Harry Styles Codexery

Adore You (Harry Styles song)

A funk-pop love song about early relationship excitement.

"Adore You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Harry Styles from his second studio album, Fine Line (2019). Released as the album's second single on 6 December 2019, the track was written by Styles, Amy Allen, Kid Harpoon, and Tyler Johnson, with Harpoon handling production and Johnson co-producing. The song is a midtempo funk, disco, and pop rock ballad that incorporates layered guitars, synths, brass, and percussion, with lyrics about the initial stages of a relationship.

Quick Facts

Artist
Harry Styles
Album
Fine Line
Released
6 December 2019
Recorded
2019
Studio
  • Henson (Hollywood)
  • RAK (London)
  • Harpoon House (Los Angeles)
Genre
  • Funk
  • disco
  • pop rock
Label
Erskine; Columbia
Writer
  • Harry Styles
  • Amy Allen
  • Tyler Johnson
  • Tom Hull

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The song was written in a burst of inspiration during the final week of spring 2019. Its production features layered and choppy guitars, floaty synths, bass, drums, and a big-club beat drop with brass instrumentation. Lyrically, Styles uses fruit metaphors and technicolor imagery, with the chorus opening in falsetto: "Honey / I'd walk through fire for you / Just let me adore you." The song was described by Styles as being about the initial excitement of meeting someone, similar to his earlier single "Watermelon Sugar."

The music video, directed by Dave Meyers and filmed in Scotland, depicts Styles as an outcast on the fictional island of Eroda, where he befriends a gold-dappled fish. The video was promoted through a guerrilla marketing campaign including a tourism website and Twitter account for Eroda. Styles performed the song on several television shows, including The Graham Norton Show and The Late Late Show with James Corden, as well as at NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert.

Reader's Guide

"Adore You" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised its production and Styles' vocals. Critics compared the song to the works of the 1975, Mark Ronson, and Justin Timberlake. The track was a commercial success, reaching the top ten in multiple countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and the Wallonia region of Belgium. It earned certifications including platinum from the British Phonographic Industry, triple platinum from the Australian Recording Industry Association, and double platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America.

The song's significance lies in its blend of 1970s soul and R&B influences with modern pop production, showcasing Styles' evolution as an artist. Its high-concept music video and marketing campaign demonstrated innovative promotional strategies. The track was later featured in the video game Just Dance 2021 and as downloadable content for Fuser. Critics noted the song's catchiness and its seamless fusion of past and present musical styles, with some calling it an album highlight.

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