Katy Perry’s 5x platinum record, “The One That Got Away,” has found new life on social media after Perry promoted a new video. People on social media are relating to the songs lamenting of a lost love and sharing their own stories of “the one that got away.” Over 15 years later, people still connect to this song and its story, so what makes it so memorable?
Much of the hype comes from Katy Perry’s director cut of the music video which she released April 21, 2026. Additionally, Perry has put the song in a social media post about the MET gala, capitalizing on the attention of the event. You can watch the new directors cut of the music video here:
What Made “The One That Got Away” A Hit?
“The One That Got Away” was originally part of Perry’s iconic album, Teenage Dream. The album was a hit for Perry, featuring other chart-topping songs such as “California Gurls,” “Firework,” and the titular track, “Teenage Dream.” Teenage Dream dominated airwaves in the early 2010’s; the songs were inescapable, so it’s no wonder why the nostalgia cycle would wind up back at the album. “The One That Got Away” was not the most listened to song on the album, but its themes of young love and wondering “what if?” are timeless.
In the key of E major, “The One That Got Away” follows the chord progression: E, G#m, C#m, A. It only deviates from this progression during the bridge when it goes to: B, C#m, A. The change in the chord progression breathes fresh air into the song. The interesting part of the bridge, however, comes from the conclusion of it. When we hear the B chord, we want it to resolve to tonic since B is the dominant, but instead it goes to C#m, creating a deceptive cadence. When we finally return to the original progression from the bridge loop, we are given E once again, but the cadence is driven forward into the chorus; it doesn’t dwell on tonic. This reinforces the theme of something that slipped away.
The track features some interesting techniques throughout, like the use of a higher-pitched, music-box-inspired keyboard to add a dream-like quality that evokes a feeling of nostalgia. Additionally, during the bridge, the use of staccato synth strings creates a feeling of rising emotion, manufacturing a sense of tension that releases into the final chorus.
How “The One That Got Away” Is Getting A Resurgence
One way the song has been being used on TikTok is through a new “worst case scenario” trend where people post their mundane personal horror stories such as accidentally liking someone’s old instagram post or ordering a table for one. The trend provides some irony to the original song. The original music video depicts Perry’s “one that got away” to be a former lover who died, and now the song is being used to despair over forgotten milk.
However, most of the hype has come from Katy Perry herself through vlogs and social media posts. According to The Sun, Perry has new music in the works. Fans might be preparing for her musical return by listening to her old tracks. As always, the nostalgia cycle will continue to bring back old classics to the modern day.
Katy Perry’s last try at a comeback was in 2024 with the song “Woman’s World.” According to The Guardian, the song was criticized for boiling down feminist talking points in a surface-level attempt to make a song for women’s empowerment. Let’s hope that this upcoming Katy Perry era will land better with both fans and critics.
