Today is the first anniversary of Harry Styles’ second album, Fine Line. This pop-rock piece is one that has certainly helped many throughout the year.
His self-titled debut album set the scene but Fine Line was a reminder that Harry Styles is not only one of the best songwriters just now, but one of the most successful too.
He changed it up and it worked, something a lot of artists try and fail to do.
The song that has brought Styles the most success is the second track, Watermelon Sugar. This was released last November as a promotional track and yet a year later topped the Billboard Hot 100 this August, being his first Number One on it.
Watermelon Sugar is also nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at next year’s Grammy Awards.
Zane Lowe interviewed Styles about Fine Line, where Styles expressed that after his debut was out of the way, he felt more able to be himself in the second album.
The album as a whole is about being in love, breaking up, and then that realisation of having to find yourself again in self-love – a cycle that many people go through.
The first single, Lights Up, had speculation that it was about his sexuality due to the emphasis on being yourself. The video is also his first time publicly expressing himself which gave this album an identity and one that he deserves. ‘Do you know who you are?’, Styles asks in the song.
Styles has always been a private person on social media. However, tracks such as Falling, Cherry and To Be So Lonely are ultimately about breaking up with someone and in TBSL, Styles shares how he can be a jealous partner.
The final track and title-track, Fine Line, teaches the listener that no matter what, everything in the end is going to be fine.
Tracks; Golden, Adore You, She, Sunflower, Vol.6 and Canyon Moon all equally have a nice rhythm to them. They are all relaxing yet feel-good songs.
Styles has also had many personal achievements this year; his triple Grammy nominations (for the first time), and also performing Falling at The Brits and being nominated for two awards there.
We were all able to witness his heartwarming bond with Stevie Nicks as they performed tracks from her band Fleetwood Mac together. She even referred to Fine Line as Rumours – Fleetwood Mac’s well known album.
Styles became the first male in 127 years to appear on the cover of US Vogue. He did so in fashion, wearing a Gucci dress.
He told Vogue that we should not limit ourselves with clothes, that they are for everyone and anyone. He then went on to express his admiration for women’s clothes.
This faced a lot of unnecessary backlash, particularly with American right-wingers such as Candace Owens. She tweeted a long sexist disapproval that even stated “bring back manly men”.
However, Styles was not long in posting an Instagram of him in one of the Vogue shoots mocking her with the same caption, “bring back manly men”. Iconic.
Styles really taught the world to ‘Treat People With Kindness’ in what has been a difficult year for us all. This song about self-love is again something that we all need to work on and above all, we need to be kinder to each other.
2020 was the year of some of Harry Styles’ biggest accomplishments, so it really is no surprise that Fine Line was streamed more than one billion times. He really is an icon.
Featured image: Vogue
You must log in to post a comment.