I Think I'm Gonna Win This Time: The One Direction Discography Rate

I've had it on repeat all day, send help! I didn't even realize how many feelings I had about it til yesterday.

Kiss You and Fireproof are both worthy winners. Enough so that I almost want a Runners Up rate (ala the Winners Rate) so both could compete.

 

I've got butterflies in my stomach.

















This rate is so very dear to me.

























:








I love both of these songs, but only one can win.




















Before we get to our winner, please join me in paying tribute to our more than deserving runner up:​

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#2. Fireproof [8.792]

High Score: 11 x 8 (@eccentricsimply, @Fever, @GhettoPrincess, @Macsun, @ohnostalgia, @tylerc904, @wackseed, @Xanthippe) 10 x 9 (@CorgiCorgiCorgi, @DJHazey, @KAG, @Lost In Japan., @MarkB, @MollieSwift21, @sexercise, @Subwaykid, @With The Bands)
Low Score: 0 x 1 (@Mr. Right), 3 x 1 (@iheartpoptarts), 4 x 1 (@A$AP Robbie), 6 x 2 (@Sprockrooster, @VivaForever)


I've had over a month to sit with that zero and honestly I don't want to dignify it with a response. Instead I'm going to focus on the following: 1) Fireproof was your #1 song for approximately half the voting period, 2) for a good week Fireproof had a 10+ average, 3) you blessed Fireproof with the most 11s. While Fireproof is not the winner of this rate, I'm so endeared by how many voters embraced this beautiful gem of a pop song into their hearts. In my eyes, that's just as amazing as if it'd taken the crown.


Flashback to September 8th, 2014: One Direction releases Fireproof as a free download on their website for twenty-four hours. I'm struggling to express the pure euphoria I felt that day. If I could use one word to describe Fireproof it would be stunning. Gorgeous harmonies, gorgeous melody, gorgeous lyrics, gorgeous everything. This wouldn't sound out of place on a Fleetwood Mac album, which is the highest of compliments from me. I never ever ever thought One Direction was capable of this. I think it's completely fair to say that Fireproof took over my life. I vividly remember driving to a pumpkin festival with my two friends, blasting Fireproof, singing along with complete abandon in the backseat. Our joy turned to absolute delight when a middle aged woman gave us the stink eye at a red light. Oh to not understand, to not be Fireproof; what a terrible fate indeed. As some of you are aware, my lifelong battle with anxiety took a sharp disastrous turn in 2014. I can't help but notice how well that opening line matches my experiences: "I think I'm going to lose my mind, something deep inside me I can't give up. I think I'm gonna lose my mind, I roll and I roll 'til I'm out of luck." It's like a gut punch, but in a good way? And to close it with the complete reverse is so completely staggering to me: "I think I'm gonna win this time, riding on the wind and I won't give up. I think I'm gonna win this time, I roll and I roll 'til I change my luck." It's such a powerful moment for me. One that I'm so glad I got to experience at the very first live performance of Fireproof. Truly, it was meant to be.


I really do appreciate that @iheartpoptarts (3) softened the blow for me- "I hate to be so negative, but this was honestly such an “I give up” moment for me. All of a sudden they didn’t even sound like the kind of group I’d listen to anymore.."


@A$AP Robbie (4) has- "no idea why this was the grat track" but I think that all the times I've played this for people and they've fallen in love says it all.


@VivaForever (6) - "I know you’re all going to hate me, but this is just okay for me, not world-changing. But still, better than average, and therefore far better than 90% of Midshite Memories." I guess I shouldn't expect someone who thought Hilary Duff's Little Lies was an original song to get it.


I love @Furball (7) for giving it a chance- "It's nice I suppose, but 70s is not my fave decade."


We're through, @Posh Spears (7.5)- "This song is fine but I don’t think it’s gonna win this time. Sorry @ohnostalgia."


@SophiaSophia (8)- "This has potential grower all over it." You'll never forget it.


@First2Run (9)- "What a pleasant slow-jam, which is usually a One Direction weak spot."


Err... this is awkward @constantino (9)- "Wait at Niall actually sounding decent for once! When I saw the title I was expecting a bop, which this certainly isn’t, but it’s a nice song regardless. The decision to give the first two verses to Niall and Louis cost this a 10. Like Night Changes, the chorus is subtle but deadly with repeated listens. It’s remarkable how much more prominent Zayn’s vocals are to me now that I’ve heard his solo work. I definitely appreciate him more now." ...... You do realize Harry opens this? Right?


