"Dead" is a song by American singer

Madison Beer Madison Elle Beer (born March 5, 1999) is an American singer and songwriter. Beer first gained substantial media coverage when Justin Bieber posted a link to one of her covers she posted on YouTube. In 2013, she released her debut single "Melo ...

. It was released on May 19, 2017 by

Access Access may refer to: Companies and organizations * ACCESS (Australia), an Australian youth network * Access (credit card), a former credit card in the United Kingdom * Access Co., a Japanese software company * Access International Advisors, a hed ...

, as the lead single from her debut EP ''

As She Pleases ''As She Pleases'' is the debut extended play by American singer-songwriter Madison Beer. It was released on February 2, 2018 by Access. The EP was supported by the release of three singles; "Dead", "Say It to My Face" and " Home with You". It de ...

'' (2018). The song was written by Brittany Amaradio,

Madison Love Madison Emiko Love is an American songwriter and singer. She is signed to Artist Publishing Group. She has written songs with Madison Beer, Melanie Martinez, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Pink, Demi Lovato, Camila Cabello, Kesha, Ava Max ...

, and Michael Keenan, the latter of whom produced the track. Two remixes and an acoustic version of the song were also released.

Composition

Speaking about the song's inspiration, Beer stated "It's about a situation myself and so many others find themselves in when you feel ignored and not loved in a relationship, yet you’re still hearing empty words like 'I can't live without you,' and it tears you up inside so I wanted to make the anthem for staying strong through this moment and not taking any shit!" "Dead" is an

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with a DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and s ...

song with a length of three minutes and fourteen seconds. Musically, it features breathy vocals from Beer over a beat that has been described by one music critic as "danceable". Taylor Weatherby, writing for ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'', compared the song to the works of

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, Grande is known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle re ...

and JoJo. Lyrically, it has been described as a breakup anthem where the singer confronts a lying boyfriend. In the chorus, Beer sings "You say you can't live without me, so why aren't you dead yet?" Some sources suggested that the lyrics were about Beer's breakup with American singer Jack Gilinsky. In February of 2025, a demo of the song sung by British Singer Rita Ora surfaced online.

Critical reception

Mike Wass, writing for ''

Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolator or Idolater may also refer to: * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), a 2005 album by Blood Stain Child * ''Idolator'', a 1986 album by Ole Evenrud * "Idolater", a ...

'', called the song a "biting kiss-off" that "repositions her as an alt-pop diva". Mike Nied, also writing for ''Idolator'', wrote the song's chorus "boasted one of the best lyrics of the year". On behalf of ''

'', Taylor Weatherby described the song as "edgy" and wrote that it "is sure to strike a chord with just about anyone who hears it".

Music video

The music video for "Dead" was released on August 3, 2017. It was directed by Darren Craig. The video features the singer singing much of the song in a bathtub, with scenes of Beer and an ex-boyfriend interspersed throughout. Presley Gerber Mike Wass of ''

'' called the video "sexy and emotional".

Track listing

Digital download #"Dead" – 3:14 Cedric Gervais Remix #"Dead" (

Cedric Gervais Cédric DePasquale (, born 7 June 1979), better known by his stage name Cedric Gervais (), is a French DJ, record producer and actor residing in Miami Beach, Florida. In 2013, he produced a remix of Lana Del Rey's " Summertime Sadness", for whic ...

Remix) – 3:19 Acoustic #"Dead" (Acoustic) – 3:44 Laibert Remix #"Dead" (Laibert Remix Radio Edit) – 3:59 #"Dead" (Laibert Remix Club Edit) – 4:25

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Madison Beer 2017 singles Indie pop songs Songs written by Madison Love Madison Beer songs