In his One Direction days, Harry Styles (and his former bandmates) were more or less satisfied with creating music videos that consisted of little more than them singing to the camera and, subsequently, causing a major swoonfest on the other side of the screen.
Videos by American Songwriter
In his solo career, Styles has proven to be quite the masterful visual maker, opting for more conceptual pieces than what he created alongside 1D. From human-fish hybrids to flying around Scotland, Styles has no shortage of interesting music videos to dissect. Find five of our favorites below.
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1. “Golden”
You can almost feel the warm Amalfi sun and smell the coastal breeze while watching the music video for “Golden.” Given that “Golden” acts as the opening track to Styles’ second album, Fine Line, the accompanying visual is just the ticket to help set the project apart from his debut. He sets his sophomore project in a particular time and place with this music video: Italy in the summertime, a cool breeze in his hair, and reveling in newfound love.
2. “Adore You”
During his Fine Line era, Styles started to get a little more conceptual with his music videos. In the visual for “Adore You,” Styles creates a fictitious seaside town and an ever-growing fish companion that he is tasked with protecting. It is delightfully weird and not what anyone who was still viewing Styles through the boyband lens would expect.
3. “Music For a Sushi Restaurant”
Speaking of delightfully weird: Styles plays a human-fish hybrid in the music video for “Music For a Sushi Restaurant.” Part mind trip, part commentary on fame, the music video had many of Styles’ fans tilting their heads in wonder. Not just anyone could come up with the concept for this visual and even fewer could pull it off.
4. “As It Was”
“As It Was” marked a major shift in Styles’ career. The song became Styles’ highest-performing single and the music video no doubt helped to foster its success. Relatively simple in scope, the music video sees Styles and a dance partner running around revolving platforms and busting out a series of interpretive moves. It’s not one of Styles’ more imaginative visuals, but we can’t count out how integral it is to Styles’ career.
5. “Sign of the Times”
You can’t forget the music video that started it all for Styles: “Sign of the Times.” The classic rock-inspired track kicked off Styles’ solo career and the accompanying music video was just as name-making. The former boy-bander is seen flying over a scenic, Scottish landscape. It was striking enough to get the whole world talking about Styles – and they haven’t stopped since.
(Photo by Jacopo Raule/FilmMagic)
