Ranking Harry Styles’ 5 Music Videos, Based on YouTube Views
Harry Styles has such passionate fans, which only makes sense considering the years he spent with One Direction and then the stellar albums he put out afterward. Interestingly, though, after two solo albums, Styles only has five music videos. But, it’s obviously quality over quantity for Styles because they’re all well worth a watch. Here’s a ranking of his five music videos, based on how many views they have on YouTube.
“Sign of the Times”
Coming in the number one spot is “Sign of the Times,” with over 624 million views and over 4.9 million likes. It’s Styles’ first solo video and also his first single while going solo as well. The song itself is sad and sobering but also very powerful. Styles told Rolling Stone it’s from the perspective of a mother who’s dying after childbirth and gives her infant parting words.
The video shows Styles in the air in a gorgeous coastal, green space, over water. Between the ethereal visuals and the strong lyrics, it’s a fantastic debut music video.
“Adore You”
“Adore You” is number two with 81 million views. It’s the second music video from his album Fine Line and is one of his most whimsical ones. The song is really just Styles proclaiming his love for someone, who he’d “walk through fire” for. And the video takes that meaning and instead places it on a mystical fish.
Instead of Styles having a love interest in the video, it shows him as an outcast in a fishing town because of his too-bright smile. He befriends a struggling fish who grows rapidly. The fish becomes Styles’ best friend, but then becomes too big for human-made tanks.
“Lights Up”
“Lights Up” is the first music video to come from his second album. It has 64 million views on YouTube and caused quite a stir when it premiered. The video depicts a massive party atmosphere for Styles and his friends and it’s very sensual. Many people think it’s Styles “coming out” while others just embrace the bisexual undertones of the video.
Styles told Capital FM that the song is about “freedom” and “self-reflection and self-discovery.” Styles said, “A couple things that I’ve thought about and I guess wrestle with a little bit over the last couple years. It’s kind of like just accepting all of those things. It’s a very positive song to me.”
“Watermelon Sugar”
Next up is Styles’ most recent music video, “Watermelon Sugar.” It was truly the bright spot people needed when it came out in May, amid the COVD-19 pandemic. Touching is a big no-no right now, so this video that’s “dedicated to touching” with its summer attitude was uplifting, to say the least.
It currently has over 53 million views and heavily features watermelons, go figure. But the song has been rumored to be about oral sex, even though Styles hasn’t wholeheartedly confirmed that just yet. But the sensual touching and watermelon eating seems to prove it is. He told PopBuzz that it’s about the early, happy stages of being in a relationship.
“Kiwi”
“Kiwi” is really just a fun song that’s high-energy and talks about sex, drugs, a one-night stand, and more. But the video just focused on the energetic part, and showed kids in an elementary school having a massive food fight. It’s intense and hilarious, and really well shot too. Styles comes in at the end with puppies and partakes in the fight as well. Fun antics all around, really.
“Falling”
“Falling” is one of Styles’ saddest songs. The lyrics depict a failed romance, one that was possibly all Styles’ fault. He told Zane Lowe, “I had started to feel myself becoming someone I didn’t want to be, and that was really hard.” He sings about no one to blame “but the drink and my wandering hand” and how he has the feeling that the person “will never need [him] again.”
That depressing feeling of not being able to hold onto someone you love, that slipping feeling, is well-represented in the drowning aspect of Styles at his piano in the music video. The video just exudes sadness but mixed in with beautiful visuals. It might be one of his most poignant videos to date.
