Katy Perry

Solo Artist · Queen of Camp

Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0
Active 2001-present
Origin Santa Barbara, California
Albums 6
Tracks 75
Most frequent collaborator Max Martin · 25 tracks
Genres PopDance-PopElectropopTeen PopPower Pop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 75 of 75 tracks

Did Katy Perry write her own songs?

Yes, but always with co-writers. Katy Perry has a writing credit on effectively 100% of her tracks, though she rarely writes alone. She co-writes her biggest hits with pop's top teams, above all Max Martin and Dr. Luke, on songs like 'Teenage Dream,' 'Firework,' and 'Roar.' Her cousin, songwriter Sarah Hudson, also co-wrote several, including 'Dark Horse.'

By the Numbers

6
Studio Albums
75
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
151M+
Records Sold
25
Years Active
153
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 75 / 75 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 75 tracks: how many Katy Perry wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Katy Perry has a writing credit100%
4%
96%
Sole author3tracks4%
Co-written72tracks96%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Katy Perry's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 75 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer3%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Katy Perry's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2008One of the Boys
2010Teenage Dream
2013Prism
2017Witness
2020Smile
2024143
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2000s
One of the Boys
100%
2010s
Teenage Dream, Prism +1 more
100%
2020s
Smile, 143

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Katy Perry sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Katy Perry
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Katseye0%
The Pussycat Dolls21%
Britney Spears32%
NSYNC41%
One Direction57%
Kesha77%
Chris Brown91%
100%Katy Perry
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

I Kissed a Girl
One of the Boys
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Cathy Dennis
Co-wrote
Hot n Cold
One of the Boys
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin
Co-wrote
Waking Up in Vegas
One of the Boys
Written by Katy Perry, Desmond Child, Andreas Carlsson
Co-wrote
Thinking of You
One of the Boys
Written by Katy Perry
Wrote it
California Gurls
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Benjamin Levin, Bonnie McKee, Calvin Broadus
Co-wrote
Teenage Dream
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Benjamin Levin, Bonnie McKee
Co-wrote
Firework
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Wilhelm, Ester Dean
Co-wrote
E.T.
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Joshua Coleman
Co-wrote
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee
Co-wrote
The One That Got Away
Teenage Dream
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin
Co-wrote
Roar
Prism
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Henry Walter
Co-wrote
Dark Horse
Prism
Written by Katy Perry, Jordan Houston, Łukasz Gottwald, Sarah Theresa Hudson, Max Martin, Henry Walter
Co-wrote
Unconditionally
Prism
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Henry Walter
Co-wrote
Birthday
Prism
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Henry Walter
Co-wrote
This Is How We Do
Prism
Written by Katy Perry, Klas Åhlund, Max Martin
Co-wrote
Chained to the Rhythm
Witness
Written by Katy Perry, Max Martin, Sia Furler, Ali Payami, Skip Marley
Co-wrote
Swish Swish
Witness
Written by Katy Perry, Duke Dumont, Sarah Hudson, PJ Sledge, Onika Maraj, Brittany Hazzard
Co-wrote
Bon Appétit
Witness
Written by Katy Perry, Max Martin, Shellback, Oscar Holter, Ferras Alqaisi, Quavious Marshall, Kiari Cephus, Kirsnick Ball
Co-wrote
Daisies
Smile
Written by Katy Perry, Jonathan Bellion, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Michael Pollack, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson
Co-wrote
Woman's World
143
Written by Katy Perry, Łukasz Gottwald, Vaughn Oliver, Aaron Joseph, Rocco Valdes, Chloe Angelides
Co-wrote

