Justin Bieber released Sorry in 2015 as part of his album Purpose, and it quickly became one of his biggest global hits, topping charts around the world. Its catchy, tropical-house influenced chorus made it instantly recognisable, and short clips soon spread across TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts as a shorthand for a playful apology. Because the hook works even out of context, creators still reach for it years later whenever a light, musical sorry fits better than a spoken one.