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Happy Birthday Niall Horan: Listen To His Top 5 Solo Songs As One Direction Alum Turns 31
Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan continues to win fans' hearts through his soulful voice and relatable lyrics. From This Town to Too Much To Ask to Slow Hands, the One Direction alum has delivered many magical tracks. In celebration of his 31st birthday, we revisit his top 5 solo songs.
Mellow-voiced Irish singer-songwriter Naill Horan made his debut in the 2010 season of The X Factor as a member of boy band One Direction. The group released five albums and became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. After the band’s hiatus in 2016, Horan shifted his focus entirely to his solo career.
Signed to Capitol Records, he has released three consecutive albums, each containing multiple popular tracks. From No Judgement to Slow Hands to The Town, he has continued to capture the hearts of fans worldwide with his soulful voice and relatable lyrics. In celebration of his 31st birthday, here are the top five must-listen solo tracks. Alexa play Niall Horan!
1. No Judgement
No Judgement was released as the third single of Horan’s second studio album Heartbreak Weather in 2020. The song’s immense popularity led it to reach number 97 on Billboard Hot 100, making Niall Horan's fifth entry on the chart. Additionally, this track was nominated for the Choice Music Prize Song in 2021.
This upbeat romance track explores the idea of love free from societal criticism. In the song, Horan plays a role where he and his lover can live happily out of fear and being judged- a space where they can be their true selves without camouflage. Reflecting on this melody, Horan shared in an interview, “There's no judgment when you're with me. Enough people have judged, so there's no need for me to judge you.”
No Judgment conveys the freedom of uninhibited, non-judgmental relationships, where peace and comfort are crucial. In such a relationship, there is no appointed schedule- no fixed time for sleep or breakfast- and the partner is always there as a shoulder to cry on. The supreme connection- where nothing needs to be hidden!
2. Nice To Meet Ya
Horan wrote this song inspired by real-life events, recalling a brief encounter with a woman during a night out with friends. The singer once told Billboard that he started chit–chatting with a woman who was part of his friends group. Each time he saw her, she would momentarily disappear from the panorama.
Interestingly, Horan kept bumping into the woman at various bars throughout the night. Based on a true story, this pop song was released in 2019 and debuted on 20 in the Hot 100 Billboard chart. Nice To Meet Ya stands out as an optimistic and cheerful song, leaving an endless impression on listeners.
3. Slow Hands
For Slow Hands, Horan drew inspiration from the music of the ‘70s and ‘80s, aiming to create a song that oozes a sense of fun with heavy guitars and hefty vocals. The track explores elements of early ‘80s grit, alongside funky, rich bass lines.
Billboard described this distinctive pop song as an R&B-inflected rock tune, offering a funky groove. The song showcases Horan’s versatility as an artist.
4. Too Much To Ask
Too Much To Ask is a heart-wrenching plea from a heartbroken lover to his girlfriend after she leaves him. Every beat of his life seems to pause at the place where she left. As he drinks with friends and watches a couple kiss on the subway- he can’t stop missing her. His recurring question is, has he asked too much?
This captivating track is from Horan's debut album, Flickr, released in 2017. That same year he also won the prize at People's Choice Awards for Best Breakout Artist. In an interview with BBC news, Horan shared his thoughts about this melody, "I'd obviously like to go to number one, it would be a dream, but it is what it is. I don't mind if it gets a lot of love and jumps in at number two or number three."
5. This Town
Horan represents the city as a metaphor for a lover in the track This Town. In this love song, the lover returns to the city after many years, hoping to reconnect with both his lover and the city itself. He admits that he could not forget this city and lover. While his lover's heart may have wandered to many places, he remains devoted to her.
The layered meaning of this track makes it indelible. This Town is Horan's first single, released just months after One Direction's hiatus. Surprisingly it debuted at the top of the Billboard charts and trended on Twitter. Within weeks, it also peaked at number 9 on the UK Official Singles Chart.
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