Lots of Halloween costumes probably got decided this morning when the guys of One Direction dropped their latest music video for “Drag Me Down.”
The video found the now-foursome training to be astronauts, rocking out in a space station and experiencing zero gravity. It was certainly a welcome treat from the group, marking their 15th music video as a band. (We’re counting all songs that were released as singles, as listed here.)
All One Direction Singles, Ranked Worst to Best
Check out Billboard’s ranked list of every One Direction music video, from their first official single to today’s new vid. Where does your favorite rank?
15. “More Than This”
First things first: Yes, if you see yourself in the crowd, this is going to be your favorite video. But going the concert footage route, while understandable, doesn’t really feel like it’s on the same level as their other music videos. Doesn’t mean we don’t want to listen to the tune on repeat.
14. “One Thing”
The follow-up to One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” video is… basically a retread of the “What Makes You Beautiful” video, albeit with slightly nicer clothes. That’s fine, but not the makings of a high-ranking video.
13. “Gotta Be You”
The second single off Up All Night had the unfortunate task of following up teen pop beach perfection “What Makes You Beautiful.” Trading in the latter’s danceable fun, this slower jam is an ode to that one special girl. There’s nothing wrong with the video that features a lot of the dudes walking to the camera, but it’s certainly not among the most memorable moments in their oeuvre.
12. “Steal My Girl”
Look, we love Danny DeVito as much as anyone, but a gloriously messy music video is still a mess, after all. The wacky, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink concept of “Steal My Girl” is cute at first, but wears out its welcome over the course of five minutes.
11. “Live While We’re Young”
Anybody want to go camping? It’s just a fun summer day for 1D for the first single off Take Me Home. Hanging out in a tent, playing soccer, throwing each other in a lake — the tune that’s a peppy slice of teen pop gets a perfect match in this clip that shows off that carefree, summer-with-your-buds euphoria that’s particularly potent during the teen years.
10. “One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)”
Their charity single is straightforward and fun. The dudes eschewed fancy production in favor of showcasing life on the road and managed to raise a ton of money for Comic Relief in the process. Cue the selfie cams all over London. Well done.
9. “Little Things”
The guys should be praised for trying something new for the second single off Take Me Home, leaving the partying behind for a black-and-white video that simply showcases the ballad entirely in the studio. It’s lovely to watch, but it doesn’t beg for repeat viewings the way some of their others do.
8. “Story of My Life”
The memories of the One Direction members come to life in the “Story of my Life,” which is necessarily melodramatic and sheds some insight into the past of the five U.K. lads.
7. “Midnight Memories”
It’s one crazy night for the guys in the video for the third single off Midnight Memories. The dudes rock out at a house party in London then find themselves roaming the streets, palling around on a boat, and even hanging out atop a bridge. The likable, easygoing chemistry between the group elevates what could be fairly forgettable fare into something more special.
6. “You & I”
“You & I” possesses a simple but arresting visual idea: a one-shot rendering of the boys, with dazzling effects morphing the members into each other and blending motion shots with wondrous still-frames.
5. “Drag Me Down”
Houston, we have a… boy band? In their latest video, One Direction sets their sights on the stratosphere and takes their fans through a NASA training program. It’s a more entertaining exploration than their straightforward clips.
4. “Night Changes”
The second and final video from Four makes the most of its unhappy status as Zayn Malik’s last One Direction visual, as the inventive clip takes the viewer on a series of first-person dream dates with the 1D boys… which end up becoming nightmare scenarios.
3. “What Makes You Beautiful”
There’s no high-concept twist to 1D’s first official video following The X Factor — just Harry, Zayn, Louis, Niall and Liam palling around without a care in the world, skipping through the sunshine, ready to conquer the pop universe. It’s heartwarming, really.
2. “Best Song Ever”
One Direction are here to remind you that they aren’t a typical boy band. And in the joyous video for their lead single off Midnight Memories, the guys play themselves — as well as various Hollywood types. Which means silly voices, not-so-choreographed dance moves, and Zayn in drag. Yup, okay.
1. “Kiss You”
The boys become the movie star fantasy of every teenage dream in a silly video that helpfully remembers that boy bands are suppose to be fun. And fun is clearly the center of this Take Me Home track, in scenes that find the guys rocking out in prison, on a ski slope, and surfing a wave as the likable chemistry between the five is on display.