Harry Styles becomes the first member of One Direction to notch multiple No. 1s on Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart, as “Watermelon Sugar” ascends from No. 2 to No. 1 on the list dated Aug. 8.
Styles first ruled the ranking with “Adore You” on the list dated April 11. Both songs are from his second solo LP, Fine Line, released on Erskine/Columbia Records. (With “Adore You” at No. 5, he joins 25 other acts historically by placing a record two songs in the top five simultaneously.)
Four members of One Direction have topped Pop Songs. No other group has more than two members with solo No. 1s.
Here’s a look at all the Pop Songs No. 1 by members of One Direction. (Zayn departed the act, which is currently on hiatus, in 2015.)
Harry Styles
“Watermelon Sugar,” one week to-date, Aug. 8, 2020
“Adore You,” one week, April 11, 2020
Liam Payne
“Strip That Down,” feat. Quavo; two weeks, beginning Oct. 14, 2017
Niall Horan
“Slow Hands,” one week, Oct. 7, 2017
Zayn
“Pillowtalk,” two weeks, beginning May 7, 2016
The Pop Songs chart, which began in 1992, measures total weekly plays, as tabulated by Nielsen Music/MRC Data, among its reporting panel of over 160 mainstream top 40 stations.
As a group, One Direction has tallied 13 Pop Songs entries, in 2012-16, including four top 10s: debut smash “What Makes You Beautiful” (No. 3, 2012); “Story of My Life” (No. 4, 2014); “Drag Me Down” (No. 6, 2015); and “Perfect” (No. 10, 2016).
Only two other groups each feature even two soloists with Pop Songs No. 1s: Fifth Harmony and Destiny’s Child. 5H’s Camila Cabello has achieved four leaders and Normani has notched one, while the group also earned one: “Work From Home,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, in 2016. Apart from Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé has banked six solo No. 1s and Kelly Rowland has scored one. The act collected two No. 1s: “Jumpin’, Jumpin’ ” and “Independent Women Part 1,” in 2000-01.
Meanwhile, Louis Tomlinson could make for a clean sweep as far as One Direction members topping Pop Songs. So far, he’s earned three entries, reaching a No. 25 high with “Back to You,” featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals, in 2017.