# The One That Got Away (Katy Perry song)
"The One That Got Away" is a pop ballad by the American singer [Katy Perry](https://www.edgepedia.org/katy-perry) from her 2010 album *Teenage Dream*, released as the album's sixth and final single in October 2011. Written by Perry with Lukasz Gottwald ([Dr. Luke](https://www.edgepedia.org/dr-luke)) and [Max Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-martin) and produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, it became the only single from *Teenage Dream* that did not reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 3.[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsotZ-IqZs) • [2](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/katy-perry-womans-world/) More than a decade after release, the song returned to worldwide charts in 2026 after spreading on short-video platforms, reaching a new peak of number 8 on the Spotify Global chart.[3](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-05-15/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist / album | Katy Perry, from *Teenage Dream* (2010), Capitol Records[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsotZ-IqZs) |
| Writers / producers | Katy Perry, Lukasz Gottwald, and Max Martin; produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsotZ-IqZs) |
| Single release | Sixth single from *Teenage Dream*, released in October 2011[4](https://assets.website-files.com/6803ce8d2dfc5c19a4bf8b58/68d6f6be8bae0fd32aedb8db_31540960666.pdf) |
| Hot 100 peak | No. 3; the only *Teenage Dream* single that did not reach No. 1[2](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/katy-perry-womans-world/) |
| US certification | 3× Platinum from the RIAA, certified June 26, 2014[5](https://www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2014.pdf) |
| Length | 3:47[6](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/song/14542-the-one-that-got-away/) |
| 2026 revival | No. 8 on the Spotify Global chart, 15 years after release; TikTok "Song of the Summer 2026"[3](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-05-15/) • [7](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-09-02/) |
## Song and production
The track is a mid-tempo ballad about a lost teenage romance, written from the perspective of an older narrator remembering a first love that did not last. Its opening lines set the scene: "Summer after high school, when we first met / We'd make out in your Mustang to Radiohead."[8](https://music.apple.com/us/song/6770661564) The chorus frames regret in an alternate-life construction: "In another life, I would make you stay, so I don't have to say you were the one that got away."[9](https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/katyperry-theonethatgotaway/) The listed tempo is 95 BPM.[10](https://musiciwant.com/artist/katy-perry/teenage-dream/the-one-that-got-away-katy-perry)
Perry co-wrote every song on *Teenage Dream*, working with the biggest names in 2000s pop production, including Max Martin, Stargate, and [Christopher](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher) "Tricky" Stewart; Martin and Dr. Luke handled this track.[11](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/katy-perry-teenage-dream/) The credits also list Serban Ghenea as mixing engineer, L. Leon Pendarvis as string conductor and arranger, and Brian "Big Bass" Gardner as mastering engineer.[1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsotZ-IqZs)
## Release and chart performance
Perry confirmed to Billboard on September 13, 2011 that the song would be the sixth single from *Teenage Dream*, saying in a statement from her label Capitol that it "shows a very different side of me that I haven't shown with my past singles on this record."[12](https://storyofsong.com/story/the-one-that-got-away/) It was released in October 2011.[4](https://assets.website-files.com/6803ce8d2dfc5c19a4bf8b58/68d6f6be8bae0fd32aedb8db_31540960666.pdf)