@Up Down Suite (9.5) singles out my fave part- "Ah, the free download track. I enjoyed this from the very first play, the backing vocals are bliss."


@sexercise (10)- "Finally their folk nonsense done right. The day they gave this for free was a great one."


@With The Bands (10) - "Simply sublime, a career highlight – those harmonies!"


@CorgiCorgiCorgi (10)- "This is very Fleetwood Mac. And I love it."


@KAG (10)- "I like this song a lot. It's melodically sturdy, the production is smooth and everyone sounds good. I love their harmonizing. The instrumental after Louis' verse is awkward though."


Zayn and Liam have @DJHazey (10) praising male vocalists! "This song is sweet and has an old school 70s easy-listening vibe to it. Whoever is providing the higher registers in the chorus really does a great job selling this song. This is probably what a One Direction campfire song would sound like. It probably would have been a better choice for lead single, instead of the ’free download’ treatment it apparently got."


@Macsun (11) captures this beauty in three words- "Classic melancholic masterpiece. Should be heralded at what great stuff 1D can produce. Liam's(?) harmonies all over the place is everything"


@eccentricsimply (11)- "It's so good. It has a really nice vibe to it, it's a lovely song and the lyrics are really good. The arrangement is great. It deserved more than it got. It's my 11."


This is beautiful, @Xanthippe (11)- "i absolutely love this song, it´s like a musical embrace, i can listen to this over and over again, and i love it more every time."


@tylerc904 (11)- "A last minute switch to my 11. Those last cascading choruses are just heavenly. An example of their potential realized, shame it wasn't a single."


This is honestly better than my entire write-up, please don't skim our final commentary from @wackseed (11)- "As I recall the boys took turns writing the songs on this album, and Liam and Louis wrote this one. It could be taken as a song about a relationship, but really this song is 100% about the members of the band at a time when they were on the verge of falling apart. It's honest and candid, just short of becoming raw in how needy and fervent the chorus is. It's about love coming to an end, while being aware that nobody else is going to love you like that person – or those four people – did."

 

Okay, I've dried my eyes.














No more tears.














It's time to celebrate your ultimate One Direction song!


















And what a winner it is!

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#1. Kiss You [9.181]

High Score: 11 x 5 (@Animalia, @A$AP Robbie, @Daniel!, @iheartpoptarts, @sexercise), 10 x 15 (@constantino, @DJHazey, @Fever, @First2Run, @KAG, @Lost In Japan., @MollieSwift21, @Mr. Right, @ohnostalgia, @Petty Mayonnaise, @Posh Spears, @Remorque, @SophiaSophia, @Txetxu, @With The Bands)
Low Score: 5 x 2 (@Furball, @GhettoPrincess), 6 x 1 (@Xanthippe)

So tell me girl if every time we to-o-uch
You get this kind of ru-u-ush


​

If Fireproof is One Direction's most beautiful song, Kiss You is their masterclass pop showcase. I'll be having the worst day, but as soon as I put on Kiss You everything is right with the world. It doesn't matter what shitty comments people make about you when you're lost in hook after hook after hook after hook from our Swedish songwriting friends. I could probably write a love song to that opening riff and I don't think that would be an excessive display of affection. The repetitive vocal hooks within the verses immediately capture my attention, driving towards Liam's incredibly delivered: "and if yoooooooouuuuuuuuu, you want me toooooooooooooooooooooooooo, let's a make a mooooooooooooove." GODDAMN!!!! I have it memorized and yet I'm never quite prepared. They don't even give you a breather before launching into easily one of my top ten pop choruses, one I never tire of shouting at the top of my lungs. Another of my favourite moments is the short but sweet bridge, where they echo "let me kiss you" in the most delightful way. If you listen to this and all you do is shrug your shoulders, I have nothing further to say to you. Please leave the rate immediately.


Released as the 2nd single from Take Me Home, Kiss You did not receive #popjustice, peaking at #9 on the UK Singles Chart and #46 on the Billboard Hot 100. What was wrong with the world in 2012? Oh right, it probably wasn't EDM-y enough or something. Yet another reason to continue my grudge against popular music from that year. I feel strangely vindicated now. Regardless of its chart performance, I'm happy Kiss You was released as a single because it shows One Direction at their peak boyband imagery. It's just soooooo much fun! I actually get really sad when I remember the few good music videos we got, since most of them are steaming piles of shit delivered by Ben Winston. But at least we can remember them how they were, not as they are. I think @iheartpoptarts set up a permanent time share at the set, but I'll look the other way and start the commentary instead.



