Destination Jam: Five times One Direction made us feel beautiful and demonstrated their skills as songwriters
It's been 10 whole years since One Direction first hit the scene. During their six years, the band released five studio albums, achieving greater success with each release, managing to put out over 50 chart-topping singles within just their first three years. Their songs struck a chord with a younger audience who found comfort in being reminded that they were beautiful. But in addition, the group also consistently put out songs that encouraged listeners to enjoy life to the fullest. These euphoric tracks really sealed them as one of the best pop/rock acts of modern times.
But just as it seemed like nothing could stop the band's monumental rise to the top, Zayn Malik's departure from the group was announced in 2015 amid a sea of rumors, speculation and accusations. And shortly after, the group went on a hiatus that was meant to last 18 months but continues to this day. Despite the heartbreak One Directioners have had to endure as they patiently awaited the band's return — hopefully with Zayn — they've managed to hold on to the memories and joy the band brought them, thanks to their extensive catalog. It's impossible to pick any one song from the band as their 'best song ever', we can certainly walk down memory lane with five One Direction tracks that remind us that beyond their catchy tunes, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were also extremely gifted vocalists and songwriters.
'What Makes You Beautiful'
Unsurprisingly, our first pick for this list is One Direction's breakthrough single off their debut record, 2011's 'Up All Night'. At just over three minutes long, this song is an absolute joyride from start to finish, revolving around an intensely catchy pop sound and built on the idea that listeners have no reason to feel insecure because they're beautiful just as they are. The track went straight to number one, despite being up against other bops like Pixie Lott's 'All About Tonight' and Maroon 5's 'Moves Like Jagger' and helped skyrocket the band to international fame.
Interestingly enough, for all its fame and accolades, Payne is not really a huge fan of the track. Given that the song's popularity meant the band had to sing it throughout their career, it's not hard to understand why the band themselves may not be fans of it. Malik would also go on to share in later interviews that despite his desire to lean into more R&B-heavy sounds, the group's musical direction was heavily controlled by their management who allowed for nothing outside of standard pop to be on their record. Nonetheless, it's hard as a listener to not feel a sense of comfort and self-confidence when this track comes on. The band would go on to release other tracks in the same vein, including 'Little Things' off their 2012 album, 'Take Me Home', signaling that they were committed to ensuring their fans always felt happy and loved.
'Live While We're Young'
One of One Direction's most successful and recognizable singles, 'Live While We're Young' is an extremely upbeat track that tells the story of a young man at a party who meets a woman and suggests they take things to the next level. The song's music video featured the band going on a camping trip filled and engaging in several outdoor activities that were sure to give everyone watching a serious case of FOMO — probably even more so today.
Not only was the song itself a critical and commercial success, but the music video also went on to beat the record for most views within 24 hours of release which, at the time, was held by Justin Bieber for his song, 'Boyfriend'. Bieber would then go on to break One Direction's record with the song 'Beauty And A Beat' featuring Nicki Minaj.
'Once in a Lifetime'
Off their 2014 album 'Four', 'Once in a Lifetime' is easily one of the most underappreciated One Direction songs. The band originally came to be known for their vocals while they were on X-Factor, but very quickly they found themselves more recognized for their exuberant pop sound and all the records they were smashing. Sadly, the band members' talent as excellent vocalists was overshadowed and in some cases flat-out ignored. This is, of course, largely due to the fact that their released singles were geared towards a very specific sound but the group did still manage to demonstrate their vocal abilities on some of their other tracks.
'Once in a Lifetime' is a gorgeous ballad that allows all five members to showcase their vocals, particularly via their harmonies that come together perfectly and make for a rather haunting track that is a bittersweet musing on a past relationship and is built around the hope that the narrator can win their lover back and make everything feel perfect again.
'Night Changes'
Possibly the most bittersweet of all One Direction songs, 'Night Changes' was the last music video featuring Malik before he left the group. The song itself is a gorgeously smooth romantic ballad that talks about growing old with one's lover. The fact that the group that everyone thought would be together for decades split after only five years together makes this song and its meaning go from heartwarming to gutwrenching pretty quick. Not to mention, the song was a part of the band's last album with Malik, 2014's 'Four'. As painful as the track is for One Directioners, it remains one of their best and most romantic tracks.
Following 'Four', the band dropped their final album together, 'Made in the A.M.', in 2015. The album included tracks like 'History' which assessed the group's brotherhood over the years as well as ones like 'Long Way Down' which reflected on the highs and lows of fame. These last two albums arguably feature some of the group's best songwriting to date, as well as their most personal collection of songs.
'Best Song Ever'
Painful moments aside, One Direction was and will remain one of the best pop acts of modern times. Their sound, which included elements of country-folk and rock, helped put them on the map, and in only a few years, established them as one of the most successful bands ever. Despite their eventual parting of ways and indefinite hiatus, their music remains beloved among their fans. And while they may have been a little cheeky with song titles like 'Best Song Ever', they certainly were right on the money, because when it comes to pop music, no one did it quite like them.
Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!