diff --git a/api/krusty/testdata/localize/remote/kustomization.yaml b/api/krusty/testdata/localize/remote/kustomization.yaml
index 9d8e080ba7..085ab342d6 100644
--- a/api/krusty/testdata/localize/remote/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/api/krusty/testdata/localize/remote/kustomization.yaml
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@ resources:
   - https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize//api/krusty/testdata/localize/simple?submodules=0&ref=kustomize/v4.5.7&timeout=300
   - hpa.yaml
 
-commonLabels:
-  purpose: remoteReference
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    purpose: remoteReference
diff --git a/examples/breakfast.md b/examples/breakfast.md
index 25e4f22642..760d6e1f11 100644
--- a/examples/breakfast.md
+++ b/examples/breakfast.md
@@ -69,8 +69,9 @@ likes her coffee hot:
 mkdir -p $DEMO_HOME/breakfast/overlays/alice
 
 cat <<EOF >$DEMO_HOME/breakfast/overlays/alice/kustomization.yaml
-commonLabels:
-  who: alice
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    who: alice
 resources:
 - ../../base
 patches:
@@ -92,8 +93,9 @@ And likewise a [variant] for Bob, who wants _five_ pancakes, with strawberries:
 mkdir -p $DEMO_HOME/breakfast/overlays/bob
 
 cat <<EOF >$DEMO_HOME/breakfast/overlays/bob/kustomization.yaml
-commonLabels:
-  who: bob
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    who: bob
 resources:
 - ../../base
 patches:
diff --git a/examples/configGeneration.md b/examples/configGeneration.md
index ca912f38cb..97a3e8aa4a 100644
--- a/examples/configGeneration.md
+++ b/examples/configGeneration.md
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ curl -s -o "$BASE/#1.yaml" "https://raw.githubusercontent.com\
 /{deployment,service}.yaml"
 
 cat <<'EOF' >$BASE/kustomization.yaml
-commonLabels:
-  app: hello
+labels:
+- includeSelectors: true
+  pairs:
+    app: hello
 resources:
 - deployment.yaml
 - service.yaml
@@ -65,9 +67,11 @@ mkdir -p $OVERLAYS/staging
 cat <<'EOF' >$OVERLAYS/staging/kustomization.yaml
 namePrefix: staging-
 nameSuffix: -v1
-commonLabels:
-  variant: staging
-  org: acmeCorporation
+labels:
+- includeSelectors: true
+  pairs:
+    variant: staging
+    org: acmeCorporation
 commonAnnotations:
   note: Hello, I am staging!
 resources:
diff --git a/examples/configureBuiltinPlugin.md b/examples/configureBuiltinPlugin.md
index c2e606db1c..1bb012aa47 100644
--- a/examples/configureBuiltinPlugin.md
+++ b/examples/configureBuiltinPlugin.md
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ to be read and transformed:
 ```
 cat <<'EOF' >$DEMO_HOME/kustomization.yaml
 namePrefix: hello-
-commonLabels:
-  app: hello
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    app: hello
 commonAnnotations:
   area: "51"
   greeting: Take me to your leader
diff --git a/examples/helloWorld/README.md b/examples/helloWorld/README.md
index ac0611e56b..74816089bb 100644
--- a/examples/helloWorld/README.md
+++ b/examples/helloWorld/README.md
@@ -143,9 +143,11 @@ defining a new name prefix, and some different labels.
 ```
 cat <<'EOF' >$OVERLAYS/staging/kustomization.yaml
 namePrefix: staging-
-commonLabels:
-  variant: staging
-  org: acmeCorporation
+labels:
+- includeSelectors: true
+  pairs:
+    variant: staging
+    org: acmeCorporation
 commonAnnotations:
   note: Hello, I am staging!
 resources:
@@ -184,9 +186,11 @@ with a different name prefix and labels.
 ```
 cat <<EOF >$OVERLAYS/production/kustomization.yaml
 namePrefix: production-
-commonLabels:
-  variant: production
-  org: acmeCorporation
+labels:
+- includeSelectors: true
+  pairs:
+    variant: production
+    org: acmeCorporation
 commonAnnotations:
   note: Hello, I am production!
 resources:
diff --git a/examples/helloWorld/kustomization.yaml b/examples/helloWorld/kustomization.yaml
index 2262bb1c9c..621e82a80e 100644
--- a/examples/helloWorld/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/examples/helloWorld/kustomization.yaml
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ metadata:
 
 # Example configuration for the webserver
 # at https://github.com/monopole/hello
-commonLabels:
-  app: hello
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    app: hello
 
 resources:
 - deployment.yaml
diff --git a/examples/springboot/README.md b/examples/springboot/README.md
index 891606cf55..562cba4a16 100644
--- a/examples/springboot/README.md
+++ b/examples/springboot/README.md
@@ -183,8 +183,9 @@ add a label, but one can always edit
 <!-- @customizeLabels @testAgainstLatestRelease -->
 ```
 cat <<EOF >>$DEMO_HOME/kustomization.yaml
-commonLabels:
-  env: prod
+labels:
+- pairs:
+    env: prod
 EOF
 ```
 
diff --git a/examples/transformerconfigs/crd/kustomization.yaml b/examples/transformerconfigs/crd/kustomization.yaml
index 04c6ec5adc..0dfa2b6b72 100644
--- a/examples/transformerconfigs/crd/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/examples/transformerconfigs/crd/kustomization.yaml
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ resources:
 
 namePrefix: test-
 
-commonLabels:
-  foo: bar
+labels:
+- includeSelectors: true
+  pairs:
+    foo: bar
 
 vars:
 - name: BEE_ACTION