I Ranked Every Song in Harry Styles’ Discography

Posted On April 19, 2020

Samantha Colleran, April 2020

Harry Styles is a household name, and with the release of his sophomore album Fine Line, he’s only grown in popularity. This album sees him take on a new sound; we see Styles move away from the pop rock inspired sound he thought he had to take on with his first solo album, and as a result he created one of the most honest and vulnerable records to end the decade of the 10s with a bang. Fine Line carried on into the 20s as a No. 1 record, and will certainly be a staple album for decades to come. After all, Stevie Nicks did say in a recent Instagram post that Fine Line is Harry’s Rumours.

Taking a look back at his debut self titled album and Fine Line, I’ve ranked all twenty two of the songs in his solo discography in order of my least favorite to favorite. Note that this does not include covers or unreleased songs. 

22. Carolina

Although it’s at the bottom of my list, “Carolina” is still a fun, catchy song. The “She’s a good girl” and “la la la la” chorus is fun to sing along to, however it does get somewhat repetitive after the second go around. Speaking about the song to BBC Radio 1, Harry said “Carolina was the last song we wrote for the album. It was kinda what felt like it finished it off… it felt like the bit of fun that was missing” and in his Apple Music ‘Behind the Album’ special Harry said the song is about a girl (Townes), “Her name’s in it, so I’m a bit f-cked with that one.”

The song features instrumentation including a cello, viola, violin, and even a steel guitar. The ‘Behind the Album’ also shows Styles and some members of his band doing backing vocals and banging pots and pans in the studio. 

21. Watermelon Sugar

Dropping at the start of his SNL hosting debut as a promotional single, “Watermelon Sugar” is a great song to make it feel like summer no matter what season it is. Comparing his lover to the end of June and saying he wants “your belly and that summer feeling”, it’s easy to find yourself getting washed away in Styles’ smooth vocals and the pleasant sound of the backing horn section. During his Tiny Desk Concert with NPR, Styles said the song is about the “initial euphoria” of beginning an intimate relationship with someone. The song is upbeat, catchy, and all around a fun song to jam out to. 

20. Cherry

With a Hozier acoustic feel, Harry delivers a raw performance of “Cherry”. “I just miss/ I just miss your accent and your friends/ Did you know I still talk to them,” Harry sings, reminiscing about an ex lover. The layered vocals showcase Harry’s range, and the screams toward the end pull at your heartstrings, making you feel Harry’s pain. The one thing that was slightly off putting for me personally was the inclusion of the voice note of ex Camille Rowe, who took a call in the studio while Harry was recording and “spoke in the key of the song,” according to Styles. Although intended to be a personal touch to add to the depth of the song, I do sometimes find myself skipping it. 

19. Falling

Losing yourself and not knowing who you are is something many people can relate to, but never open up about. Track 6 of Fine Line sees Harry in a sad state, asking listeners “What am I now? What if I’m someone I don’t want around?” There’s a hidden fear in his voice; he’s afraid of becoming someone he doesn’t like, he’s reaching a dark point and doesn’t know how to come back. The music video, which features Harry, a piano, and a room full of water, show the emotions of quite literally drowning in your own feelings and feeling lost.

The beginning of the video shows a breathless, soaking wet Harry who looks terrified, showing that he confronted his emotions and is ready to learn who he truly is. It flashes to Harry laying on a piano bench, sitting up and singing “There’s no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands” as he reaches for a glass of alcohol. He plays the piano, and as he plays, water begins to spill from the open top, eventually filling the room and drowning him. It symbolizes the feeling of losing yourself; drowning alone, hoping someone will ask if you’re okay and save you from yourself. Everything around you is floating and rising above the water but you’re sinking, emotions weighing you down and causing you to fall deeper. 

A lot of people believe “Falling” is a breakup song, I don’t see it that way. It feels like Harry wrote an open letter to himself, the music and emotion pouring out of him and becoming a work of art that perfectly sums up the feeling of reaching the lowest of lows. 

18. Only Angel

Starting off with an instrumental continuation of debut single “Sign of the Times”, “Only Angel” makes you feel like you’re floating through space as the lines “I saw this angel, I really saw an angel” from the movie Barfly, written by Charles Bukowski (who Styles has cited as an inspiration multiple times), weasel their way through the vocal chorus and spacey instrumentals. Suddenly, there’s a break and you’re immediately hit with a screaming “Hey, hey!” and the introduction of drums. “Open up your eyes, shut your mouth and see/ That I’m still the only one who’s been in love with me” Styles sings slyly, letting his narcissistic side shine through in a playful way. The song was the opening song for Harry’s “Live on Tour” world tour that ran from March 2018-July 2018, and rightfully so. It’s an excellent show starter; the buildup of the chorus leaves listeners waiting in anticipation for what will happen next, the “She’s an angel, whoo hoo/ Only angel, whoo hoo” chorus is great for stadiums, and the clapping in the bridge is infectious, making everyone want to get up on their feet and sing along. 

