''Midnight Memories'' is the third studio album by English-Irish
boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
One Direction
One Direction, often shortened to 1D, are an English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010. The group are composed of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and previously Zayn Malik until his departure from the gr ...
, released on 25 November 2013 by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
,
Syco Music and
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. It was described as having a "slightly rockier tone" than their previous efforts.
The album became the fastest-selling album in
Amazon UK
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...
history, breaking the record set by their previous release, ''
Take Me Home'' (2012). It debuted at number one on the US
''Billboard'' 200, making One Direction the first group in history to debut at number one in the US with their first three albums. Despite being released five weeks before the year's end, ''Midnight Memories'' nevertheless became the best-selling album of 2013 as listed by the
IFPI, with sales of four million copies.
The album was supported by four singles "
Best Song Ever
"Best Song Ever" is a song recorded by English-Irish boy band One Direction. It was released on 22 July 2013 by Syco Music, Syco as the lead single from the group's third studio album, ''Midnight Memories''. The song was written and composed b ...
" "
Story of My Life", the album's
title track, and "
You & I".
Upon the album's release, ''Midnight Memories'' received mixed reviews from
music critics. Many critics praised the lyrical depth and musical composition on the album, as well as the group's level of involvement in the production process. However, others argued that the material was less memorable than their previous work and felt the themes were not as mature as expected. To promote the album, One Direction embarked on their third and first stadium concert tour, entitled the
Where We Are Tour in 2014.
Background and development
One Direction began working on their third studio album whilst embarking on their second international tour, the
Take Me Home Tour. The album was announced simultaneously with the news of the band's third world tour, the
Where We Are Tour, which subsequently led fans to wrongly assume that the album would be named "''Where We Are''". Member
Louis Tomlinson
Louis William Tomlinson (; born Louis Troy Austin; 24 December 1991) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction. Tomlinson began his career appearing in television dramas before he auditioned ...
proclaimed that the album would have a "rockier" sound to it than the band's previous releases.
The official title of the album was announced on 6 September 2013, starting with
Zayn Malik
Zain Javadd Malik ( ; born 12 January 1993), known mononymously as Zayn, is an English pop and R&B singer. Zayn auditioned as a solo contestant for the British music competition television series ''The X Factor'' in 2010. After being eliminate ...
tweeting a teaser video of
Harry Styles
Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His musical career began in 2010 as a solo contestant on the British music competition series ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor''. Following hi ...
spelling out the word "Mid" out of a pile of alphabet cards on the floor, followed by a full video posted on the band's
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
account later on, revealing the title, ''Midnight Memories''.
The album artwork was released early exclusively by ''
The Sun'' via a tweet which was then confirmed to be the official artwork through the band's official Twitter account, though the early access was only available for those who held a membership of the newspaper's online version. On 11 October, the band presented the album's final track list through the "#MidnightMemoriesTrackQuiz" hashtag on Twitter by giving out a mixture of hints and blank spaces to be filled alongside the final result. The full track list for the deluxe edition was later shown on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
.
The album later leaked one week prior to its release.
Singles
"
Best Song Ever
"Best Song Ever" is a song recorded by English-Irish boy band One Direction. It was released on 22 July 2013 by Syco Music, Syco as the lead single from the group's third studio album, ''Midnight Memories''. The song was written and composed b ...
" was released on 22 July 2013 as the official lead single from the album. The track peaked at number two on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Its music video beat the
Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
record for most viewers within 24 hours on YouTube, clocking in at 12.3 million views, beating the previous record set by
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
for "
We Can't Stop", which held 10.7 million views in 24 hours.
"
Story of My Life" was released on 28 October 2013 as the second single from the album. The track premiered on 25 October 2013, playing at 16:00 GST on radio stations across the world and debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart, despite holding the number one position on the midweek chart and continuing to lead until Saturday of that week. The song eventually peaked at number 2. The video was released on 3 November 2013.
"
Midnight Memories", was announced as the third single from the album on 24 January 2014.
"
You & I" was serviced to US radio on 15 April 2014 as the album's fourth and final single.
Promotional singles
* "
Diana" was the first promotional single. It charted in the Irish top 10 on 21 November 2013, and at number two on the
New Zealand Singles Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
on 22 November 2013.
* "
Strong
Strong may refer to:
Education
* The Strong, an educational institution in Rochester, New York, United States
* Strong Hall (Lawrence, Kansas), an administrative hall of the University of Kansas
* Strong School, New Haven, Connecticut, United Sta ...
" debuted at number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart on 29 November 2013, four days after the album's release.
Other songs
* "
One Way or Another" was released on 17 February 2013 as the official 2013 ''
Comic Relief'' single, peaking at number one on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and achieving success around the world.
All song except "Something Great" have charted on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Critical reception
Upon its release, ''Midnight Memories'' received mixed reviews from
music critics and publications. At
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a
normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an
average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...
score of 59, based on 15 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Brian Mansfield from ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' awarded it three stars out of four, saying "''Midnight'' uses classic rock as a color the way last year's ''Take Me Home'' used electronic dance music."
Kitty Empire of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' commented that "after two albums of flirting, hand-holding and coltish fumbling at parties, One Direction might just have finally gone all the way on their third album" and that "this album does the job, in more ways than one" while commenting specifically of the new maturity of the group and the "rockier" sound.