Discography 6 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Katy Perry75 tracks
25Max Martin, 25 tracks ŁG24Łukasz Gottwald, 24 tracks 24Dr. Luke, 24 tracks SH13Sarah Hudson, 13 tracks 11Ferras Alqaisi, 11 tracks RD9Rocco Did It Again!, 9 tracks HW8Henry Walter, 8 tracks C8Cirkut, 8 tracks GW7Greg Wells, 7 tracks BM7Bonnie McKee, 7 tracks JK7Jacob Kasher Hindlin, 7 tracks RO7Ryan Ogren, 7 tracks PK6Peter Karlsson, 6 tracks VO6Vaughn Oliver, 6 tracks BB5Benny Blanco, 5 tracks MS5Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, 5 tracks TE5Tor Erik Hermansen, 5 tracks S5Stargate, 5 tracks AP5Ali Payami, 5 tracks NP5Noah Passovoy, 5 tracks AJ5Aaron Joseph, 5 tracks TT5Theron Thomas, 5 tracks CS4Christopher Stewart, 4 tracks JC4Johan Carlsson, 4 tracks GL4Gamal Lewis, 4 tracks KB4Keegan Bach, 4 tracks BL3Benjamin Levin, 3 tracks MN3Monte Neuble, 3 tracks TS3Tricky Stewart, 3 tracks KH3Kuk Harrell, 3 tracks S3Sia, 3 tracks CR3Corin Roddick, 3 tracks MJ3Megan James, 3 tracks RF3Rachael Findlen, 3 tracks OH3Oscar Holter, 3 tracks MP3Michael Pollack, 3 tracks JR3John Ryan, 3 tracks CA3Chloe Angelides, 3 tracks BW2Butch Walker, 2 tracks ED2Ester Dean, 2 tracks KÅ2Klas Åhlund, 2 tracks S2Shellback, 2 tracks BH2Brittany Hazzard, 2 tracks NB2Noonie Bao, 2 tracks AG2Andrew Goldstein, 2 tracks ML2Madison Love, 2 tracks OG2Oscar Görres, 2 tracks EW2Emily Warren, 2 tracks SH2Scott Harris, 2 tracks DK2Dallas Koehlke, 2 tracks K2KBeazy, 2 tracks CD1Cathy Dennis, 1 track DC1Desmond Child, 1 track AC1Andreas Carlsson, 1 track DK1Dave Katz, 1 track SH1Sam Hollander, 1 track SA1S*A*M and Sluggo, 1 track TB1Ted Bruner, 1 track SC1Scott Cutler, 1 track AP1Anne Preven, 1 track DS1David Stewart, 1 track CB1Calvin Broadus, 1 track SD1Snoop Dogg, 1 track SW1Sandy Wilhelm, 1 track SV1Sandy Vee, 1 track JC1Joshua Coleman, 1 track A1Ammo, 1 track BT1Brian Thomas, 1 track SB1Stacy Barthe, 1 track AB1Adam Baptiste, 1 track CL1Camela Leierth, 1 track JH1Jordan Houston, 1 track ST1Sarah Theresa Hudson, 1 track JJ1Juicy J, 1 track CK1Christian Karlsson, 1 track VP1Vincent Pontare, 1 track ML1Magnus Lidehäll, 1 track B1Bloodshy, 1 track GK1Greg Kurstin, 1 track SK1Savan Kotecha, 1 track DD1Duke Dumont, 1 track PS1PJ Sledge, 1 track NM1Nicki Minaj, 1 track HJ1Hayden James, 1 track TS1Thomas Stell, 1 track JG1Jack Garratt, 1 track WR1William Robinson, 1 track SM1Skip Marley, 1 track MW1Michael Williams, 1 track MB1Marcus Bell, 1 track MM1Mia Moretti, 1 track MW1Mike Will Made It, 1 track S1Scooly, 1 track QM1Quavious Marshall, 1 track O1Offset, 1 track KB1Kirsnick Ball, 1 track M1Migos, 1 track DM1Dijon McFarlane, 1 track NA1Nicholas Audino, 1 track LH1Lewis Hughes, 1 track EL1Elof Loelv, 1 track JB1Jeff Bhasker, 1 track I1Illangelo, 1 track JG1Joe Goddard, 1 track AT1Alexis Taylor, 1 track DO1Dustin O'Halloran, 1 track AZ1Anton Zaslavski, 1 track on Zedd's page DJ1Daniel James, 1 track LH1Leah Haywood, 1 track HW1Hayley Warner, 1 track GB1Gino Barletta, 1 track DN1Dagny Norvoll Sandvik, 1 track JG1Jason Gill, 1 track MB1Michelle Buzz, 1 track Z1Zedd, 1 track D1Dreamlab, 1 track SS1Sasha Sloan, 1 track JB1Jon Bellion, 1 track JK1Jordan K. Johnson, 1 track SJ1Stefan Johnson, 1 track TM1The Monsters & Strangerz, 1 track GS1Gian Stone, 1 track JA1Josh Abraham, 1 track OG1Oliver Goldstein, 1 track BG1Benny Golson, 1 track KG1Kier Gist, 1 track AC1Anthony Criss, 1 track VB1Vincent Brown, 1 track on Naughty by Nature's page O1Oligee, 1 track GK1G Koop, 1 track IK1Ian Kirkpatrick, 1 track CP1Charlie Puth, 1 track AJ1Andrew Jackson, 1 track SC1Sophie Cooke, 1 track JD1John DeBold, 1 track SL1Svend Lerche, 1 track EA1Elvira Anderfjärd, 1 track SB1Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, 1 track on 21 Savage's page 2S121 Savage, 1 track KP1Kim Petras, 1 track MB1Malibu Babie, 1 track DW1Devin Wilkes, 1 track JH1Jaylah Hickmon, 1 track CW1Crystal Waters, 1 track NC1Neal Conway, 1 track D1Doechii, 1 track DC1Destin Choice Route, 1 track SC1Samuel Catalano, 1 track J1JID, 1 track KS1Kent Sundberg, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 151. ŁG Łukasz Gottwald · SH Sarah Hudson · RD Rocco Did It Again!