17. Treat People With Kindness

A song that can easily be mistaken as the theme song to a hit show of the 1970s, “Treat People With Kindness” is the slogan that Harry adopted in the early days of his solo career, even making it part of his merchandise; the slogan is on shirts, sweatshirts, and hair ties. Speaking about the song with Rob Sheffield, Harry said he always wanted to write a song using the infamous catchphrase. “It made me uncomfortable at first, because I wasn’t sure what it was — but then I wanted to lean into that. I feel like that song opened something that’s been in my core.”

The song is a positive anthem and expertly wraps up what the slogan is meant to be. “Giving second chances/ I don’t need all the answers/ Feeling good in my skin/ I just keep on dancing,” Styles sings. It’s an overall positive song with a positive message, and one that will most definitely be a highlight during his “Love on Tour” world tour. 

16. Kiwi

A rock anthem that quite literally shook the floor of Madison Square Garden, “Kiwi” is one of the peak moments of Harry Styles. With heavy guitars and a loud, rock chorus with lyrics “I’m having your baby/ It’s none of your business” and references to New York City, this song sees Styles take on something far from his One Direction days and turn into the Mick Jagger rocker the world sees him as. The song has a lot of little things to listen out for, such as a sniffle after the line “Holland Tunnel for a nose it’s always backed up” and a soft “Cha-ching!” after the lyric “And now she’s all over me it’s like I paid for it”. It’s a high energy song to get you on your feet and make you want to release your inner rockstar. 

15. Ever Since New York

An acoustic driven song with soft vocals, and rumored to be about learning the news of his late stepfather, Robin, having terminal cancer, “Ever Since New York” is a hard hitting, simple vocal number. “Choose your words ‘cause there’s no antidote/ For this curse, oh, what’s it waiting for?/ Must this hurt you just before you go?” Harry sings gently to his listeners. The soft drums and the acoustic guitar add to the emotion and the hard hitting feelings of losing someone you love. It’s simple in its delivery, but the soft, pleading vocals tell you all you need to know about what Harry was feeling in those moments of fear. 

14. From The Dining Table

An honest record talking about heartbreak and moving on, this song gives us a deeper look into Harry’s mind. The delivery of the line “Even my phone misses your call, by the way” makes the listener feel an odd sense of emptiness. The buildup of instruments in the bridge with the repetition of “Maybe you’ll call me and tell me that you’re sorry too” give a false sense of hope; when they fall quiet you’re left with a soft whisper of “But you, you never do,” signifying the finality of a relationship and moving on. It’s an honest and raw song, and shows a side of Harry not many people were expecting to hear on his debut album. 

13. Two Ghosts

Originally written in 2014 and in the works to become a One Direction song, we see Harry take on a slightly country feel with promotional single “Two Ghosts”. “Tongue tied like we’ve never known/ Telling those stories we already told/ ‘Cause we don’t say what we really mean” shows a failure to communicate in relationships, a topic widely discussed throughout Styles’ debut album. The song overall paints the picture of a troubled relationship, both parties unable to properly communicate their feelings, ultimately leaving them as “two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty,” the pessimism about the relationship moving forward shining through this line in particular. 

12. To Be So Lonely

Referred to by Harry as guitarist Mitch Rowland’s brainchild, this song is one of the most musically interesting pieces Harry has ever released. The use of a guitalele (a ukulele with six strings), the sounds of the strike of a match and blowing out a candle, and a nod to The Notebook with the lyric “I’m just an arrogant son of a bitch who can’t admit when he’s sorry” all make this song unique and a standout in Harry’s discography. The instrumental feels airy, but the lyrics come with a sense of loneliness that contradicts the carefree feeling of the instruments. “Don’t call me baby again/ You got your reasons/ I know that you’re tryna be friends, I know you mean it,” Styles sings in a somewhat harsh tone. 

11. Woman

The ideal jealousy song. The child-like sounding “la la la la la la”s in the chorus are sung in a mocking tone, possibly ‘Woman’ not wanting to hear Styles’ jealousy, or maybe even Styles not wanting to hear about ‘Woman’ with someone else. We see another hint at Harry’s admiration of Charles Bukowski; the lyric “You flower, you feast” draws direct inspiration from lines in Bukowski’s poem “Old Man, Dead In a Room”. Fueled by jealousy and anger of ‘Woman’ being in a new relationship, lines such as “He’s right where I should, where I should be/ But you’re making me bleed” and “Promises are broken like a stitch is” are a direct jealous hit at the person Harry sings about. One extra bonus that makes the song interesting and adds a unique touch that is very Harry- a sound effect on his voice that makes it sound like he’s a quacking duck. 

