Since One Direction went on hiatus in 2015 after releasing their fifth record Made in the AM, it was unknown where the members would go individually as solo artists. Now that we’ve heard from Louis Tomlinson who released the single “Just Hold On” with DJ Steve Aoki, and Irishman Niall Horan sharing the folky acoustic track “This Town,” the bands most famous member Harry Styles has dropped a song of his own. “Sign of the Times” is a nearly six-minute long pop piano ballad that shows off Styles and his vocals in a new light. Bringing in influences from the 1970’s, Styles has embarked on a new path and with a new sound that isn’t supposed to come from a member of a boy band. Wanting to be free of the chains from his previous group “Sign of the Times” is the song that Styles was always meant to sing.
While the track is a bit on the long side for a lead single, Styles makes it work, singing a chorus that becomes a constant loop in your head. While it was worrisome at first whether the single would live up to the endless amounts of hype it has garnered, the hype was worth it, as Styles has become his own man, with his own voice. With a new full length record (which is currently untitled) set to be released in the coming months, it will be interesting to see what else Styles has up his sleeve, but for now “Sign of the Times” is an excellent track to keep us satisfied.
Listen to “Sign of the Times” below.
