Teenage Dream (song)

"Teenage Dream" is a single by American singer Katy Perry, released on July 23, 2010, as the second single from her album of the same name via digital download. Perry co-wrote it with Bonnie McKee and producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Benny Blanco. The song is about the joyful, exciting feelings of young love. Musically, it’s a mid-tempo pop song with a retro vibe, blending styles like power pop, electropop, disco, and pop rock. Perry starts singing in a high voice that gets stronger as the song goes on. The lyrics talk about feeling young again with someone special.

At first, critics had mixed opinions about the song, but later it was praised, with Glamour calling it one of the best pop songs ever. "Teenage Dream" hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and in Ireland, New Zealand, and Slovakia. It also reached the top ten in 13 countries. The song was certified Diamond in the US, eight times Platinum in Australia, nine times Platinum in Canada, and earned Gold or Platinum in ten more countries.

When Perry and McKee met in 2004, they bonded over their interest in teenage themes. Perry's early songs were about discovering romance, while McKee's were about using attraction for power. For "Teenage Dream," they wanted a "forever young" feel. At first, they wrote lyrics about Peter Pan but felt it needed to be edgier and more mature. Another version with a joke about becoming a mom in a minivan made them laugh but wasn’t used. They also tried a version comparing clothes to sex, like Madonna's "Dress You Up," but the producers rejected it. Producer Benny Blanco played them a song and asked for a similar style, which made Perry and McKee feel frustrated and ready to quit for the night.^[1]

McKee kept working on the song over the next few days. She thought about her teenage years, her first love, and memories like watching "Romeo and Juliet" and dreaming about Leonardo DiCaprio. Remembering Benny's advice, she realized that the word "Teenager" perfectly captured the feeling they wanted. Later, Perry invited McKee, Luke, and Martin to write with her in Santa Barbara. McKee wanted to suggest changes, but Luke, frustrated with the time spent on the chorus, refused. Instead, they focused on writing the verses, using imagery Perry had already prepared.^[2]

"Teenage Dream" is a midtempo love song with a strong beat and a retro feel, similar to "California Gurls".^[3][4] It’s mainly a power pop and electropop song according to Rolling Stone and Grantland, with touches of disco, pop rock, and rock.^[5][6][7][8] The song is in B♭ major and has a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It starts with guitar chords and follows a chord pattern of E♭ - Gm - F. Perry’s vocals range from B♭3 to F5, starting high and staying in her head voice during the second verse.^[9]

When "Teenage Dream" was released, critics had mixed opinions. Craig Marks from Billboard praised its catchy hooks and fun vibe, calling it a perfect summer song.^[10] In 2015, Billboard even ranked it the second-best song of the 2010s so far.^[11] James Montgomery from MTV noted that while the song was sweet like Perry's earlier hits, it also felt more mature.^[12] However, Amos Barshad from New York felt it was too serious and not as catchy as her song "Hot n Cold".^[13] Alyssa Rosenberg from The Atlantic criticized the lyrics as annoying and confusing, and said the chorus wasn’t strong enough to keep her interested.^[14]

"Teenage Dream" debuted at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on the Digital Songs chart with 84,000 downloads. It also set a record by being added to 64 radio stations in one week.^[15] The next week, it jumped to number seven, thanks to more radio plays and increased downloads. On September 18, 2010, it reached number one, becoming Perry’s third song to top the chart.^[16] By July 2024, it was certified Diamond in the US, selling 10 million copies and becoming her sixth song to reach that milestone.^[17][18]

The same week "Teenage Dream" hit number one in the US, it debuted at number 20 in Canada and later reached number one on the Canadian Digital Download Chart.^[19][20][21] In New Zealand, it also hit number one, staying at the top for four weeks and becoming Perry’s third number one there in 2010. In the UK, the song debuted at number two, selling over 86,000 copies but was kept from the top spot by Olly Murs and then Alexandra Burke. However, it did reach number one on the Scottish Singles Chart.^[22]

The music video for "Teenage Dream" was filmed in Santa Barbara in July 2010 and directed by Yoann Lemoine.^[23] Perry helped plan the concept while writing the song.^[24] In the video, she is seen on the beach with a man (played by Josh Kloss), riding in a car with him and partying with friends.^[25][26] The video ends with a special scene.^[27]

A lyric video for "Teenage Dream" was uploaded to Perry's YouTube on July 26, 2010.^[28] A short 30-second preview came out on August 5, showing scenes of Perry in Santa Barbara, dancing on the beach. The full video premiered on MTV on August 10 and later in the UK on ITV2.^[29] An official remix video with extra party scenes was released on YouTube on October 27, 2010.^[30]

• Digital download^[31]

1. "Teenage Dream" – 3:47

• CD single^[32][33]

1. "Teenage Dream" – 3:47
2. "Teenage Dream" (Instrumental) – 3:47

• Digital download – Remix EP^[34]

1. "Teenage Dream" (Vandalism Le Pop Mix) – 3:54
2. "Teenage Dream" (Vandalism V8 Vocal Remix) – 7:04
3. "Teenage Dream" (Manhattan Clique remix) – 6:40

Credits adapted from Teenage Dream album liner notes.^[35]