One Direction will always stay in the hearts of their millions of fans, whether or not they are together as a band. Eleven years after the creation of one of the best boybands of our generation, One Direction’s music is still being listened to and enjoyed. I will admit they were my #1 artist on Spotify Wrapped for 2021, and my top song was What a Feeling (and I may or may not have a One Direction poster in my dorm room). But. without further ado, let’s rank their albums.
#5: up all night
Up All Night is the album that started it all. After Simon Cowell put X Factor contestants Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan in a band together, One Direction put out their debut album in 2011. It ended up charting number one on the United States Billboard 200 and was the UK’s fastest selling album of 2011. The song that everyone knows best from One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful, is featured on this album. I put Up All Night last on this list just because their music only improved from here.
My Favorite Songs: Tell Me a Lie, Up All Night, I Want, and One Thing
#4: TAKE ME HOME
Take Me Home is One Direction’s second studio album. It has a similar sound to Up All Night, but the band definitely started stepping up their game with this album. Take Me Home came out just a year after Up All Night in 2012 and was the fourth global bestselling album of that year. Their songs about young love and having fun perfectly sum up what it means to be One Direction: five teenage boys who have hit instant fame and are on a world tour, but trying to have as much fun and goof off as possible. These songs make you feel young, happy, and carefree.
My Favorite Songs: She’s Not Afraid; C’mon, C’mon; Rock Me, and I Would
#3: MIDNIGHT MEMORIES
After the first two albums, it became very hard for me to rank the next three. While Up All Night and Take Me Home are very nostalgic and bubbly, their last three albums are what I listen to the most from their discography. I put Midnight Memories as #3 because this is the album where One Direction really changed their game. Released in 2013, Midnight Memories has more of a pop-rock sound compared to their previous two albums. It’s a little edgier and I think they really improved the quality of their songs in this album.
My Favorite Songs: Happily, Little Black Dress, Little White Lies, and Through the Dark
#2: MADE IN THE A.M.
Made In The A.M. is the last album released by One Direction in 2015. This is the only album that does not include Zayn Malik, as he left the band in March of that year. It does hurt me to say that the album that only includes four of the boys is one of my favorites. Despite the shock of having one less member of the band, One Direction really exceeded all expectations and released an amazing album the same year. As I mentioned before, What a Feeling was my #1 most-played song on Spotify in 2021, and it’s definitely one of my favorite songs in general. Every song on this album does not disappoint.
My Favorite Songs: What a Feeling, Hey Angel, Wolves, and Never Enough
#1: FOUR
It was a difficult decision to make, but I went with FOUR as One Direction’s best album. Their fourth album was released in 2014 and I think it’s their best work (it also happens to be their last album with Zayn). There is just not a single bad song on this album. You can tell with FOUR how One Direction wanted to sound as a band, incorporating a more mature sound with pop-rock elements. Not to mention, FOUR was the sixth bestselling album in 2014 worldwide. One Direction really hit the mark with this album.
My Favorite Songs: Where Do Broken Hearts Go, No Control, Steal My Girl, and Stockholm Syndrome
There’s just something about One Direction’s upbeat love songs that are so nostalgic and never fail to put me in a good mood. Whether it’s going for a drive, doing homework, or just hanging out in your room, One Direction will never let you down. I think they deserve a lot of credit when you consider how they released a song every single year of being together while they were also on tour. But, as much as I love them as a band, I have no expectations for them to get back together and I support all of their solo careers. I’m just a mere One Direction fan in 2021.