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One Direction’s Five Best Songs: 15th Anniversary Edition

It’s easy to forget that One Direction existed for a mere five years.


Almost overnight in 2010, five kids discovered on the X-Factor took the world completely by storm, evolving into arguably one of the most successful and most revered boy bands of all time. In five years, the band put out five albums, embarked on four major world tours, and sold over 70 million records globally, with six songs surpassing one billion streams on Spotify.

The world fell in love with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Liam Payne, all of whom oozed charisma, performed with the energy and chemistry of a far more seasoned group, and, most importantly, navigated fame and the relentless, aggressive nature of the music industry with grace and kindness.


In celebration of One Direction’s 15th anniversary, we’ve put together a list of their five best songs, in no particular order. But, before we begin, an honourable mention must go to their iconic ‘One Way Or Another’ cover for charity.


‘Heart Attack’, a song off the band’s second album, is one of their simpler tracks; the upbeat pop anthem tells the story of a breakup through the sonic and lyrical lens of a slightly immature, yet endearing, boyish charisma.


Though it has a somewhat confusing and questionable title and subject matter, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, off their fourth album, is, without a doubt, a One Direction essential. The band’s first two albums were mainly written by professional songwriters, but by their fourth, Tomlinson and Payne were the primary writers, and it shows.


To put it simply, the song is quintessentially One Direction in terms of its sonic elements: the focus remains on the five members’ distinct but echoey voices, accompanied by quiet but strong guitar strumming and decisive drums, and finished off with a way-too-catchy bridge.


Also from the band’s fourth album, ‘No Control’ is simply a lot of fun (just don’t listen too closely to the lyrics, the subject matter is a little questionable). With fierce electric guitar, a strong beat, suggestive lyrics, and arguably one of the band’s best bridges, the song serves as a predecessor of sorts to ‘Midnight Memories’, showcasing the band’s surprising versatility —  (Styles infamously added a rock scream to his portion of the end of the second verse while performing it live.)


The beauty of ‘You and I’, a ballad off the band’s third album, lies in its simplicity. It’s just a sweet love song, and it could be about any kind of love, depending on how you interpret it. 

Supported with a simple guitar and a slightly magical production, sonically, it’s similar to the climax song of a Disney movie, hitting the emotional sweet spot between inspiring and sad.


One Direction’s third album of the same name marked a new era in the band’s history — they transformed from a relatively wholesome group into a true teenage boy band, their music punctuated with electric guitar and rock-esque screams performed by Styles. ‘Midnight Memories’ was the first song of theirs that signalled a slight shift in sound, a little further away from pop into pop rock. The transition showed the band was capable of evolving alongside their audience, maturing their music as their audience grew older.


‘Perfect’, from the band’s fifth and final album, stands out due to its reliance on extensive lyrics and strong rhyming schemes. The bona fide pop anthem details the freedom of living in the moment and loving without pressure, complemented with echoey, hazy production.


Happy 15th anniversary, One Direction! Stay delusional and keep hoping for a reunion, everyone. 

COVER PICTURE CREDIT DOMINIC LIPINSKI

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