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One Direction is one of the bestselling music groups of all time, having sold over 70 million records worldwide. The British group also became the first band to have their first four albums debut top the Billboard 200 chart.
The group was composed of Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. Malik left the band in 2015, and the group later embarked on an indefinite hiatus in January 2016.
The group released hits like What Makes You Beautiful, Best Song Ever, and Story of My Life. Several of the group's songs ranked top ten on international music charts.
The successful boy band won several awards, including seven BRIT Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, and six Billboard Music Awards. This article explores some of One Direction's biggest hits.
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Disclaimer: This article is ranked according to Spotify streams at the time of writing.
Night Changes, Story of My Life, and 5 other popular One Direction songs to listen to in 2024
1) Night Changes (1,765,298,184 Spotify streams)
Night Changes by One Direction was released on November 14, 2014, as the second single from their 12-song album, Four. The record was written by all members of the group alongside John Ryan, Jamie Scott, and Julian Bunetta.
The folk-pop song captures the daunting yet thrilling experience of falling in love. It touches on concepts of uncertainty, and romantic pursuit, depicting the enthusiastic and optimistic nature of youthfulness.
The second verse mirrors these concepts:
"Chasing her tonight, doubts are running 'round her head/ He's waiting, hides behind a cigarette/ Heart is beating loud and she doesn't want it to stop/ Moving too fast, moon is lightin' up her skin/ She's falling, doesn't even know it yet."
The song has sold over a million units in the US and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
2) Story of My Life (1,394,224,784 Spotify streams)
Story of My Life is a pop ballad that reflects themes of nostalgia, vulnerability, and unrequited affection. The first verse depicts these themes:
"Written in these walls are the stories that I can't explain/ I leave my heart open, but it stays right here empty for days/ She told me in the mornin' she don't feel the same about us in her bones/ It seems to me that when I die, these words will be written on my stone."
The record was released on October 28, 2013, as the second single from the boy band's critically acclaimed studio album, Midnight Memories. Members of the band along with John Ryan, Jamie Scott, and Julian Bunetta are credited as writers on the track.
Story of My Life peaked at number 6, and 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and UK Singles chart, respectively.
3) What Makes You Beautiful (1,387,783,291 Spotify streams)
What Makes You Beautiful is the debut single of One Direction, and later became the lead track from their debut studio album, Up All Night. Released on September 11, 2011, the upbeat song was penned by Texas-born songwriter-music producer Savan Kotecha alongside Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub.
The Dance-pop song celebrates authenticity, self-acceptance, and confidence. Its lyrics evoke an awareness of self-worth, and self-love and admonish listeners to appreciate their beauty without conforming to societal standards.
Verse 1 reads:
"You're insecure, don't know what for/ You're turnin' heads when you walk through the door/ Don't need makeup to cover up (Huh)/ Bein' the way that you are is enough."
What Makes You Beautiful has been certified quadruple platinum in the United States and peaked atop the UK Singles chart.
4) Drag Me Down (1,191,369,902 Spotify streams)
Drag Me Down by One Direction is a pop-rock record written by John Ryan, Julian Bunetta, and Jamie Scott. It was released on July 31, 2015, as the lead single from their chart-topping album, Made In The A.M.
The song was also One Direction's first release following Zayn Malik's departure from the group. Drag Me Down reflects on the transformative impact of love on an individual's well-being and personality.
The pre-chorus conveys the narrative:
"If I didn't have you, there would be nothing left/ The shell of a man that could never be his best/ If I didn't have you, I'd never see the sun/ You taught me how to be someone, yeah."
Drag Me Down became the boy band's first single to peak at number one in Australia and France.
5) Perfect (928,684,534 Spotify streams)
Perfect is an upbeat pop jam that has its meaning rooted in a contrast between idealism and authenticity. In Perfect, a guy recognizes his weakness in terms of commitment but is still willing to live in the moment with his lover, defying the cultural standards of romance.
The first verse goes:
"I might never be your knight in shinin' armour/ I might never be the one you take home to mother/ And I might never be the one who brings you flowers/ But I can be the one, be the one tonight,"
Perfect was released on October 16, 2015, as the second single from One Direction's fifth album, Made In The A.M.
Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Julian Bunetta, and Jesse Shatkin amongst others are credited as writers on the track.
Perfect became One Direction's final and sixth single to enter the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, breaking The Beatles' record for the highest number of Billboard Top Ten debuts by a band.
6) Steal My Girl (885,473,753 Spotify streams)
Steal My Girl is an uptempo song from One Direction, composed of Rock-inspired piano chords. The song also samples the 1983 classic, Faithfully, by the US-based rock band, Journey. The songwriting credits include Wayne Hector, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Ed Drewett, amongst others.
In Steal My Girl, a guy who is infatuated with his lover seeks to guard her from the attention of others while expressing his love for her.
The chorus reads:
"Everybody wanna steal my girl/ Everybody wanna take her heart away/ Couple billion in the whole wide world/ Find another one 'cause she belongs to me,"
Steal My Girl's music video came out a year after the song's release in 2014, and has gathered over 400 million views on YouTube.
7) 18 (713,854,826 Spotify streams)
18 is a Folk-pop single written by Grammy award winner Ed Sheeran, and German singer-songwriter, Oliver Frank. The song was released on November 17, 2014, as a promotional single from One Direction's fourth album, Four.
18 gained commercial success and is gold-certified in the UK and Australia.
The lyrics suggest a sense of longing and affection, that stems from a place of nostalgia. It also encapsulates the unfiltered emotions and innocence affiliated with youthful romance. The chorus reads:
"I have loved you since we were eighteen/ Long before we both thought the same thing/ To be loved and to be in love/ All I can do is say that these arms were made for holdin' you, oh/ I wanna love like you made me feel/ When we were eighteen,"
Other popular One Direction songs to listen to include You & I, Little Things, and Best Song Ever.
