]The Guardian's Michael Cragg—who had been lukewarm on the studio version—felt the song resonated more strongly in a stadium. He wrote that removed from the film, it becomes a message to her fans, with its refrain serving as a moment of connection.[43]
It was initially reported that Gaga would skip performing the nominated "Hold My Hand" at the95th Academy Awards due to filming commitments forJoker: Folie à Deux (2024). However, on March 12, 2023, the day of the ceremony, she was confirmed as a last-minute addition.[78] Taking the stage without makeup in a plain black t-shirt and ripped jeans, she introduced the song with a brief speech about finding heroes in unassuming places. Then she began singing, supported only by piano at first, with drums and bass joining in afterward.[79][80] The performance was dedicated to the memory of the originalTop Gun's late director,Tony Scott.[81] Oscars directorGlenn Weiss noted that Gaga aimed for an unadorned rendition, "not as an 'Oscar performance', but as her."[82] Thania Garcia ofVariety felt "Hold My Hand" received a "surprisingly rootsy, rock-band production" and described it as "stripped-down, yet enormously effective".[83]USA Today's Melissa Ruggieri highlighted how Gaga "relied on her mega-vocals in the most affecting performance of the show."[84]
During theSuper Bowl LIX pregame show on February 9, 2025, Gaga sang "Hold My Hand" live inNew Orleans,Louisiana, as a tribute to the victims of the2025 New Orleans truck attack, the2025 California wildfires, andHurricane Helene. After an inspirational speech by American football playerTom Brady, the camera cut to Gaga, who was seated at a piano in the middle ofBourbon Street, dressed in a wide-brimmed white hat and a long lace gown.[85] She was accompanied by a live band and a localgospel choir, while police officers and firefighters looked on.[86][87]Billboard's Stephen Daw called the rendition "moving".[85] The same year, Gaga performed "Hold My Hand" as a surprise song at the first Sydney date of herMayhem Ball tour, on December 12.[88]
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