best teen-pop song actually written by a teenager?

Vince Clarke -- and I believe he was, yes. (Gore only wrote a couple of songs on Speak and Spell and has never cowritten a song with Gahan -- indeed, Gahan's never written any song for Depeche at all!)

Production values aside, Graham Smith of Kleenex Girl Wonder wrote about loads of amazing pop songs as a teenager which would have been top 40 hits in a sane universe. I'd pick "Tendency Right Foot Forward" as my favorite...it's like the Rushmore soundtrack as written and performed by its teenage protagonist.

I think Ellen Dedrick of the Free Design was a teen when she wrote "Never Tell The World"...not a hit but an unbelievably gorgeous and heartbreaking pop song. And Lesley Gore didn't write "You Don't Own Me" but she picked it herself, which is pretty amazing.

(Ben Folds wrote "Underground" when he was 17 as well)

You people have odd definitions for "Top 40-friendly, bubbly, girl/boy music."

(I was suprised too when I found that out.)

She was a prefab dance-pop wave-rider who WROTE HER OWN SONGS. Now go write yr own...

Old thread! I came up with a list of favorites..., with several songs mentioned in this thread.

Surprised no one mentioned Laura Nyro here. She was 19 when her first lp came out and it contained three future top 10 hits by other artists.

btw I doubt Corina recorded "Tempation" as a teen - my source says she was born in '63

just popping in to say that lorde sucks! kthx

Soto's list seems p decent though, gj

Beyonce was 19 when "Bootylicous" was released

Lisa Lisa was 16 when "I Wonder If I Take You Home" and "Can You Feel the Beat" came out (did not write them, p sure)

Van wrote "Gloria" when he was 18.

If Will You Love Me Tomorrow is the greatest pop song ever then it's also the best teen pop song written by a teenager.

Most of it ain't bubbly but do not sleep on Janis Ian's early material. Astoundingly precocious and legitimately good. She wrote 'Society's Child' at 13!

('At Seventeen' was the middle-aged rumination she dropped at the crusty old age of 24, after a decade in the biz.)

Absolute must for this thread: the Chantels (still 15 when their first singles were released in 1957). More obscure: Margaret Mandolph (13) and the incredible "I Wanna Make You Happy."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6voP88PZEk

(I think that's Bread's David Gates with the production credit--the single came out in 1965.)

If Will You Love Me Tomorrow is the greatest pop song ever then it's also the best teen pop song written by a teenager.

I think this might win, although Goffin was 21! I had no idea they were so young

"Gimme Some Lovin'"

What I meant to say above was that Arelene Smith of the Chantels was 15--the rest of them were older, I think.

Question Mark & The Mysterians - 96 Tears

Prince promoted the song by lip-syncing it with his band on The Midnight Special and American Bandstand, where he gave host Dick Clark an awkward interview, answering his questions with one-word answers.[4] Prince claimed to be 19 but was 21 at the time. Clark later said, "That was one of the most difficult interviews I've ever conducted, and I've done 10,000 musician interviews."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wanna_Be_Your_Lover

was going to suggest Prince "I Wanna Be Your Lover" but

If Will You Love Me Tomorrow is the greatest pop song ever then it's also the best teen pop song written by a teenager.

I think this might win, although Goffin was 21! I had no idea they were so young

― Colonel Poo, Friday, 12 January 2018 23:15 (yesterday) Permalink

this is what immediately came to mind. the best. carole king is the absolute best.

the early / mid 1960s stuff is so so so essential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY3gr_d8kCg

and this brenda lee cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knrJDz05dcM

Jackie DeShannon - Buddy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGoEH2Yve8w

she wasn't an established songwriter at the time, but I can easily imagine this becoming a hit if she'd pitched it to someone like Brenda Lee or Wanda Jackson. she wrote the underrated Brenda Lee song Funny Feelin a few years later when she was 19.

How 'bout "Shivers" by Rowland S Howard?