Which of One Direction’s Lead Singles Is Their Very Best?

Beyonce truly inspired everyone in the music industry when she dropped her self-titled album back in 2013 without even a whisper of promo. Drake and Kendrick Lamar followed suit years later, and then One Direction did, too, though on a significantly lesser scale.

A little over a day after former 1D member Zayn Malik announced his solo foray into making #RealMusic with RCA Records, One Direction decided to steal his thunder by releasing a brand new single for their upcoming fifth album under cover of darkness. It was deliciously shady, even if their intentions were noble.

But whatever, we're living in a post-Zayn 1D world now, and while many of us are still crying over what this means for their last album and its lack of deserved promo (justice for Four), "Drag Me Down" signifies a new era for the group — one full of heavy guitar riffs and more gang vocals, and even Niall singing lead on chorus. They've come so far!

The release has us all nostalgic, and what better way to honor that than by pitting all of the group's lead singles up against each other in a poll and seeing which song comes out on top?

First up is the single that started it all, the one that dragged so many of us in, the gateway drug of One Direction: "What Makes You Beautiful." With its infectious chorus and insecurity-stanning lyrics, it was the world's first introduction to the band: bubblegum and boisterous, just five normal lads who probably didn't think any of this was going to last longer than a first album.

Shortly after their speedy rise to the top came "Live While We're Young," just ahead of their second album, the pop masterpiece Take Me Home. With its rollicking chorus, nod to The Clash and sexually suggestive lyrics, it was a slightly more mature sound for the group while staying catchy and fun. This was meant to be the Era of Zayn (#DontLetThePicturesLeaveYourPhone), but that never truly came to be. A grave injustice.

For their third album, the disjointed Midnight Memories, they released "Baba O'Reilly" "Best Song Ever," another song that leans slightly more rock, instrumentally, but has a purely pop vocal melody. It was a good introduction to that mess of an album, when One Direction was still grappling with finding a proper balance between sugary-sweet pop and dad-rock.

Then "Steal My Girl" came out ahead of Four, and failed to represent the album's '80s pop-rock sensibilities properly, though it was worth it for that Zayn solo.

FINALLY, we've arrived at their latest single, the first off their yet-to-be-titled, forthcoming fifth album. "Drag Me Down"? More like Drag Me Straight to Hell and leave me there to wallow in my misery. Not all of us are teenagers, One Direction. Some of us may be prone to heart attacks.mp3, so please relax with the future surprises. The song's Police-esque guitar licks stay true to what's become the band's signature, "borrowed" classic rock sound. And while Zayn's vocals are, admittedly, sorely missed, it's exciting to get something so far departed from the "What Makes You Beautiful" sound. Bring on the next era! May they never break up!

Those are the options. The poll is below. The choice is yours.

One Direction Through the Years