This is true for some of the biggest artists in pop culture history, like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Beyonce, and George Michael, who made the most of every moment of post-band freedom. Now that One Direction has been on The X Factor for ten years and has gone on to become worldwide behemoths of the highest order, it’s the right moment to rank the boys’ separate careers.
Since the start of 1D’s indefinite break in 2016, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan have kept us occupied with R&B bangers, acoustic-tinged confessionals, and big, dramatic rock ballads.
But which member of One Direction have found their sweet spot, and who has languished in the wilderness? Don’t take this the wrong way, Directioners, but this is our final ranking.
Zayn’s choice to quit One Direction in 2015 was a water-cooler moment for pop culture in the 2010s, mostly because everyone expected Harry to be the first to go.
His debut single, Pillowtalk, is the most immediately delightful 1D star solo single – he comes low on this list, though, because his overall production has been inconsistent, to say the least. Icarus Falls, released in 2019, was an overcrowded album with moments of incredible brilliance (Hands), but it feels like he’s lost his way.
Harry Styles is a British singer and songwriter. Is it possible that it may have been someone else?
Yes, his self-titled debut album from 2017 was a little too serious for us, but Harry has always been the most familiar pop star of the five, and it’s been a delight to watch him confirm that ambition in last year’s blockbuster Fine Line.
Isn’t it true that Harry just understands it? He understands precisely what he needs to do and how to execute it. Lights Out, Adore You, and Watermelon Sugar, his most recent hits, all have a distinct flair and lovely, slightly bizarre graphics to match.
Adore You, in particular, is the best track ever released by a member of One Direction, and one of the best post-boyband songs of all time.
He’s the greatest. Obviously.
