"John Wayne" is a pop rock song that features elements of country, disco, funk, and house music.
The lyrics talk about Gaga's romantic craving for a wild, blue-collar man and smoking cannabis.
Some critics felt that "John Wayne" might portray Gaga's relationship with her ex-fiance Taylor Kinney.
Jonas Åkerlund directed the song's accompanying music video released on February 8, 2017, through Apple Music.
The clip received positive feedback for hearkening back to Gaga's older videos, and taking inspiration from action films.