Everybody wake up, this is NOT a drill! Dust off those feather boas and “Treat People With Kindness” posters because Harry Styles is officially back. The British star took to his social media this past January 15th to announce his new album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, coming out on March 6th. This announcement comes four years after the release of his last album, Harry’s House. After taking home three Grammy’s, including the coveted Album of the Year, and finishing off Love on Tour, the pop singer took a much needed break and disappeared from our screens. But, after a long wait, he’s finally back with the release of his fourth album. My love for Harry’s music goes all the way back to his One Direction days and has followed him throughout his solo career. I’ve listened to every one of his albums more times than I can count and have memorized countless lyrics that occupy a permanent space in my brain. Now that there’s a new addition to the Harry Styles album roster, I thought it’d be fun to look through his discography and rank my top five favorite songs. (Disclaimer: This ranking is based on my musical tastes and not everyone has to agree with it.)
Honorable Mention: “Anna” (unreleased)
I decided to include it in this list as an honorable mention since he never officially released it. While everybody was watching Harry’s performance of “Medicine” on a loop, I was captivated by the upbeat, guitar-led track “Anna.”. The performances for “Medicine” and “Anna” came out around the same time and, due to “Medicine’s” instant popularity, “Anna” was kind of swept under the rug. Well, no longer! It’s time we give this song the respect it deserves so it stops being underappreciated by the public; and I’m including Harry in that statement.
Alright, now that I got my daily “Anna” mention out of the way, let’s start the ranking.
5. “Meet Me in the Hallway” (Harry Styles)
No ranking would be complete without the song that opened Harry’s first solo album after One Direction. Even though his first single was technically “Sign of the Times,” I feel like “Meet Me in the Hallway” was the one that set the tone for the album and Harry’s future sound as something completely different and unpredictable. With its soft melody, the track lures you into an almost dreamlike state where the guiding light is Harry’s voice. “Meet Me In the Hallway” is the song that established his solo career and marked his debut album in the most memorable way.
4. “Only Angel” (Harry Styles)
Harry’s debut album was full off a lot of stand out tracks, but none was as showstopping as “Only Angel.”. Whereas the previous five tracks on the album had a softer tone to them, with the exception of “Carolina” which has bass heavy influence, “Only Angel” completely shifts the album’s tone. Hearing this song is truly a sacred experience; the track starts out soft and melodic which makes you think you’re going to get another ballad, and then, the electric guitar and drums come in taking you by surprise. I would give anything to listen to this song for the first time again just to experience that musical plot twist. Just when you’re getting used to the vibe of the album, this song completely switches it up. It’s fun, it’s danceable, and it showed that solo Harry Styles wasn’t going to stick to just one genre of music. For that reason alone, it earns its spot in the top five.
3. “To Be So Lonely” (Fine Line)
By now you’ve likely guessed that guitar centered tracks seem to be the common theme with me. Can you blame me though? The acoustic guitar riff in this song is addicting all on its own; I could probably listen to it on a loop for hours. Pair that with Harry’s vulnerable and self-reflective lyrics about a doomed relationship and you get the absolute masterpiece that is “To Be So Lonely.” This song sits as the seventh track of his sophomore album, and my personal favorite, Fine Line. Ever since I first heard this song when it came out all the way back in 2019, I was captivated by it and it’s stayed in my top songs rotation ever since.
2. “Little Freak” (Harry’s House)
As the sixth track in his Grammy winning album, “Little Freak” was an instant favorite for me. To me, this song is “Meet Me In the Hallway’s” mature older sister since the melody brings us back to that same dreamlike state. Harry’s House was his most vulnerable album and this song was no exception. The way he reflects about a relationship that’s already ended in which he was never truly known really cuts deep. The song is his way of expressing his regret for how the relationship went down and how he still can’t seem to let go. It’s been years since its release and everytime I listen to it I discover another layer that makes me fall in love with it all over again.
1. “Golden” (Fine Line)
Nobody gets this song like I do— I love it so much that I got the title as one of my first tattoos because it really is that serious. “Golden” marks the start of his sophomore album and what a start it was. Hearing that beat drop right as the clock struck midnight on December 13, 2019, truly was a religious experience. The beauty of this song is that there are so many different ways to interpret it that it can apply to almost any situation. While Harry is possibly referring to a romantic relationship, when I heard it I related it to the feelings of loss and grief I was going through at the time. This song got me through one of the darkest moments of my life. Its upbeat track and longing lyrics helped me to not feel alone with my feelings — it gave a voice to everything that I wanted to express but didn’t know how to yet. For that reason, “Golden” is my pick as my favorite Harry Styles song of all time.
There you have it! I didn’t think that making this ranking was going to be so difficult. I went through nearly three different possibilities, adding and rearranging tracks on the list, before ultimately landing on this final ranking. It wasn’t easy to get here, but I feel like these songs truly represent what makes Harry such a great musician: his vulnerable and addicting lyrics, catchy and soft melodies, and a unique style that has cemented him into the hall of pop star royalty. Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally is out now on all streaming platforms! I invite everyone to go listen and, who knows, maybe your new favorite track will come out of this album. I know my ranking will certainly be changing after listening!