World Artist: Katy Perry Teenage Dream Song

"Teenage Dream" is a song by American recording artist Katy Perry. It was released as the second single from her third studio album of the same name on July 23, 2010 through digital distribution. Perry and Bonnie McKee wrote many songs with a youthful theme in mind, but they were rejected by producers Benny Blanco and Dr. Luke. Blanco showed them The Teenagers's single "Homecoming", and McKee imagined "Teenage Dream" as a throwback song to the euphoric feelings of being in love as a teenager. They met with Max Martin in Perry's hometown of Santa Barbara, California and started writing the track, which Perry later described as a pure moment for her. After Perry recorded her vocals, McKee presented her idea and the chorus was rewritten. Perry also described the song as reminiscent of her youth while contemplating her future marriage to boyfriend Russell Brand. "Teenage Dream" is a mid-tempo pop song with a retro sound. Perry starts singing in a high voice and her vocals grow stronger as the song progresses. Lyrically it talks about being with a lover that makes one feel young again. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, some praising its nature and sound, but with others dismissing its lyrics as "too carefree and immature". "Teenage Dream" has topped the charts in United States, New Zealand and Ireland as well reaching the top-ten in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and has charted in Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands. A music video for the single, filmed in various locations of Santa Barbara, premiered on August 10, 2010. Katy Perry herself presented the song live for the first time in July 2010 in MTV World Stage 2010: Malaysia at the Sunway Lagoon Resort, Kuala Lumpur which was attended by over 15,000 fans from all over Asia, as well as Singapore's Singfest 2010 Concert. Perry performed the song at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. The song became Katy Perry's third number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and her second consecutive number-one single. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song was her third time being nominated for the category. Rolling Stone magazine lists this as the fourth best song of 2010.

"Teenage Dream" debuted at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 dated August 7, 2010, becoming the week's Hot Shot debut. It also debuted on the Hot Digital Songs chart at number eleven with 84,000 downloads, and on the Radio Songs chart at number seventy-five. According to Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, "Teenage Dream" set the record for most added song in a week with 64 new stations and 14.9 million plays. The following week, it jumped to number seven on the Hot 100, due to a radio audience of 29.5 million impressions and an increase of 183,000 downloads. On the issue dated September 18, 2010, the song topped the chart becoming her second consecutive number one-single and her third overall number one-single. As of February 2011, the song had sold over 3,255,000 digital copies. In the teenage-driven era of rock music, the song is only the second number 1 single in the U.S., since 1955, to have "teen", "teenage" or "teenager" in its title - the first being 1960's Teen Angel by Mark Dinning. The same week, it debuted at number twenty in the Canadian Hot 100. On the September 2 issue of the Canadian Digital Download Chart, Teenage Dream rose to number one, making it her third number one on that tally. It went to number one in New Zealand on the August 30 Chart making it her third number one in NZ this year preceded by If We Ever Meet Again with Timbaland early 2010 and California Gurls mid 2010. Overall the song remained at Number 1 for 4 weeks in New Zealand. It is her fourth number one overall achieving this with I Kissed a Girl in 2008. On September 5, 2010, "Teenage Dream" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number two selling over 86,000 units in its debut week. The following week it stayed at number two, before moving down to number three the following week. The song reached number one on The Scottish Singles Chart.