Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and a team of hitmakers keep the production glossy and radio-ready. But there’s more sonic variety here than on previous albums: from the moody synth-pop of Walking on Air to the acoustic-leaning Unconditionally . It’s a cleaner, more mature sound—less bubblegum, more neon-gold.
★★★★☆ (or adjust as desired)
After the candy-coated, chart-dominating explosion of Teenage Dream —an album that tied Michael Jackson’s record for most number-one singles—Katy Perry faced a familiar pop dilemma: how to evolve without losing the fun. Her answer, Prism , trades some of the cotton candy for something slightly more durable. It’s not a radical reinvention, but it is a confident step forward. katy perry - prism
Not every experiment lands. This Is How We Do tries to recapture the carefree spirit of California Gurls but feels forced and dated. A few tracks ( Birthday , International Smile ) are perfectly fine pop confections, but they lack the irresistible hooks that made Teenage Dream so formidable. At 16 tracks (deluxe edition), Prism slightly overstays its welcome—trimming a couple of songs would have sharpened its focus. It’s a cleaner, more mature sound—less bubblegum, more
Roar , Dark Horse , Ghost , Legendary Lovers Skip: This Is How We Do It’s not a radical reinvention, but it is
The album opens with a one-two punch of empowerment anthems. Roar , despite becoming an inescapable sports-team staple, works exactly as intended—a resilient, fist-pumping comeback track. Then comes Legendary Lovers , a percussion-driven, exotic-sounding gem that finds Perry in full storytelling mode. The real heart of Prism , though, lies in its darker, more introspective middle. Dark Horse (featuring Juicy J) merges trap beats with Egyptian-inspired synths—a risky blend that paid off massively. Ghost and By the Grace of God offer raw glimpses into Perry’s reported struggles with depression after her split from Russell Brand, adding emotional weight rarely found in her earlier work.