It’s not a secret that One Direction is considered "pop". They have been since their first album “Up All Night” and at that time, they were definitely pop. Their songs were a bouncy, bubblegum poppy mess. Not saying it’s a bad thing, though. It was catchy and fun, and it put you in a good mood when you listened to it. As the boys grew older, their music has made some changes. A lot of people think they’re still making the same music; catchy, upbeat, ‘bubblegum pop’ music. To an extent, they still do. However, in their last two albums especially, a lot of the music has taken a new turn and has mellowed out a lot. People who didn’t like the boyband before and who gave them a second chance turned over a new leaf, liking their new sound a lot better than before.
If you’re that person, who doesn’t particularly like that boyband pop sound, these songs might change your opinion on One Direction.
1. Fireproof
This song is about as mellow as they come. It’s from their fourth album “Four”, when their sound truly started to change and adapt to their fans getting older. It has a very “Fleetwood Mac” type of feel to it that’ll bring you back down to earth. It feels like a cool autumn day or the sun shining on your face through the leaves of the trees. It tugs on your heart strings in a way that’s different from most songs. It doesn’t make you sad, or even particularly happy, it’s just… comfortable. Rolling Stone said it “sounds so mellow it's downright eerie, especially those whipped-cream background vocals”.
2. Where Do Broken Hearts Go
This song screams of a 80s anthem. Also from "Four", it’s powerhouse rock with extraordinary harmonies and heavy guitar. The whole idea behind the song was that it would sound amazing in stadiums, with all the echoes of the fans singing along and the guitar riffs blaring through the air, and that feeling travels right to your core. The best way I can describe this song is that it’s like Journey and The Rolling Stones had a baby. You don’t want to miss it.
3. Through the Dark
Goodness, this song has everything. It’s got a very folk sound, almost something like “Mumford and Sons” would write, with some powerful lyrics and a great beat. It’ll make you want to stand up and clap your hands or sing along as loud as you can. “Through the Dark” was one of the first songs that made people give One Direction another chance and it’s not unclear why. You won’t regret giving it a listen.
4. Walking in the Wind
Harry Styles described this song as “conversational and not very formal”. It’s a casual song where it feels like the boys are truly talking to you and easing your mind. While the verses are very relaxed and somewhat soft, the chorus and bridge are strong and pull you back in every single time. The lyrics are amazing as well, soothing words like “if you’re lost just look for me, you’ll find me in the region of the summer stars”. It’s just so different from any of the other songs from that album (“Made in the A.M.”) and it speaks to you in ways most songs can’t.
5. Wolves
Picture every musical number from any 80s movie you’ve ever seen and “Wolves” will fit. It’s so fun, but not in the pop music kind of way. It truly just makes you want to dance, snap your fingers and sing along with the boys. It’ll get stuck in your head but you’ll love every minute of it. It’s got some of the best harmonies I’ve heard from the band as well, and just a nice relaxing melody that you can’t get enough of. While “Wolves” is the closest thing to pop music on this list, it’s still something different that’ll take your ears by surprise.
