California Gurls

Released on May 7, 2010, as the lead single from Katy Perry's third studio album Teenage Dream, California Gurls was conceived as a West Coast rejoinder to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' Empire State of Mind. Perry and Snoop Dogg, both California natives, trade verses celebrating the state's sun-drenched lifestyle, from boardwalks to bikinis. The song's breezy electropop and disco-pop production, laced with funk and bubblegum pop, was crafted by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, with writing contributions from Bonnie McKee and Benny Blanco.

Upon release, California Gurls debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 before climbing to number one, where it stayed for six consecutive weeks. It became Perry's second chart-topper after I Kissed a Girl and was the first of five number-one singles from Teenage Dream, tying Michael Jackson's record for most number-one hits from a single album. Internationally, the song topped charts in over a dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

The music video, directed by Mathew Cullen and released on June 14, 2010, presents Perry in a candy-colored board game fantasy world, complete with a dice-and-playing-card castle ruled by Snoop Dogg. The video's whimsical, vibrant aesthetic echoed the track's carefree energy and helped drive its viral success, amassing over 380 million YouTube views as of 2025.[edit]