After 945 days, we finally start the Fine Line era by Harry Styles. 945 long days. Now, let’s go through song by song to which ones are skips or hits.
1. “Golden”
The first track on this album is definitely the perfect opener. The immediate beat gets you excited to listen to the rest of the album. My personal favorite on the entire albums provides an upbeat melody with chill lyrics and tone, all while still giving you a song to dance like a concert in your room.
2. “Watermelon Sugar”
Oh Harry, thank you for giving the world a song about eating p***y. The world appreciates it and the fans adore it. This spicy track and the second single, mix the perfect song to sing in the car. As long as you’re alone with the windows up or with another Harry fan.
3. “Adore you”
The most iconic song on the album due to its single promotion. This man decided to create an entire fake town in order to get people talking about the new single. A visit to Eroda (Adore spelled backward) will bring you to a world that only Harry Styles could create. Providing intrigue, a classic and modern sound with angelic vocals.
4. “Lights Up”
The first single and the one that kicked off the album. To many fans, including myself, it wasn’t a song we expected from Harry. However, it was loved and still is an amazing track to blow away the dark winter nights. Besides, the music video has Harry shirtless, who could hate that?
5. “Cherry”
This is the song that got the entire Harry Styles fandom buzzing. In an interview with Zane Lowe, it was revealed there was a voicemail from his ex-girlfriend to close out the song This sent the fandom into a tailspin, wondering which ex and what voicemail. When it was leaked a few days early, the early listeners noted it sounded like it was something out of a horror movie. However, the music in between is a soft and sweet heartbreaking song on losing someone and having to see them with someone else. It features soft guitars and gives an almost 1960’s-esque sounds. Although, the voicemail at the end ruins the song in my opinion, making it my second least favorite on the album.
6. “Falling”
My second favorite song ever since I heard the low quality leaked version. Falling is a terribly heartbreaking song with haunting vocals by Styles throughout the chorus. It’s a song about the second heartbreak when you realize the person you loved no longer needs you anymore. The best part of this song is how eerily well it transitions into “Bad Religion” by Frank Ocean.
7. “To Be So Lonely”
So, the beginning of this song reminds me of a song that plays in a movie where the protagonist is taking a walk in the fields of Italy. But transitions into a heavier drum section for the chorus. The combination of the two gives you the perfect aesthetic on a sunny day. Especially if you’re lonely.
8. “She”
The shroom song. Harry admitted in an interview that, while being high on shrooms, he wrote a song, bit off part of his tongue and proceeded to record said song while he was bleeding profusely out of his mouth. What a story. However, you can’t hear the chaos behind the microphone. It’s kind of a weird song, but the overall melody and lyrics combine into the perfect song to listen to while high if that’s something you’re into.
9. “Sunflower Vol. 6”
While it’s not the Sunflower we know and love by Post Malone, it’s still a perfectly sweet song. I like this song a lot. The bridge and chorus give me more 70’s and 60’s music vibes. This is one of my favorite eras, so to hear Harry’s voice combined with that aesthetic makes it one of my favorites. Except, again, the ending throws me off.
***After listening for a few more days, this has become one of my favorite songs off of the album.
10. “Canyon Moon”
This song is honestly not my favorite. While it’s a good song and there is nothing particularly wrong with it. It is just a personal skip.
***It’s no longer a skip and is now one of the few feel-good songs on the album.
11. “Treat People With Kindness”
Maybe it’s just me, but I knew that this song would be cringey the minute he announced the tracklist. It sounds more like a song that should be in one of those creepy pacer puppets shows you see when you’re in elementary school. The background vocals elicit a physical cringe that makes it an immediate skip. His own vocals are less offensive on the ears, but the intermittency of the vocal chorus makes it hard to tolerate.
***It’s irritatingly catchy the more you listen to it.
12. “Fine Line”
The titular track and possibly the second saddest song on the album makes it a strong finale to his second album. The song contains few lyrics but strong vocals, proving exactly why he described the mood of the album as “having sex and feeling sad.”
The new era is here and I’m still not sure how to feel about it. There are more songs on this album than his first album that I personally do not vibe with. In a lot of the song’s cases, you need to be in a specific mood to really feel this album hit. My biggest disappointment with this album is that there are no dance-around-‘till-your-feet-hurt bops. Kiwi and Only Angel are the best songs to dance around to, jam out to in the car, or scream at the top of your lungs at his concerts. This album is missing that same feeling. That is perfectly fine, however, it just feels like the album is not complete. Regardless, the album is a perfect diary entry and gives fans a raw insight into his life, how he loves and who he is. Fans can feel so proud knowing Harry feels comfortable baring his soul to us and the world. Fine Line is an album that you cannot miss out on listening to if you missed out on his first album, now is the perfect time to catch up.
How to listen: