Bandaids (song)

In November 2025, reports surfaced of a soundless visualizer being displayed on the screens at one point during The Lifetimes Tour shows. In the cryptic video, Perry was seen singing an unidentified song while sitting on a tree branch and cutting it with a hand saw. On November 4, 2025, she hinted at a new project on her official website by updating its design. The update featured three emojis—🙂, 😐, and ☹️—and included the message "how's your day?". There was also an option to subscribe to her newsletter and an invitation to pre-save future projects.^[1] Later that day, Perry announced the release of a new single titled "Bandaids" on her social media, with a photo of her face containing scratches and bruises on her forehead, cheek, lip, and nose. The image also featured the song's title and its release date, November 6.^[2] The song was later included on Perry's compilation album titled The Ones That Got the Plays, released in May 2026.^[3]

"Bandaids"

A 11-second audio sample of "Bandaids", featuring Perry singing the opening line of the song.^[4]

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Perry and Amanda Ibanez co-wrote "Bandaids" with its producers Justin Tranter, Sean Cook, Russ Chell, and Eren Cannata.^[4][5] The track is a pop rock ballad which features "metallic, shimmery guitars" and a "semi-anthemic climax",^[6][7][8] with a runtime of three minutes and eight seconds.^[5] "Bandaids" is written in the key of A-flat major with a tempo of 94 beats per minute.^[9] Lyrically, the track is about heartbreak and losing someone Perry loved. Her opening line declares, "Hand to God, I promised I tried / There's no stone left unturned". It also reminisces about a past relationship with "On the bright side / We had good times / Never faked our pictures / We were perfect". During the song's bridge, she adds "If I had to do it all over again / I would still do it all over again / The love that we made was worth it in the end".^[4]

Three days after the song's release, Perry shared her struggle with releasing "Bandaids" for months, describing it as "scary to be vulnerable". She also expressed hope that the lyrics of the song would "resonate" with individuals experiencing similar challenges.^[10]

Writing for Stereogum, Danielle Chelosky described "Bandaids" as "actually pretty good". Chelosky suggested that Perry's breakup with Orlando Bloom "gave her emotional turmoil to deal with in music", deeming the song superior to Perry's works with producer Dr. Luke.^[11] AnnaMarie Houlis from Parade called the song a "healing-from-heartbreak anthem" and wrote "the song is garnering immediate recognition for its rhythmic resonance as a piece of allegorical art in modern-day music form".^[12] Gennaro Costanzo of Clash rated "Bandaids" eight out of 10, describing it as "a long-awaited return to form" which echoes the "pop rock balladry" from her 2008 album One of the Boys. Costanzo suggested that "Bandaids" is the song Perry's 2017 album Witness "was trying to write", stating it is "vulnerable without being preachy, personal without feeling performative".^[13] Both The Express Tribune and Variety described the track as a "comeback" for Perry after 143, with the latter highlighting the apparent vulnerability and emotional nature of the song and its accompanying video.^[14][15] Kofi Mframa of USA Today described "Bandaids" as an "enjoyable pop rock ballad with a familiar melody", but still kept their expectations "low" for Perry, hoping to be "pleasantly surprised again".^[7] Caitlin Devlin of Ticketmaster UK ranked "Bandaids" 10th among the singer's 11 best songs of all time. Devlin described the track as having an "unapologetically cathartic chorus" and its message as "direct, feeling strong, genuine, and non-performative".^[16]

"Bandaids" debuted at number 15 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100,^[19] number 34 on the Pop Airplay,^[20] and number 23 on the Adult Pop Airplay for the week ending November 22, 2025.^[21] The track was the 12th best-selling song during its release week with more than 2,200 digital downloads sold according to Luminate.^[22][23] In its first week of release, "Bandaids" was also the most-added song on both pop radio and hot adult contemporary formats, according to Mediabase's US Radio Updater.^[24][25]

In the United Kingdom, "Bandaids" debuted at number 61 on the UK Singles Chart, moving 6,873 copies during the chart week ending November 20, 2025.^[26] The song also opened at number 74 on the Canadian Hot 100 and number 99 on the Irish Singles Chart.^[27][28] In Venezuela, "Bandaids" entered at number 20 on Record Report's Top 100 chart while topping the Anglo chart and placing at number eight on the Pop General chart for the week ending November 22, 2025.^[29][30][31] Elsewhere, "Bandaids" debuted at number five on the Billboard Japan Hot Overseas chart,^[32] number six on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart,^[33] and at number 29 on the Netherlands' Single Tip chart.^[34] In Brazil, the track has been certified Gold by Pro-Música Brasil for shifting 20,000 units within the country.^[35]

On the EarOne airplay chart in Italy, "Bandaids" opened at number 33 and was the third highest debuting song for the week ending November 13, 2025.^[36] The song ascended and peaked at number 24 the following week.^[37] On the Offizielle Deutsche airplay chart in Germany, "Bandaids" made its debut at number 66 for the 46th week chart issue of 2025.^[38] In its 12th week on the chart, the song reached the chart's summit.^[39]

Perry performed "Bandaids" live for the first time as part of The Lifetimes Tour in Lyon, France, on November 7, 2025.^[45] On December 31, 2025, she sang the song at the 2025 Bilibili New Year's Eve Gala held in Suzhou, China.^[46] On June 18, 2026, Perry performed "Bandaids" during the O Son do Camiño festival in Santiago, Spain.^[47] Two days later, she performed the track again during Rock in Rio Lisboa 11.^[48][A]