10. Adore You

The song that sparked the most interest on Fine Line when ads for a fake island called Eroda began to pop up on fans’ Facebook and Instagram feeds, “Adore You” is a fun, lighthearted song about the beginnings of a relationship. The music video has little easter eggs relating to the album, such as mentions of a Golden and Cherry Street, and follows the story of a ‘peculiar boy’ named Edward (played by Harry) saving a fish who doesn’t fit in with his school. The full length video is narrated by Rosalía, contemporary flamenco singer-songwriter. 

With heartfelt lyrics such as “I get so lost inside your eyes” and “I’d walk through fire for you/ Just let me adore you like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do,” Harry makes his audience understand the sweet puppy love that comes along with the beginning of a newfound relationship. It’s one of the lighter moments on Fine Line that leaves your heart feeling content. 

9. Lights Up

A song described by Harry as one written about freedom, self discovery, and self reflection, “Lights Up” was a smart single choice to kick off the Fine Line era which has been a lot more honest and freeing than his first record. The video shows a shirtless Styles surrounded by other shirtless men and women, touching him and trying to get his attention. He almost appears zombie-like, moving through the crowd in a trance as he sings about stepping into the light and how he’s “not ever going back”. Personally, I see it as a direct attack at the media who forces the womanizer image upon him; he’s surrounded by these people who try to get his attention, but he doesn’t seem interested, he’s passed around the crowd almost like an object. Flashes of Harry on a motorcycle being driven away by a masked person (who was later revealed to be actor Colton Haynes) could also be symbolic of Harry breaking away from his preconceived image and finally letting go of his past self. 

Throughout the song he asks the question “Do you know who you are?”, which was the original kickstart to the launch of the single. Posters with the above phrase were hung in different areas, and a website was launched where users could get pre generated answers to the question such as “You are the bees knees”, “You are reliable,” “You are adored,” among other positive messages. The song itself has elements of dance, soul, and proves to an audience that Harry is confident in his sound and isn’t looking to please anyone; he’s making music that he wants to make, and quite frankly, it’s wonderful.

8. Canyon Moon

A feel good song about reuniting with the one you love, “Canyon Moon” is one of the hidden gems among the Fine Line tracks. With whistles and claps, and Harry joyously repeating the line “I’m going home”, how can you not fall in love with this song? Drawing inspiration from Joni Mitchell, we see Styles lean into a Southern California style of writing and performing. He and co-writer/producer Kid Harpoon (Thomas Hull) even learned how to play a dulcimer from the woman who built one for Joni, Joellen Lapidus. It’s a heartwarming song that’s reminiscent of a past time while also hopeful of the future. And bonus- it’s Stevie Nicks’ favorite off of the album.

7. Sweet Creature

A soft acoustic number where Harry sings about a tough love, “Sweet Creature” is one of the sweetest love songs. Despite both lovers being “stubborn” and finding it hard to communicate (“I always think about you and how we don’t speak enough”), Harry still has so much love for his ‘sweet creature’. “Sweet creature, sweet creature/ Wherever I go, you bring me home,” Harry sings passionately, admiration clear in his voice as he sings. It’s an honest song, it highlights the difficulties in relationships, but shows that at the end of the day Harry and his significant other are committed to each other and can work through their hardships. 

6. Sunflower, Vol. 6

One of Harry’s more experimental songs, “Sunflower, Vol. 6” touches on the beginning stages of a new relationship. Harry sings about wanting to get to know his new love interest, “Sunflower, my eyes want you more than a melody/ Let me inside, wish I could get to know you” and not wanting to “act a fool” and mess things up so early on. It talks about the innocence of relationships; toothpaste kisses, dancing around the kitchen, and feeling tongue-tied around this new person. We see a more playful side of Harry, with little “boop, boop”s and “whoo”s at the end. It’s oddly romantic, but very sweet nonetheless.

5. She

This song sees Harry at, arguably, his most vulnerable. With 80% writing credits for this 6 minute song, we see Harry take on a psychedelic glam rock sound that resembles the likes of British rockers Pink Floyd and David Bowie. Speaking to Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone in an interview leading up to the album’s release, Styles said “Well, he [Mitch, guitarist] was on mushrooms, we all were. We had no idea what we were doing.” He goes on to say that the song was completely forgotten when returning to their sober state, and later the group went back to the song and fell in love with it, and due to the mushroom influence Mitch had forgotten how to play it and he had to learn the song all over again just by listening to it.

The lyrics seem nonsensical at first, which can easily be blamed on the mushroom trip. A man leads a normal life with a nine to five job, but can’t stop thinking about “She”, “a woman who’s just in his head”. There’s mention of leaving on a boat without telling anyone, and an epic two minute guitar solo to end the song leaving the listener wondering about the life of the man. Speculation about the lyrics among fans suggests that the lyrics are reflective of Styles coming to terms with his femininity and that “the man” and “she” are actually the same person, Harry himself. Whether this is actually the case or not, the song is still among some of his best work and introduces his audience to a different sound. 

