Whenever I’m in the car with my dad, we count how many times Harry Styles plays on the radio. Whether it’s the bittersweet “As It Was,” the upbeat “Late Night Talking,” or, on occasion, the high-energy, moody “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” we almost always hear at least one of Styles’ billboard tracks. 

But Styles’ newest album, Harry’s House, goes beyond three radio hits. The album is carefully crafted, showcasing his writing, vocal, and overall musical talent, providing a meaningful glimpse into his personal life. It’s no surprise he’s currently selling out stadium after stadium on a global scale.

Not only is each song a masterpiece itself, but the specific placement of the tracks displays clear attention to detail, creating a rollercoaster of emotions for listeners. One moment you’re jamming out to “Daylight,” listening as Styles masks his frustration of being apart from a lover with an upbeat, pop-rock tune, and the next you’ve entered the realms of Styles’ somber lamentations in “Little Freak,” a serenade touching on regrets regarding a failed relationship. 

He emotionally sings: “I’m not worried about where you are/Or who you go home to, I’m just thinking about you.” “Matilda” follows, equally emotional: Styles directly addresses “Matilda,” reassuring her (and listeners): “you can let it go,” and “you don’t have to be sorry for leaving and growing up.”

Placing the heavy “Little Freak” and “Matilda” adjacent, sandwiched between brighter songs, including the funky “Grapejuice” and all-out optimistic “Daydreaming,” is what makes Harry’s House a dynamic, heartfelt collection that, upon first listen, I couldn’t pause. Opening with five upbeat songs, the album picks up speed: you feel transported to another world. 

But when the opening beats of “Little Freak” begin, Styles declares “calm down,” bringing listeners back to reality by addressing the less positive aspects of life, continuing this theme with “Matilda.” 

Listeners are immediately picked off their feet again as Styles asks, “Do you think I’m cool, too? Or am I too into you?” over a catchy guitar and drum beat in “Cinema.” Momentum builds up again with “Daydreaming,” “Keep Driving,” and “Satellite,” finally slowing down at the close of the album with the mellow tunes of “Boyfriends” and “Love Of My Life.”

Some deem the album “mundane.” While they might not be entirely wrong, therein lies the magic of Styles: while singing about perhaps “boring” topics, he emphasizes the beauty in the mundane ups and downs of life, which deserve to be celebrated as highly as his music. Harry’s House set the tone for the spring and summer of 2022 when it was released in May, but will no doubt continue uplifting and inspiring listeners through 2023 and beyond.