One Direction return to the album charts this week with their second record Take Me Home and to say that I’m not looking forward to the release may be a little bit of an understatement.
Let's get this straight, everything from here on in is opinion, if you hadn't figured that out already, feel free to form your own around the band.
So, with that little warning out of the way, I’ve have decided to air my dirty washing and outline a couple of reasons why I'm personally not the biggest fans of the boy-band, but also why I think they’ve done quite as well as they have.
One Catchy Song –
Here’s an exercise for you. Apart from What Makes You Beautiful, can you name another One Direction song? Is there any other track that pops into your noggin whenever their names are mentioned?
While their debut single was a massive, worldwide hit, none of the band’s other singles have even come close to repeating the trick. What Makes You Beautiful is still the bands only number one single, which is quite disappointing considering that the amount of buzz there is around the guys.
Until they can capture lightning in a bottle for a second time, that’s the only song that anyone’s going to remember them for.
They’re Just Not Very Good –
Let’s be honest here, they’re not the best singers are they? They’re not supremely talentless, and between them they don’t make your ears bleed, but they’re never much higher than average.
While their competitors aren’t much better (neither The Wanted or JLS will be picking up the Mercury Music Prize any time soon), they just pale into comparison when compared to the singer/songwriters that are now the dominant force in the charts.
Compared to the boy-bands of yesteryear, One Direction don’t stack up either, with Take That still that far out in front that Harry Styles and the gang can’t even see them.
Adele or Ed Sheeran shouldn’t even consider looking over their shoulders.
Bad PR –
When have you ever looked at One Direction and ever thought of them as the shy, retiring, artistic type? No, they’ve never really appeared humble or overflowing with artistic creativity, shirking that to build up the ‘lads having fun’ image a little bit more.
It would help if they weren’t constantly getting forced down your throat, with the band’s name almost constantly in the entertainment news (and yes, I do appreciate the irony of this post about them).
Why They’ve Made It So Big
That One Catchy Song Is Incredibly Catchy –
The reason why we all keep hearing What Makes You Beautiful every time that One Direction are mentioned is because it’s a truly comically evil piece of music making and catchier than a cold in winter.
No matter how much you might hate the song, you just can’t help but have it stick in your cranium, even if you do your absolute best to get rid of it. Even if you haven’t heard it in months, that chorus is just waiting to jump out and grab you once again.
They’re Not Bad On The Eyes (if you’re 12)–
Personally, I don’t get it, but the five guys appear to be right up many people’s metaphorical alleys. And in the world of entertainment, be it music or movies, people will always follow the good looking people. Hell, look at every mainstream pop artists right now. Can you name an ugly one? That’s because it’s a major tool.
Would JLS or The Wanted have gotten their videos played so much if they all looked like a group of cave dwelling trolls? Would Brad Pitt have gotten as far as he has if he looked like Steve Buscemi? Of course not.
So, the five guys’ obvious photogenic qualities are of course put front and centre, just like they have been throughout music history and have netted them an army of teenage fans who’ve fallen for their easy smiles and expertly prepared hair.
So there it is, exactly why One Direction has become the world’s biggest boyband and why I really can’t wait until one of them becomes too big for their britches and leaves to do solo stuff, sending the rest of the group into free-fall.
FemaleFirst - Cameron Smith
Tagged in Music News One Direction