The Only Exception is a heartfelt ballad released in 2009 from Paramore’s third studio album, Brand New Eyes, and it marked an important emotional and stylistic shift for the band. Moving away from their energetic alternative rock sound, the song features gentle acoustic instrumentation, a slow tempo, and a restrained buildup that places vulnerability at the center. Lyrically, it reflects frontwoman Hayley Williams’s struggle with trust and belief in lasting love, inspired by her relationship at