This is awful and you should feel awful, @Furball (5)- "Loses points for chinny chin chins. Ties with Little Things for their worst single."


@Xanthippe (6)- " It took me a while to figure out what a chinny chin chin is supposed to be…" AGAIN?


@Sprockrooster (8) continues his one man performance art- "A fun bop, but nothing too special."


@wackseed (8.5) needs to pay more attention to the consent seeking lyrics- "Before you touch her! Ask! (Shania Rate throwback, god bless). Still, this song is very cute and sweet, much like this entire album – it's more about a fun, happy, positive relationship. Of course they gave poor Nialler the dumb chinny-chin-chin line, though."


@Macsun (8.5), I have some news for you- "The start of their many great songs never released as singles"


@VivaForever (9) STILL fails to get it- "This isn’t quite on the level of Beautiful/One Thing for me, but it’s a monster. I heard it on the radio once and I was like yaaaaas **** me qu– oh. The video is a hot mess."


Say it ain't so, @CorgiCorgiCorgi (9)- "A roller coaster ride from start to finish! I don't really care for the squeaky instrumental, but the vocals are great."


@Up Down Suite (9) didn't hate it!!!! "Great choice for single, should’ve been the lead of Take Me Home. It’s a boyband moment, but it has a nice feel to it. And the video is really cute."


@eccentricsimply (9)- "It's! Just! So! Much! Fun! Their second best single after Best Song ever, their performance of this at The X Factor UK 2012 was sensational."


@KAG (10)- "This is one of their best singles. It's bombastic, exuberant and has aged well. I love the witty and snappy verses and the hook is MASSIVE! "


@Lost In Japan. (10) describes a fever dream- "There was a glorious few months in early 2012 where this would actually play in clubs and I got my life every. single. time. The production on this is phenomenal, the way the guitar BANGS during the chorus, and even Louis and Niall sound good."


@SophiaSophia (10)- "This is my favourite single by them"


@First2Run (10)- "This song goes AWF."


@DJHazey (10)- "Easily one of the catchiest songs I've heard from them, so it was an instant 10. This one smacks in the face with a stomping beat that build up to such a bouncing chorus. It's clearly build for fist-pumping, hand clapping, and shouting along to the lyrics...so I'm sure fans had this ear-marked as a potential concert highlight."


@With The Bands (10)- "Just phenomenal."


@Posh Spears (10)- "An absolutely amazing song that lead to their best music video "


@constantino (10)- "One of their best; it’s fun, it’s breezy and it’s catchy, which is all I’d ever want/expect from a One Direction single. I like the way the chorus is slower than the verses, it creates a more interesting dynamic for a pop song than the standard chorus-heavy affair. "


@sexercise (11)- "Their best video/single/era/everything. This should’ve SMASHED. Peak One Direction stanning for me."


@A$AP Robbie (11)- "The perfect 1D song, basically. Everything about it is amazing."


High praise from @iheartpoptarts (11)- "An obvious 11 for me. I’ve said it before, but I still believe this is the single greatest boyband song to come along since the Backstreet/*NSYNC glory days. That to-o-ouch/ru-u-ush bit will never not hit me so hard."


I'll give the final word to @Animalia (11)- "Everything about this song is just right. It's catchy, it's dancey, it has karaoke-style NA NA NAs, it's got that signature boyband cheekiness to it, the verses and choruses are equally sing-along-able, everything. Plus the video was amazing. Plus plus it had the boys in sailor outfits, so, you know."[/SIZE]

baby, say yeah yeah yeah!
baby, say yeah yeah yeah!
baby, say yeah yeah yeah!
baby, say yeah yeah yeah!


xoxo, @ohnostalgia​

 

Amazing comments for both songs @SophiaSophia!

I said I wouldn't dwell on that zero but FIREPROOF COULD'VE HAD A NINE AVERAGE SOB. Okay, I'm done. Bitterness gone.

Also I will post album summaries tomorrow cause I'm tired.

Thanks for all the lovely comments and for putting up with my extraness.

 

Thank you for running such a great rate @ohnostalgia

I actively hate most 70's music but Fleetwood Mac is one of the exceptions. I just knew it was going to get some really low scores thrown at it ensuring Kiss You victory. A brilliant song.

Kiss You is so much fun. The music video matched the fun too. One of the few times they all looks liked they were enjoying being in a boyband.