I am a fan of boy bands, from New Kids on the Block to N*SYNC to Backstreet Boys. But there's something special about One Direction. It might be that they are the boy band of my generation; while New Kids can make me nostalgic for a time I've never seen, One Direction has captured moments of my life through their songs. Here is a short list of One Direction songs I listen to daily. These are probably the songs I'll listen to years from now, to remember the days of my youth.
1. "What Makes You Beautiful"
It would be a sin to make a list of 1D songs without mentioning their first single. "WMYB" is perfect whether you're happy and in need of an anthem, or sad and in need of a pick-me-up. Personally, though, I listen to it when fixing my hair.
2. "Kiss You"
This is the song I play when I'm on trips with my family. It's lighthearted and fun, so we all like to jam out to it. Also, the music video is pretty adorable.
3. "C'mon, C'mon"
This actually isn't one of my favorite songs, but it reminds me of my brother, Joseph. Although he's a fan of all types of music, Joe pretends to discriminate against what I like, in an attempt to "joke." However, when "C'mon, C'mon" comes on, he can't keep up the act. He hums and drums on the back of the driver's seat, and that's always a sign of his approval.
4. "Best Song Ever"
Even if this song were completely awful-- which it isn't, it's amazing-- I would love it for the music video. The world was significantly duller before I saw Niall as Harvey, Louis as Jonny, Zayn as Veronica, Harry as the (extremely adorable) Marcel, and Liam as Leeroy. I am forever thankful to James Corden for writing such a brilliant music video.
5. "Story of My Life"
This is one of my favorite songs, from a lyrical perspective. Also, the music video is pretty amazing. The way Harry looks at his mother in one scene melts my heart every time.
6. "Fool's Gold"
Although this is one of One Direction's slower, sadder songs, "Fool's Gold" is one of my absolute favorites. As a writer of this track, Harry powerfully conveys his talents as a lyricist, and his emotional performance is quite moving.
7. "Night Changes"
In my opinion, this song has the best music video. Since I drove to my junior prom, wearing a red dress, I really connected to the opening lyrics "going out tonight, changes into something red." Plus, the idea of the song is pretty sweet.
8. "Perfect"
I like this song for a lot of reasons, but one stands out above all others: I like how Harry sings the word "rendezvous."
9. "If I Could Fly"
Again, Harry shows off his lyrical genius, and I'm all here for it. I have a deep appreciation for the slower acoustic songs.
10. "History"
Since this is the last song they released before the hiatus, there are a lot of strong emotions associated with it. It's a great song, and the music video is wonderful, and I choose to hold on to the lyric "This is not the end."
