Sana Thakkar Week 16: One Direction
"Baby you light up my world like nobody else"
Without revealing the name of this song, most people, of all ages, can recognize the instantaneous guitar beat that starts playing in their head, leading to the revival of the catchy lyrics, along with the faces of the five pop icons of the 2000s known as Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne, or in other words, One Direction. "What Makes you Beautiful," the band's debut song was not only a Billboard hit, but also the tune that ingrained itself into the minds of the 2010s. Leading with this phenomenal debut, One Direction proceeded to become a cultural icon, embedded in the hearts of millions of childhoods worldwide.
One Direction united people from a multitude of countries, promoting the power of unity and friendship. The key component of the dynamic between the band members was that they did not take themselves seriously, and focused purely on enjoying the music, instead of trying to appear a certain way to appease the public. This unique approach transcended the existing nature of boy bands, and fans, also known as Directioners, identified and appreciated the transparency. Over the course of their career, the band accepted nearly two hundred awards, with over 6.49 million albums sold, all four studio albums debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, securing their place as the only group, in the sixty-eight year history of the list, to accomplish this.
Unfortunately, the group separated in 2015, announcing their hiatus through a rendition of "What Makes you Beautiful," ending their journey in a full circle. Since then, the band has evolved to a symbol of nostalgia and happy memories. Through their music, they exuded positivity and inclusivity that instantly brought smiles to millions of faces. Nine years later, the world is still waiting for the reunion they were promised, in hopes to dance and celebrate with the band once again.
Hi Sana! While I was never a fan of One Direction myself, I definitely know they were popular in the early 2000s (also, I had a few friends that were dedicated fans). As you mentioned, they have become ingrained in the atmosphere of the 2010s, giving them an air of nostalgia. I am not familiar with their public image or stance on certain issues, but I think their significant popularity highlights the responsibility that, in general, such stars have, considering their level of fame. You mentioned that they broke multiple records and were popular around the world, which only emphasizes their powerful social platform. Through their popularity, celebrities influence societal norms and attitudes, whether intentionally or unintentionally as well as whether positively or negatively. For this reason, I think celebrities that hold such a platform have a responsibility to foster things like inclusivity and community and inspire positive change, rather than just treating fame as a side effect of their job.
ReplyDeleteHi Sana! Although I’ve never personally listened to One Direction’s discography beyond their most popular songs, I have had a lot of friends who identified as “Directioners,” One Direction fans. I think the popularity of this 2010 boy band shows how music and trends are recycled throughout the decades. For example, NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys are examples of boy bands that were popular in the 1990s and the early 2000s, and both bands specialized in pop. A lot of people think that modern music heavily reuses older music, and this is what causes people to nostalgically yearn for older music. An example of this is that The Beatles and AC/DC, two popular bands from the sixties, are becoming much more popular among the gen Z population. Music often feels reused because there are also only so many chords that can be used in music. Even when artists are not trying to copy other songs, they end up intentionally doing so because billions of songs exist in the world today, and it is nearly impossible to create a completely original song. An example of two songs that heavily mimic each other are “Style” by Taylor Swift and “Perfect” by One Direction. Although it is true that both songs might intentionally mimic each other, both of them have not explicitly stated to have internationally mimicked the other’s song. Nevertheless, both songs gained immense popularity and became one of the defining tracks on each of their discographies. So while it is true that music follows trends and patterns that are predictable, they still gain popularity from a majority of the population.
ReplyDeleteHello Sana! One Direction is undoubtedly one of the biggest music influences of the 2010s. The group holds a special place in most of Generation Z's hearts. Most people listened to their songs all the time on repeat. It is so sad that they have officially disbanded and I truly hope that at some point they do come back together for another song. One of my favorite One Direction songs is "What Makes You Beautiful" and I think that this is also their most popular song ever. One Direction truly redefined pop music and culture, and I believe that they through doing so they became a part of a lot of people's core memories. Now, even though the group has disbanded, I believe that they still live on in people's hearts.
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