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Katy Perry is a genuine co-writer on most of her hits, 'I Kissed a Girl,' 'Roar,' 'Firework,' 'Teenage Dream,' and 'Dark Horse' all carry her writing credit alongside professional co-writers and producers. While she does not write alone, her consistent presence in the songwriting room across six albums puts her well above the pure-performer tier. Her score reflects a collaborative songwriter rather than someone who simply performs other people's material.

Quick Facts

  • Teenage DreamFirst female artist with five number-one Hot 100 singles from one album, tying Michael Jackson's Bad
  • I Kissed a GirlHer breakthrough spent seven weeks at number one
  • Co-writersWrites her hits with the pop teams Max Martin and Dr. Luke
  • YouTubeFirst artist with multiple videos to pass one billion views
  • Chart streakSpent 69 consecutive weeks in the Hot 100 top ten

Creative Fingerprint

A co-writer in the hit factory: Katy Perry has a writing credit on every song but rarely writes alone, building her hits with pop's top producers, above all Max Martin and Dr. Luke.

The Story

Katy Perry is an American pop singer-songwriter who rose to global fame with her 2008 debut mainstream album One of the Boys and its breakout single 'I Kissed a Girl.' Known for her bold visual style and maximalist pop productions, she became one of the best-selling music artists of the 2010s, scoring five number-one singles from a single album with Teenage Dream, matching a record set by Michael Jackson's Bad. Across six studio albums she has maintained an active role in the songwriting process, co-writing the majority of her catalog alongside top producers and collaborators.

Awards & Recognition

An estimated 151 million records sold worldwide, one of the best-selling music artists of all time
Teenage Dream (2010) produced five number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, tying the record set by Michael Jackson's Bad
First female artist to achieve five number ones from a single album
'I Kissed a Girl' spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
First artist with multiple music videos to surpass one billion YouTube views

Frequently Asked Questions Katy Perry

Did Katy Perry write her own songs?
Yes, but always with co-writers. Katy Perry has a writing credit on effectively 100% of her tracks, though she rarely writes alone. She co-writes her biggest hits with pop's top teams, above all Max Martin and Dr. Luke, on songs like 'Teenage Dream,' 'Firework,' and 'Roar.' Her cousin, songwriter Sarah Hudson, also co-wrote several, including 'Dark Horse.'
Who wrote 'Firework'?
'Firework' (2010) was co-written by Katy Perry with a team including Stargate and Sandy Vee. It was one of five number-one singles from Teenage Dream and remains one of her signature songs.
Who wrote 'Dark Horse'?
'Dark Horse' (2013) was co-written by Katy Perry with Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Sarah Hudson, and the rapper Juicy J, who features on it. It became one of her biggest hits.
Who does Katy Perry write with?
She has worked most closely with the Swedish producer Max Martin and with Dr. Luke, the pair behind most of her run of number ones. Other collaborators include Cirkut, Bonnie McKee, and her cousin Sarah Hudson.
Who wrote 'I Kissed a Girl'?
'I Kissed a Girl' (2008) was co-written by Katy Perry with Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cathy Dennis. It was her breakthrough single and spent seven weeks at number one.
How many albums has Katy Perry released?
This catalogue covers 6 of her studio albums, from One of the Boys (2008) to 143 (2024).
How many records has Katy Perry sold?
An estimated 151 million worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
What is Katy Perry's biggest achievement?
Her album Teenage Dream produced five number-one singles, a feat that tied Michael Jackson's Bad and made her the first female artist to do so.
Did Katy Perry write 'Roar'?
Yes, as a co-writer. 'Roar' (2013) was written by Katy Perry with Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, and Cirkut. It was the lead single from Prism and a number-one hit.
What genre is Katy Perry?
She is a pop artist, working across dance-pop, electropop, and power pop, known for big, colorful anthems and hook-driven singles.

Sources

Wikipedia: Katy Perry Wikipedia: One of the Boys (Katy Perry album) Wikipedia: Teenage Dream (Katy Perry album) Wikipedia: Prism (Katy Perry album) Wikipedia: Witness (Katy Perry album) Wikipedia: Smile (Katy Perry album)