Maps of Music

Teenage Dream (2010)

Where the lyrics of Teenage Dream take you, and where it was really made.

Perry first asked Will Cotton to sell her an existing painting, but he suggested she pose for a new one, and that work became the album cover.

Key places

Conway Recording Studios (2010)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, is listed among the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Playback Recording Studio (2010)

Recording site Playback Recording Studio — Playback in Santa Barbara is listed as one of the studios where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Henson Recording Studios (2010)

Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, is listed as a recording studio for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Silent Sound Studios (2010)

Recording site Silent Sound Studios — Silent Sound in Atlanta is listed as a recording studio for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Studio at the Palms (2010)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas is listed as a recording studio for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Roc the Mic, New York City (2010)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Roc the Mic is listed as a New York City recording site for the album. Only the city centre is pinned, so the exact building is not shown. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Boom Boom Room, Burbank (2010)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — Boom Boom Room is listed as a recording site in Burbank. Only the city centre is pinned, so the exact building is not shown. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Third studio album by American singer-songwriter Katy Perry
• Released August 24, 2010, through Capitol Records; follows her second album One of the Boys (2008)
• Primarily a pop record with elements of disco, electronic, rock, funk, house, hi-NRG, and hip hop
• Themes include young love, partying, self-empowerment, and personal growth
• Perry co-wrote the album and worked with producers including Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, Stargate, and Greg Wells

Background

• After the success of One of the Boys, Perry did not want her next record to alienate her fanbase, so she kept it pop
• In a 2009 Rolling Stone interview she said the album would focus on the whirlwind last year of her life, including fame, friendships, and relationships
• She wanted more tempo than her previous album to make live shows more dynamic

Recording

• Recording sessions began in 2009 at a number of recording studios in the United States
• Collaborators included Dr. Luke, Greg Wells, Guy Sigsworth, Max Martin, Ryan Tedder, Rivers Cuomo, Kuk Harrell, Greg Kurstin, Benny Blanco, Darkchild, Cathy Dennis, Esther Dean, and Tricky Stewart
• Perry wanted to collaborate with Calvin Harris, but it did not happen

Cover

• The cover shows Perry lying naked on clouds of pink cotton candy
• Will Cotton painted it on a 6x6 canvas; the cover was revealed on July 21, 2010
• Perry first asked about paintings from his Cotton Candy Clouds series; Cotton suggested she pose for a new painting instead
• Perry chose not to put her name or the album title on the cover

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, born October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California; known professionally as Katy Perry.
• Released the gospel album Katy Hudson (2001) under Red Hill Records at age 16; it was commercially unsuccessful.
• Moved to Los Angeles, then signed to Capitol Records in 2007 and rose to fame with One of the Boys (2008).

Members

• Solo artist. Her sister Angela influenced her early singing; her brother David is also a singer.

Career

• "I Kissed a Girl" from One of the Boys topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
• Teenage Dream (2010) became the only album by a woman to produce five U.S. number-one singles.
• Prism (2013) yielded "Roar" and "Dark Horse" as U.S. number ones; later albums include Witness (2017), Smile (2020) and 143 (2024).
• Performed the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show in 2015, which drew 118.5 million U.S. viewers.
• Prismatic World Tour grossed $204.3 million worldwide.
• Estimated sales of over 151 million records worldwide; seven RIAA Diamond certifications.
• Judge on American Idol from the sixteenth season (2018) to the twenty-second season (2024).
• Flew into space aboard Blue Origin NS-31 in April 2025.
• Named UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 2013.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Teenage Dream received mixed reviews from music critics when it came out
• Critics complimented its production, themes, and Perry's vocal ability
• Criticism focused on the lack of focus and image, and on the vulnerability on the album
• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it 5 out of 5 stars
• Chicago Tribune: Greg Kot gave it 1 star out of 4 and called the production 'Frankenstein-like'
• Los Angeles Times: Ann Powers gave it 3 stars
• Entertainment Weekly: Leah Greenblatt wrote that Perry is clearly serious about hit songcraft, though the album is not nearly cohesive

Reappraisal

• Retrospective reviews praised the album, and it appeared on several decade-end best album lists
• Billboard: one of the defining LPs from a new golden age in mega-pop
• The A.V. Club: 'pop perfection', on the album's 10th anniversary
• Pitchfork: a crowning achievement, not just of her career but of its style
• Rolling Stone and Paste ranked it in The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far (2025), at 134 and 179

Records

• Debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 192,000 copies in its first week
• Certified Diamond by the RIAA; Diamond in Canada in May 2023
• Debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 54,176 copies; seven-times Platinum by the BPI
• Debuted at number one in Australia; seven-times Platinum by ARIA
• Over 12 million copies sold worldwide
• Ranked 11th in 2010, 23rd in 2011, and 50th in 2012 on the IFPI list of top-selling albums worldwide
• Seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year; won International Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2011

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title drew controversy because it was similar to Beach House's Teen Dream, released earlier in 2010; a member of the duo tweeted that they 'can't believe this, and not in a good way'.
• Limited copies had a cotton candy scent, which MTV News' Kyle Anderson described as similar to an artificial bubblegum smell.
• The title came from a song on the album that Perry wrote about her hometown of Santa Barbara.
• Perry has said 'Firework' is her favorite song from the album, and she cited Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road as its inspiration.
• Perry tried to work with Calvin Harris on the record, but he became very famous and the collaboration did not happen.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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