Why One Direction's "History" Music Video Matters

 

   Only a few hours ago, One Direction dropped their final music video off of Made in the AM for "History". Though every single thing One Direction does is obviously extremely important in my heart, this video really emphasized something to me; One Direction was, like many other people's, first band I got into. And when I say "got into", I mean full on knew every song, everything about the members, and loved everything about this band. One Direction was a gateway into my intense love for music and though I definitely have distanced myself from that genre, I still give credit for being the first musicians that really truly meant something to me.
   "History" was one of the first releases off of the band's latest, and rumor has it, last album and an already emotional one at that. Though I hadn't even looked close enough to think of it as a song to the fans, and more a relationship in the stages of a breakup, with the recent hiatus, it makes perfect sense. The song promises to never forget the memories and moments they've shared along with the ending line of "we can live forever", a note of no matter where the band goes, they'll never burn out. The video centers around the highlights of each of the boy's careers, the high points, the sold out shows, the funny times on the road, One Direction illustrates their own history. Getting their start on The X-Factor, you see your favorite five boys grow up in black and white with color shots of the present day and honestly, the comparison is quite emotional to watch. There's one less member than the past videos along with the fact that they no longer are teenagers, the ever so lovable boy band resembles well, adults.

   The "History" music video takes you through the memories you've created with the boys, the day they were signed, auditioning for the X-Factor, the various music video clips, and all the stupid backstage moments you can't help but forget. There's a tragic nostalgia to it when you realize you've grown up alongside these boys and looking at how far they've come. You see the various hairstyles and fashions and eras of the band, there's that connection of the jokes and moments and songs that come along with it. There's also the huge elephant in the room: Zayn. Ever since leaving the band, One Direction has been fairly quiet about the past member and I really appreciated how they didn't try to erase him from their history. Malik is pictured in multiple different scenes and valued as a member who brought quite a ton to the dynamic. 

   The last scene of the video is probably the most emotional; starting with their first performance, the last black and white scene is taken from their last time onstage before going on hiatus. The shot shows how far they've come along with how little they've changed. They started out as your classic boyband and since then, the personalities, writing styles, and dynamics have changed. They've grown but still honor their beginning and everything that came with it; "History" is a tribute to five albums, countless sold out shows, more than dedicated fans, and the boys themselves, growing up along with it. The song and video illustrate the unknown future and where the hiatus and band will go from here and where they'll all end up, with the last present day bit of them all walking in separate directions and waving goodbye to each other, there's high ambiguity as to what it means and an overall worry with it. I'm not nearly ready for the ending of One Direction but this video was definitely an incredible tribute to the band as they begin a new chapter, band or not.