4. Sign of the Times

Who would have thought Harry Styles would start his solo career with a five minute and forty second piano ballad? I’ll never forget the feelings I experienced listening to this song for the first time at 3 am when it premiered on BBC Radio 1, just mere hours before I had to be awake for school. “Just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times” Harry croons over a piano melody. The song launches into an epic Armageddon end of the world feeling when the chorus kicks in, complete with a powerful drum entrance and the belting out of “Just stop your crying it’s a sign of the times/ We gotta get away from here”. Speaking about the song in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe, Styles said that a lot of the issues with the world going on during the time were not political, but in fact were fundamental issues. “Equal rights. For everyone, all races, sexes, everything. … ‘Sign of the Times’ came from ‘This isn’t the first time we’ve been in a hard time, and it’s not going to be the last time.’” He goes on to say that the song is written in the perspective of a mother who gave birth to a child, but there were complications during the birth that wouldn’t allow her to make it through; she has a few minutes to tell her child “Go forth and conquer”. Although chilling, it’s an interesting mindset to take on and adds a lot more to the impact of the song on his audience. 

3. Fine Line

Styles’ longest song to date, title track Fine Line is the perfect way to end an overall excellent album. It builds up over the course of just over six minutes, going from a simple acoustic number and blossoming into a full blown orchestra as Harry promises “We’ll be alright”. It’s a reflective song; it has elements of every other song off of the album like the raw emotion that comes with “Cherry” and the vulnerability found in “She” and “Golden”, yet it’s so unique and different from any other song I’ve ever heard. It makes you feel. It’s raw, it’s honest, it’s quite frankly one of the most brilliant songs in his discography. Lyrics like “Put a price on emotion/ I’m looking for something to buy” and “You sunshine, you temptress/ My hand’s at risk I fold” show off Styles’ writing ability in a new light; it’s metaphorical, poetic, and it tugs at your emotions in a number of ways that are hard to put into words. 

The song itself is reflective of sad times, but as Harry belts out that final “We’ll be alright” and all that’s left is the soft piano chords lasting through the final seconds of the song, you’re left to pick up the sadness and move on to a more hopeful future. It’s beautiful.

2. Golden

Harry knows how to open an album, which is clear in both Harry Styles and more recently Fine Line with Track 1, “Golden”. First teased in a trailer for his upcoming “Love On Tour”, the soft clicks of the high hat keep you waiting in anticipation until you hear that first “Hey!” and you’re launched into the world of Fine Line. This drum driven track is the perfect soundtrack to any moment. It gives the illusion of being a happy song, but upon a closer listen to the lyrics, you can hear a hint of something else. This song makes you feel a range of emotions you can’t quite put your finger on; a reason why I fell so in love with it upon the first listen. Lyrics such as “I know you were way too bright for me/ I’m hopeless, broken” and “I don’t want to be alone” make you feel a sense of nostalgia. The guitar whine right before the final chorus as Harry sings “I know that you’re scared because I’m so open” is one of the most flawlessly timed instrumentals throughout the album, and it adds to the nostalgia aspect. It’s hard to properly articulate what this song is supposed to make you feel, it’s all dependent on the moment you’re listening to it. It’s a great song to drive to, to dance to, to scream at the top of your lungs, and even to cry to, “Golden” is a breakout moment for Harry and is an excellent choice to open his sophomore album with. 

1. Meet Me In The Hallway

On his most criminally underappreciated song, the perfect song to open Harry Styles with, we see a completely different side of Harry. The song starts off with an echoey whisper of “2, 3, 4”, immediately kicking into strumming of an acoustic guitar and a dreamlike bell sound backing it where Styles sings about leaving a bedroom, most likely after a fight, begging the question “Is there any more to do?” with pain clear in his voice. “Just let me know I’ll be at the door, at the door / Hoping you’ll come around” Styles sings as the guitar grows angrier and louder. A chorus of “I gotta get better”s give you a false sense of hope, maybe things will turn around. The nature of the harsh strumming and breathy vocals contradict the notion of a happy ending, but if there’s one thing Harry knows how to do, it’s play with his listeners’ emotions through his writing and sound. 

The song expertly introduces a clear theme within the self titled album that’s been mentioned quite a few times; lack of communication. “We don’t talk about it, it’s something we don’t do” Harry sings just above a whisper in the outro of the song, preparing the listener for the musical journey Harry Styles offers. “Meet Me In The Hallway” displays the right amount of melancholy, desperation, sadness, and sense of longing all wrapped up in a three and a half minute song, where Styles pleads with the person he’s singing to to just take his pain away. 

Both Harry Styles and Fine Line can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music streaming services.

Spotify  / Apple Music

Spotify / Apple Music