The day has finally come Directioners! Harry Styles’ first debut single “Sign of the Times” was released Friday, April 7, 2017. Already, the song has trended to number one on the Twitter + Billboard Trending 140 Chart and to the top of iTunes’ Debut Chart. Fans of the former One Direction singer have been waiting for months for the release of the song, and according to the trends, it seems that the wait has been worth it.
The most exciting part of the song’s release wasn’t necessarily that it was Styles himself, but rather that the fans finally got to hear his own personal style. We have already heard three styles of music from the former band members Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan- each of the boys having their own distinct sound. It was a surprise to hear from the former pop singer that his first single would have an almost 80s rock feel to it, but Styles has definitely pulled this off. The rock ballad beat in the chorus of the song suits his voice perfectly, making us all wonder: “Will the rest of his music sound this way?”
Perhaps what is most interesting about the song is it’s lyrics. The lyrics make the song seem like a typical “break up” or a goodbye to a relationship, and many people have theorized that “Sign of the Times” is a farewell to the beginning of Styles career with One Direction. If this were true, his lyrics “just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times,” could be a message to the fans saying that everything will be just fine. “Welcome to the final show,” could indicate that he is ready to move on to the next part of his life. Because of these same lyrics, however, and because of the lyrics “we never learn, we’ve been here before,” from the refrain, some could be lead to believe that he is singing about a more personal relationship. If this is the case, something that was once private about his life is no longer so.
Some of the more dedicated Directioners may take the words of the song as a sign that the band will eventually get back together. As Harry sings “we can meet again somewhere. Somewhere far away from here,” one could interpret that One Direction will eventually make a comeback similar to that of New Kids on the Block or the Backstreet Boys. But with the band’s split only two years prior, it is likely that this will be far down the road if it ever happens.
Whatever the interpretation of the lyrics are, the song remains that of a quality piece of music. Styles may only be playing around with his sound, but this song is a definite success that could quite possibly last. I personally hope that he will continue to write his music this way, and I, like the other Directioners out there, am ecstatic about receiving more music from him in the future. If you haven’t listened to the song yet, I strongly suggest that you do so. You might just be surprised at how different it sounds. “Sign of the Times” is a refreshing and new start that puts the juvenile sound of One Direction on the back burner for a while.
