I never really left it, but it’s become full force again
Directioners have been mourning a great loss with the recent passing of Liam Payne. It came as quite a shock, and the internet has proven that I’m not the only one who’s been coping by reentering my 1D fangirl era. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve remained a proud Directioner over the years listening to their music, supporting their solo careers and hoping for a reunion tour one day. But with them on hiatus, I haven’t spent as much time thinking about the boy band. Ever since Liam’s tragic death, the band has jumped back to the front of my mind because One Direction was a big part of my childhood.
In their heyday, I was your typical One Direction superfan; I had posters of them all over my walls, I anxiously awaited the release of the “One Direction: This is Us” movie and they were even my first concert. Recently, I’ve been back to consuming a lot more 1D content, and the boys have likely climbed to the top of my Apple Music Replay. With 1D on heavy rotation, I’ve had a chance to revisit my old favorites, and even solidify some new ones. For my fellow heartbroken Directioners celebrating the legacy of Liam and the band through their music, here are my favorite songs from each album I’ve been listening to as therapy.
1. Up All Night
One Direction’s first album will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember listening to classics like “One Thing,” “Gotta Be You” and of course “What Makes You Beautiful” on my pink iPod Shuffle. Also, it would be remiss to leave out that in my middle school days, “Truly, Madly, Deeply” and “Magic” captured my heart. On top of these bangers, I have also been jamming out to “Save You Tonight” and the album’s namesake song “Up All Night” — both songs you can’t help but dance to.
2. Take Me Home
The TMH album cover lives rent-free in my head (and used to decorate my closet door as a child). The phone booth will always be iconic, but I digress. Back when it came out, my favorites consisted of “Little Things” — I LOVED the black and white music video, “C’mon C’mon” (who doesn’t love a Zayn high note!?) and “Rock Me,” which is actually one of my top five 1D songs of all time. Those are still top-tier, but I’m also currently loving the yearning of “Summer Love” and the slight rap in “Over Again.”
3. Midnight Memories
1D’s third studio album had some of the most iconic videos with the silliness of “Best Song Ever,” the transitions of “You and I” and the adorable nostalgia factor of “Story of My Life.” These, of course, were all hits, but my favorite songs musically were “Happily” and “Half a Heart,” now extending to include the classic “Diana” and “Why Don’t We Go There.”
4. FOUR
I’ll die on this hill: FOUR is an absolutely no-skip album. And circling back to iconic videos, can we talk about the impact of the “Night Changes” date POV? Iconic, to say the least. There are high highs associated, like the fact that their tour for this album, On the Road Again (OTRA), was my first-ever concert, but also low lows with the day every Directioner’s heart broke when Zayn Malik left the band. Sixth-grade me was a wreck.
Narrowing down favorites on this masterpiece is tricky. But, I can remember jamming out to “Girl Almighty” and “18” when it came out. Today, my absolute favorite is “Fireproof” (also a top-five 1D song, and one that will certainly be played at my wedding). Other top-of-the-top songs include “Fools Gold,” which I’m sure all the Niall girls can agree with, and “Stockholm Syndrome,” which I’d bet the entire fandom feels.
5. Made In The A.M.
The band’s fifth and final album (for now…) also holds a lot of meaning for me. I was so sad when Zayn left and thought that One Direction was going to split up immediately after their tour, so one more amazing album was a pleasant surprise that lifted my spirits. This album is high on the rankings with songs like “Temporary Fix” and “Wolves” which made me love it instantly. “Infinity” and “What a Feeling” both capture such an incredible vibe and are easily on repeat. As I got older, I also started appreciating some of the sadder songs, like “If I Could Fly” and “Long Way Down.”
Whittling One Direction’s extensive discography down to this list was tough since every album is incredible, but overall, these hits stood out to me most during my past and recent 1D listening parties. While the circumstance of the fandom’s strong resurgence is deeply sad, it’s been nice seeing people collectively remembering and celebrating the band that shaped so many of our childhoods.