1. "Firework" - 2010 - #1
Courtesy Capitol Records
Katy Perry views "Firework" as her most important song from the album Teenage Dream. It is a self-esteem anthem that reached the top 5 of the pop singles chart in at least 20 countries around the world. "Firework" was co-written and co-produced by Stargate and Sandy Vee with Ester Dean helping out on the songwriting. It has sold over five million digital copies and is nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year.
2. "E.T." featuring Kanye West - 2011 - #1
Courtesy Capitol Records
Katy Perry's "E.T." is a collaboration with Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Ammo. Katy Perry has said the song is about falling in love with a foreigner. Kanye West's featured rap provoked mixed opinions from reviewers, but "E.T." turned into a smash fourth hit single from the album Teenage Dream. It spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over five million copies.
3. "Hot 'n Cold" - 2008 - #3
Courtesy Capitol Records
Although it only peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, over time "Hot 'n Cold" has become the signature hit from Katy Perry's breakthrough album One Of the Boys. It spent 18 weeks in the top 10 surpassing the 14 weeks spent by "I Kissed a Girl." A centerpiece of the song is the clever use of opposites to illustrate romantic instability. "Hot 'n Cold" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal and has sold over five million copies.
4. "Teenage Dream" - 2010 - #1
Courtesy Capitol Records
"Teenage Dream" emerged out of a situation in which producer Benny Blanco introduced Katy Perry and songwriter Bonnie McKee to the controversial single "Homecoming" by the French band The Teenagers. They met with Max Martin and Dr. Luke and the song was under way. "Teenage Dream" was praised highly by music critics and went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The performance was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal. Glee covered "Teenage Dream" and went to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
5. "I Kissed a Girl" - 2008 - #1
Courtesy Capitol Records
Katy Perry says that "I Kissed a Girl" was born out of an idea in her head. She then didn't do anything with the idea for a year and a half until, two days before completing work on her album One Of the Boys, she approached Dr. Luke to turn it into a song. The record label had to be convinced to include the song on Katy Perry's album, because they felt the subject matter would turn off potential fans. "I Kissed a Girl" generated controversy but it was a #1 hit and broke Katy Perry into the pop mainstream. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal.
6. "Part Of Me" - 2012
Courtesy Capitol
In the wake of her divorce from Russell Brand, Katy Perry released this potent statement of survival after the failure of a romantic relationship. It was originally written to be part of the album Teenage Dream. Instead, the song was held back and, with a bit of reworking, released as the first single from the deluxe re-release of Teenage Dream. Katy Perry officially introduced it with a live performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards.
7. "The One That Got Away" - 2011 - #3
Courtesy Capitol
Unfortunately "The One That Got Away" may ultimately be mostly remembered for the efforts of Capitol Records to wring a sixth #1 hit single out of the Teenage Dream album with its release. It is a sad, nostalgic song that stands up quite well on its own. "The One That Got Away" name drops Radiohead and Johnny and June Carter Cash. It did become the seventh #1 dance hit from Teenage Dream which is the most dance #1s ever from an album. "The One That Got Away" was co-written and co-produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke.
8. "If We Ever Meet Again" with Timbaland - 2009 - #37
Courtesy Interscope
"If We Ever Meet Again" is a single released from Timbaland's album Shock Value II. Timbaland says that the song was inspired by the Black Eyed Peas hit "I Gotta Feeling." In an unusual twist for his records, Timbaland sings instead of rapping on the record and duets in the singing with Katy Perry.
9. "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg - 2010 - #1
Courtesy Capitol Records
"California Gurls" was launched as the first single from the Teenage Dream album with the tag line, "Summer starts now!" It did turn into one of the biggest summer pop singles of all time. "California Gurls" was written as an answer song to Jay-Z's hit "Empire State Of Mind." It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
10. "Waking Up In Vegas" - 2009 - #9
Courtesy Capitol Records
"Waking Up In Vegas" was written by Katy Perry with songwriters Desmond Child and Andreas Carlsson. She first recorded the song while still under contract with Columbia Records. It was shelved, but Chris Anokute of Capitol Records heard the recording as part of a three song demo and was convinced that Capitol Records should sign Katy Perry. "Waking Up In Vegas" became Katy Perry's third top 10 hit single.
