"Die With a Smile" is a perfect podcast topic because it wasn't just a hit—it was a calculated "modern classic" that broke nearly every streaming record in the book.

Here is the background and some deep-dive talking points for your show:

1. The "Midnight to 5 AM" Session

The most fascinating part of the song’s history is how quickly it came together.

• The Invitation: Bruno Mars had a rough sketch of the song (parts of the first verse and the hook) that he had actually been sitting on for three years. He invited Lady Gaga to his studio in Malibu around 10:00 PM one night to hear it.

• The Recording: Gaga was so "blown away" that she immediately sat at the piano, learned the chords by hand, and they began writing the second verse together.

• Old-School Grit: They stayed up all night and finished the entire writing and recording process by 5:00 AM. Producer Andrew Watt described the energy as "healthy competition," comparing their chemistry to the legendary sessions between Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson.