Pop superstars One Direction released their fifth studio album, "Made in the A.M.," on November 13, 2015, to much success. The One Direction boys seemed to have moved past Zayn Malik's departure to come up with a mature, less-boy band sound. There's a sense of U2, The Beatles, and Fleetwood Mac, as well as others reflected in the catchy pop lyrics and guitar riffs. While every song on the new album is a winner, here a few best of the best.
1. "If I Could Fly"
A slow ballad that packs a punch with super sweet lyrics and harmonies, the sixth track on "Made in the A.M." shows the maturity of the One Direction boys and co-writer Harry Styles. No longer are we listening to a typical boy band ballad, but a genuinely good pop ballad. Lyrics like "I've got scars, even though they can't always be seen" and the chorus of "For your eyes only, I show you my heart/ For when you're lonely and forget who you are/ I'm missing half of me when we're apart/ Now you know me, for your eyes only" are both sweet and mature. Plus, the song is just really pretty and nice to listen to!
2. "A.M."
This song is featured on the deluxe edition of "Made in the A.M.," and is slower pop gold. "A.M." definitely shows the boys are getting older; the song talks about wanting someone to stay until the "A.M." to have meaningful conversations and to spend more time together. The chorus says "Won't you stay 'til the A.M.?/ All my favorite conversations always made in the A.M./ Cause we don't know what we're saying", with some good acoustic guitar and harmonies.
3. "Olivia"
Very reminiscent of the Beatles, this song is pop gold. It's got a great beat, fun lyrics, and a great progression. There's use of strings, horns, as well as some killer harmony. "Olivia" was written in part by Harry Styles, proving that he's more than great hair. The ninth track off of "Made in the A.M." is a mix of retro and modern -- and it's amazing.
4. "Love You Goodbye"
The eleventh track on the album was written in large by Louis Tomlinson. The song has some quality harmonies, percussion, and some 80s vibes. This one would also place on the 'Songs to Listen to After a Breakup' playlist. This song is very mature, and isn't a typical boy band love song that might have been found on some of One Direction's earlier albums.
5. "What A Feeling"
This one definitely has a 70s vibe, with maybe some Sting or Phil Collins influence, too. Once again, killer harmonies make an appearance on this track, with some catchy lyrics and beat. Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson helped write this track, also, which shows that the boys clearly have some talent other than great voices and stage presence.
Overall, the boys have transitioned to pop stars, as opposed to 'boy banders.' They're having more influence on the songwriting and producing. It's obvious that more time, heart, and soul were put into this album. And though they've announced a 'break' for 2016, hopefully One Direction will come back with an album even better than "Made in the A.M." In the meantime, check out "Made in the A.M." on Spotify or buy on iTunes!





