Tim Sendra from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
gave the album 4 stars out of 5, saying that "anyone expecting there to be any kind of drop in quality, or early warnings that the group had begun their inevitable decline, will be happily surprised that not only does the album satisfy the established quota of thrilling modern pop tracks and uplifting ballads, but also introduces some interesting new directions". He praised the bold decision to evolve the band's sound, and its results, concluding that the record "ends up as another satisfying album that does everything a One D album should do and then some."
Chris Payne of ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' wrote that the album "follows up on what worked best on last year's ''
Take Me Home'' and tosses in some proficient new ideas to keep listeners eager for the band's continued evolution" while noting the new prominence of the
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
in the songs. Writing with ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'', Brian Mansfield complimented the songwriting of Tomlinson and Payne while noting the "elements of power pop in the shouted choruses of the riffy title track and the trebly guitar chords" while adding "the best songs here ... suggest the group's finest memories may still lie ahead". Sam Lansky of ''
Idolator'' complimented the album, calling it "one of the sturdier pop releases in recent memory" and commenting they One Direction "have proven themselves to be a surprisingly reliable pop act, and here, as ever, the choruses soar marvelously, the harmonies are pleasing, the production is taut and the songcraft is beyond reproach".
Annie Zaleski of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' said the album "isn’t a genre game-changer" but that "there’s enough personality, charm, and dramatic solos to satisfy fans, and enough incremental moves toward artistic credibility to at least give the band a chance at an enduring career". Eric Henderson of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' noted that the group "tossed aside the wilted tissues of their adolescent pop trifles in favor of protein-blasted rock anthems and mountain-man acoustic ballads" while also commenting on the '80s rock sound. Writing with ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'', Alfred Soto deemed ''Midnight Memories'' "the best boy-band album since ''
No Strings Attached'' while complimenting the "inspired juxtapositions like early-’60s twang guitar and parade-ground beats".
However, some were less enthusiastic. Many critics argued the absence of their previous work, deeming it "not special" and "forgettable" and some felt it was too mature for their core audience and didn't come off as mature as expected through their themes. Rob Tannebaum of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' gave a mixed review, commenting that "they joyfully plunder rock riffs and hip-hop beats, but a logjam of lousy ballads suggests
Bryan Adams embodies their ideal of maturity". Jim Farber from ''
Daily News'' gave it three stars out of five, arguing that most of the songs "sounds much like any goo from the guys". Speaking of the musical style of the album, he stated that although "there probably are just enough newbies to extend the band's brand for this small window before the next thing comes along," he believed the group presented an image too mature for their core audience, saying "One Direction must reconcile this range with their own growth spurts," and describing the grown-up appearance of the band members since their debut single as "a big change in just three years". Andy Gill of ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' called the album "a clumsy attempt at rock".
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number one on the
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). The charts were previously compiled on behalf of IRMA by Chart-Track, and have been compiled by the ...
and number two on the
Dutch Albums Chart
The Dutch Album Top 100 or Album Top 100 is a weekly hit list of music albums, compiled by Dutch Charts. List shows the 100 best-selling music albums of the moment in the Netherlands. The list has passed through various name changes and has expande ...
. On 29 November 2013, it was announced that it had become the fastest-selling album of 2013 in the UK, with 187,660 copies sold in four days. It was revealed on 1 December 2013, that the album had sold in excess of 237,000 copies in its first week in the UK, beating
Gary Barlow's ''
Since I Saw You Last
''Since I Saw You Last'' is the fourth solo studio album released by British singer-songwriter Gary Barlow. The album was released by Polydor Records on 22 November 2013 in Ireland, and on 25 November in the United Kingdom. It debuted at number ...
'', and becoming the fastest selling album in the UK since
Michael Bublé's ''
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
'' in December 2011, as well as outperforming One Direction's two previous albums ''
Up All Night'' (2011) and ''
Take Me Home'' (2012). It became the best-selling album of 2013 in the UK with 685,000 copies sold for the year.
In the United States, ''Midnight Memories'' debuted at number one on the
''Billboard'' 200 with 546,000 copies sold in its first week. This made One Direction the first group in Billboard 200 history to debut at No. 1 with its first three albums, and the first to reach No. 1 with its first three albums since 1967. The album sold 1,096,000 copies in five weeks in the United States, making it the twelfth best-selling album of 2013 in the United States.
As of August 2015, it has sold over 1.51 million copies in the U.S.
''Midnight Memories'' also debuted at numbers one and two on the
ARIA Albums Chart and the
New Zealand Albums Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
, and was certified Platinum and Gold, respectively, in its first week. The album went on to sell over 60,000 copies in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
after only three days, being certified Platinum.
Despite being released towards the year's end, ''Midnight Memories'' nevertheless became the best-selling album of 2013 worldwide according to the
IFPI, with sales of over four million copies in only 5 weeks.
Track listing
The track listing was announced via the band's Twitter account on 11 October 2013. Where the bonus tracks appear as additional tracks in international territories, the British release finds them on a separate four-track bonus disc.
Unlike any other release of the album, the Japanese version includes "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)", as well as two further bonus tracks.
Notes
*
signifies a vocal producer
*
signifies an additional vocal producer
*
signifies an additional producer
*
signifies a co-producer
Personnel
Credits taken from ''Midnight Memories''
liner notes
Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes.
Origin
Liner notes are desce ...
.
*R.J. Shaughnessy - photography
*Calvin Aurand - photography
*Fluidesign - design
*Tom Coyne - mastering at Sterling Sound
Charts
Weekly charts
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
References
{{Authority control
One Direction albums
Columbia Records albums
2013 albums
Albums produced by Ryan Tedder
Albums produced by John Shanks
Albums produced by Jacknife Lee
Syco Music albums