The five preceding *Teenage Dream* singles, "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "[Firework](https://www.edgepedia.org/firework-song)," "E.T.," and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," had all reached number one on the Hot 100, making Perry the second artist, tying [Michael Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-jackson), to have five No. 1 hits from a single album.[9](https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/katyperry-theonethatgotaway/) "The One That Got Away" stopped at number 3, leaving Perry one short of breaking that record outright.[2](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/katy-perry-womans-world/) With its release, *Teenage Dream* became the third album to spawn six top-five songs on the Billboard Hot 100, after [Janet Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/janet-jackson)'s *Rhythm Nation 1814* and one other.[4](https://assets.website-files.com/6803ce8d2dfc5c19a4bf8b58/68d6f6be8bae0fd32aedb8db_31540960666.pdf) In the United Kingdom it reached number 18.[13](https://hitslist.fyi/song/katy-perry-the-one-that-got-away-srfcx9r2hmpc) The Recording Industry Association of America certified the single Platinum, then 2× and 3× Platinum, with the 3× award dated June 26, 2014.[5](https://www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2014.pdf)
A remix single featuring the rapper B.o.B was released through [Capitol Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/capitol-records).[14](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-one-that-got-away-feat-b-o-b-single/716371974) Perry also performed a stripped-down version with the producer and arranger [Jon Brion](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-brion), including at the 2011 [American Music Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-music-awards); a Los Angeles Times review of the reworked take described it as a "strummed, piano-laced" arrangement that traded the original's gloss for quieter detail.[15](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2012-01-24/review-katy-perry-with-jon-brion-the-one-that-got-away) • [4](https://assets.website-files.com/6803ce8d2dfc5c19a4bf8b58/68d6f6be8bae0fd32aedb8db_31540960666.pdf)
## Music video
The original music video was released in October 2011 and follows an elderly woman remembering a teenage romance that ended when her first love died in a car crash; it uses flashbacks to alternate between past and present, and the song continues over the crash, a contrapuntal use of the ballad against the tragic event.[16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQe5E69INg) • [17](https://sophiya-a2media.blogspot.com/2011/12/music-video-analysis-one-that-got-away.html) Media-studies analyses note that the video departs from a conventional narrative structure through this dual-timeline device.[18](https://www.docdroid.net/file/download/V8tRDTa/analysing-narrative-in-music-video1-docx.pdf)
In April 2026, after the song's viral revival, Perry released a Director's Cut of the video made with director Floria Sigismondi, adding a poetic voiceover narration by [Stevie Nicks](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-nicks) and a darker, more cinematic framing in which an older woman, played by Perry, recalls the lost relationship.[19](https://los40.com/2026/04/22/katy-perry-resucita-el-videoclip-de-the-one-that-got-away-con-un-giro-inesperado/)
## Subject and later revival
Perry long left the song's inspiration unconfirmed, but in 2017, during a conversation with [James Corden](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-corden), she said it was written about the singer [Josh Groban](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-groban), with whom she had a brief relationship around 2009. Groban later said the revelation surprised him: "I didn't expect that... I was open-mouthed and almost choked on my coffee. It's very kind of her to say that."[20](https://los40.com/2026/05/12/josh-groban-se-compromete-y-katy-perry-responde-como-responde-la-gente-que-todavia-escucha-la-playlist-que-tenia-con-su-ex/) A Pitchfork retrospective of *Teenage Dream* likewise lists "nice boy Josh Groban" among the men from Perry's life associated with the album's songs.[11](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/katy-perry-teenage-dream/)
**The 2026 revival.** In the spring of 2026 the song spread widely on TikTok, where users paired it with videos about former partners, and it re-entered charts worldwide. It debuted on both [Billboard](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-magazine) global charts, becoming Perry's sixth song to appear on each, more than a decade after release,[21](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/04/09/katy-perry-scores-a-surprise-hit---but-the-song-is-far-from-new/) and reached number 8 on the Spotify Global chart, its first top 10 there, 15 years after release.[3](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-05-15/) It debuted at number 90 on the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 dated April 11, 2026[22](https://billboardphilippines.com/market/chart-beat/katy-perry-debuts-on-the-philippines-hot-100-with-the-one-that-got-away/) and was named TikTok's "Song of the Summer 2026" globally.