I’m just going to say it. Harry Styles is unstoppable.
Just over two years ago, Styles and his One Direction bandmates called it quits, breaking the hearts of young teenage girls around the world. And, I’m only a little ashamed to admit that my heart broke a bit too.
However, the split, although it ended a new era of boy bands, eventually produced a whole new set of musical genius from most of the members.
Zayn Malik, the first to leave the band produced a successful album in 2016. Niall Horan released his first two extended plays in 2016 and 2017, keeping his hot streak going for a new album soon. Liam Payne released his first solo venture in May, gearing up with other musicians to eventually produce a full album.
But, with all the success of his other once bandmates, Styles seems to have still come out on top. If there was a race, Styles won, even without releasing an album first.
His newest project is a 10-song debut album, which came out in May. Aptly named “Harry Styles,” the album has been topping charts for the past two months.
It seemed, after the band’s breakup, that Styles would shy away from the music scene, but thankfully he came back full force. He grew up.
Styles’ melodic voice is definitely the best aspect of the album. But, the diverse mixture of sounds comes in close second.
The entirety of the album is saturated in 1970s-like guitar strokes, making for a smooth sound throughout the set list. It is the kind of album that multiple generations could enjoy — a hard find in today’s music world.
The first track off the album brings in Styles’ sound slowly, with echoed whispers, providing a haunting vibe. “Meet Me in the Hallway,” shows off his vocal talent and gives listeners a taste of what to expect from the rest of the album.
“Sign of the Times,” perhaps one of the most popular songs off the album, has been sweeping across radio stations and online playlists for quite some time now. The song is soft yet catchy, picking up at the chorus, bringing an anthem-like feel to the hit song.
The ninth song off Styles’ album really brings the ‘70s vibe to the light. It has a punchy beat and a rhythmic heat that keeps flowing through the entire song.
One of the most unexpected songs off the album is “Kiwi.” Styles flirts with the hard rock genre in this track, and successfully produces a catchy, head-bobbing sound.
The third song on the list, “Carolina” brings about the sounds of the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel without trying to be them, thankfully. The track is quirky and rambunctious without trying to hit you too hard.
Nowhere in the album would one think that Styles once belonged to a boyband.
It’s retro and it’s new. It’s smooth and it’s rough. Simply put, Styles’ album was everything fans could have asked for and more.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @Hailey_ann97