“Beliebers vs. Directioners: Which are Better?”--a question, which, at its surface, seems frivolous--is an issue which has had my brain bubbling for a week now. Because I have been a die-hard Bieber fan since age 11, the answer seemed simple at first glance. However, thanks to some Harry Styles obsessed friends of mine, the British boy band and their zealous gang of Directioners have recently piqued my interest and suddenly I hesitate when posed with the question. The followings of both artists are undeniably devoted, but each have different qualities that make them uniquely obsessive. Perhaps through examining the behaviors of these swarms of superfans, we can reach a comfortable conclusion and establish the alpha-fans.
Belieber Behavior A: Beliebers have technically existed longer.
Justin’s breakout album, My World, was released in fall of 2009, resulting in the worldwide Bieber-Fever outbreak, and the birth of the Beliebers. The members of One Direction became a group in 2010 on X Factor, where they gained a large following, but this was some months after the Beliebers found their heartthrob.
Directioner Behavior A: Loyalty and support through trying times.
On March 25, 2015, Directioners everywhere received news that kept them “Up All Night.” Zayn Malik, who once ranked number 6 on MTV’s “50 sexiest men alive” list, announced that he would be departing from the band. Fans everywhere were upset and demanding answers. Though the change to the dynamic of the band appeared drastic to those on the outside, Directioners seemed to quickly adjust to the now even number of members. (More solos for Harry, am I right?) In conclusion, Directioners have proven that they will remain loyal to the band through thick and thin, “Zayn” or shine.
Belieber Behavior B: Loyalty and support through trying, erhm, “looks.”
Let’s face it: Justin Bieber has experimented with his style over the years, most of which seemed so right at the time. And it definitely was! The classic 2009 purple hoodie and sideswept hair made my fifth-grade heart pound, and I wondered why the boys in my class didn’t try to imitate it. In 2011, Justin let everyone know how mature he was becoming by messing up his hair a little, and 2012 was a time of a more stylistic, “done” coiffure. If you had shown me a photo of Justin today while I was in the fifth grade and had only seen his teenie-bopper side, I would’ve been confused and nervous to watch him evolve. However, his style transition was smooth (and successful), and the Beliebers have been there every step of the way.
Directioner Behavior B: They’re HILARIOUS.
Do yourself a quick favor: find some One Direction fan accounts on Instagram and scroll through their posts. So many of the accounts have a sarcastic way of presenting their feelings about the band that has me laughing and scrolling for twenty minutes at a time. Vine is also a great place to experience this humor. One of my favorite posts is a six-second clip of Harry flipping his hair, with the caption “i witnessed this im so sad”. Or a clip of Niall doing his thing with the caption “nlessed,” which I assume is a way of expressing that they have been blessed by Niall. Moral of the story is Directioners are hilarious and while their content should be taken seriously, their comments and captions are so much fun.
Drumroll, please….
It’s gotta be a tie. When trying to explain to my Directioner BFFS my reasoning for not taking their side, I emphasized that it isn’t about who the better artist is, it’s about the fans. My research has shown that both followings deserve all the credit in the world for being so dedicated and passionate. Beliebers: keep on Beliebing. Directioners: keep on directing me to your hysterical fan accounts.