[7](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-09-02/) Perry supported the revival with the Director's Cut video and the EP *Thinking of The One That Got Away*, which also included her earlier ballad "Thinking of You."[20](https://los40.com/2026/05/12/josh-groban-se-compromete-y-katy-perry-responde-como-responde-la-gente-que-todavia-escucha-la-playlist-que-tenia-con-su-ex/) • [23](https://riffiter.com/artist/katy-perry/thinking-of-the-one-that-got-away) The renewed attention fed a wider pop-culture moment when Groban announced his engagement in 2026 and Perry responded with a tongue-in-cheek TikTok video playing on the song's heartbreak theme.[20](https://los40.com/2026/05/12/josh-groban-se-compromete-y-katy-perry-responde-como-responde-la-gente-que-todavia-escucha-la-playlist-que-tenia-con-su-ex/)
## References
1. [The One That Got Away (official audio), Katy Perry, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZsotZ-IqZs)
2. [Katy Perry: "Woman's World" Track Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/katy-perry-womans-world/)
3. [シングル「The One That Got Away」が15年を経てSpotifyグローバル・チャート初のトップ10入り, Universal Music Japan](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-05-15/)
4. [Katy Perry biography excerpt (Teenage Dream singles), website-files mirror](https://assets.website-files.com/6803ce8d2dfc5c19a4bf8b58/68d6f6be8bae0fd32aedb8db_31540960666.pdf)
5. [RIAA Gold & Platinum certifications, June 2014](https://www.riaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2014.pdf)
6. [The One That Got Away song ratings, Album of the Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/song/14542-the-one-that-got-away/)
7. [「The One That Got Away」がTikTok「Song of the Summer 2026」グローバル1位に選出, Universal Music Japan](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/katy-perry/news/2026-09-02/)
8. [The One That Got Away, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/song/6770661564)
9. ["The One That Got Away" track review, Plugged In](https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/katyperry-theonethatgotaway/)
10. [The One That Got Away tempo analysis, Music I Want](https://musiciwant.com/artist/katy-perry/teenage-dream/the-one-that-got-away-katy-perry)
11. [Katy Perry: Teenage Dream Album Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/katy-perry-teenage-dream/)
12. [Katy Perry, The One That Got Away: Story of Song](https://storyofsong.com/story/the-one-that-got-away/)
13. [The One That Got Away chart and list history, hitslist](https://hitslist.fyi/song/katy-perry-the-one-that-got-away-srfcx9r2hmpc)
14. [The One That Got Away (feat. B.o.B), Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-one-that-got-away-feat-b-o-b-single/716371974)
15. [Review: Katy Perry with Jon Brion, The One That Got Away, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2012-01-24/review-katy-perry-with-jon-brion-the-one-that-got-away)
16. [Katy Perry, The One That Got Away (official music video), YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQe5E69INg)
17. [Music Video Analysis: The One That Got Away, Sophiya A2 Media Studies](https://sophiya-a2media.blogspot.com/2011/12/music-video-analysis-one-that-got-away.html)
18. [Analysing Narrative in Music Video, A-Level Media Studies (DocDroid)](https://www.docdroid.net/file/download/V8tRDTa/analysing-narrative-in-music-video1-docx.pdf)
19. [Katy Perry resucita el videoclip de 'The One That Got Away' con un giro inesperado, LOS40](https://los40.com/2026/04/22/katy-perry-resucita-el-videoclip-de-the-one-that-got-away-con-un-giro-inesperado/)
20. [Josh Groban se compromete y Katy Perry responde, LOS40](https://los40.com/2026/05/12/josh-groban-se-compromete-y-katy-perry-responde-como-responde-la-gente-que-todavia-escucha-la-playlist-que-tenia-con-su-ex/)
21. [Katy Perry Scores A Surprise Hit, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/04/09/katy-perry-scores-a-surprise-hit---but-the-song-is-far-from-new/)
22. [Katy Perry Debuts On PH Hot 100 With 'The One That Got Away', Billboard Philippines](https://billboardphilippines.com/market/chart-beat/katy-perry-debuts-on-the-philippines-hot-100-with-the-one-that-got-away/)
23. [Thinking of The One That Got Away, Riffiter](https://riffiter.com/artist/katy-perry/thinking-of-the-one-that-got-away)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Compositions and songs › Pop, rock, and metal songs › Pop songs › Pop songs of the 2010s › Pop songs of the early 2010s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license