"Bad Dreams" is a song by American singer-songwriter Teddy Swims. It was released on September 13, 2024, through Warner Records as the first single from his second studio album, I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) (2025). "Bad Dreams" follows the commercially successful singles "Lose Control" and "The Door".
Contents
Background and composition
"Bad Dreams" was released on the heels of a performance at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, where Swims performed a medley of "Lose Control", "The Door" and a cover of "Stay" (2012) by Rihanna and the song's co-writer Mikky Ekko. The song talks about "deep feelings" coming from a place of heartbreak and pain that leads to disorientation and insomnia.
Critical reception
Ana Escobar Rivas of Los 40 thought the song contains the "soul essence" of all his worst nightmares as well as suffering "from insomnia" due to sleeping without his lover at night. Britt Mae at Melodic opined that Swims released a "fiery new single" that "builds on the momentum" of his previous global hits.
Live performances
Teddy Swims performed the song at the Jingle Bell Ball and 2024 Billboard Music Awards in December 2024 and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Howard Stern Show in January 2025. On 1 March 2025, he performed the track at the Brit Awards 2025 in a medley with "The Door" & "Lose Control".
Swims opened his set with Bad Dreams as the pre-game entertainment at the 2025 NRL Grand Final in Sydney, Australia on 5 October 2025.
Track listing
Digital download/streaming
"Bad Dreams" – 3:04
Digital download/streaming – acoustic version
"Bad Dreams" (acoustic) – 2:56
Digital download/streaming – Hugel remix
"Bad Dreams – Hugel Remix" – 3:02
Credits and personnel
Julian Bunetta – guitar, synthesizer, drums, background vocals, songwriter, producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer
Matt Zara – guitar, synthesizer, drums, bass, piano, songwriter, producer, recording engineer
Jaten Dimsdale – vocals, background vocals, songwriter
John Ryan – songwriter, producer
John Sudduth – songwriter
Rocky Block – songwriter
Sarah Solovay – songwriter
Jeff Gunnell – recording engineer, mixing engineer
Nathan Dantzler – mastering engineer