It started with a chime. That bright, 1980s-inspired synth line didn't just climb the charts; it basically moved in and changed the locks. When As It Was by Harry Styles dropped in April 2022, the world was in a weird spot. We were shaking off the dust of a global lockdown, feeling a bit raw, and suddenly here was this upbeat track that felt like a hug—but a hug from someone who’s clearly been crying.
It’s a paradox.
The song spent 15 weeks at the summit of the Billboard Hot 100. That isn't just "good performance" for a pop star; it’s historical dominance. It broke the record for the longest-running number-one song by a British artist. But why? Was it just the catchy "bells" or was there something deeper happening in the lyrics that resonated with a collective sense of loss? Honestly, it’s probably both.
The Loneliness Behind the Synth-Pop Mask
If you strip away the high-energy production, As It Was by Harry Styles is a pretty devastating song. It’s about metamorphosis. It’s about the uncomfortable realization that you can’t go home again because "home" doesn't exist anymore.
"Harry, you're no good alone," the lyrics taunt. Styles has always been somewhat of an enigma, despite being one of the most photographed men on the planet. In this track, he pulls back the curtain on the isolation that comes with hyper-fame. He’s talking to himself. He’s being told by friends or lovers that he’s changing, and not necessarily for the better. It’s relatable because, even if you aren't playing sold-out stadiums, everyone has had that moment where they look in the mirror and realize they’ve drifted miles away from who they used to be.
The song’s brilliance lies in its tempo. At 174 beats per minute, it’s fast. It’s a runner’s pace. This creates a "masking" effect. You’re dancing to a song about being "stretched too thin." It’s a classic pop trope—think Dancing On My Own by Robyn—where the music is a party but the lyrics are a funeral.
That Opening Voice Note
People spent weeks debating who the child at the beginning was. "Come on, Harry, we wanna say goodnight to you!"
It’s Ruby Winston, the goddaughter of Styles and daughter of executive producer Ben Winston. It wasn't a staged studio recording. It was a real moment, a missed phone call. Including it was a genius move. It immediately grounds the global superstar in a domestic, human reality. It frames the entire song as a struggle between his public persona and his private obligations.
He’s late. He’s missing things. The world is changing, and he’s stuck in the middle of it.
Breaking Down the Sound of Harry’s House
When Styles went to record Harry’s House, he was heavily influenced by the Japanese City Pop movement of the 1970s and 80s, specifically artists like Haruomi Hosono. You can hear that "plink-plonk" synth texture all over As It Was by Harry Styles. It’s clean. It’s airy. It’s remarkably different from the classic rock, "Watermelon Sugar" vibes of his previous era.
Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, his long-time collaborators, helped craft a sound that felt nostalgic yet futuristic. There are no heavy drums here. Instead, you get a driving, motorik beat that feels like driving down a highway at sunset.
- The bells: They give it a seasonal, timeless feel.
- The bassline: It’s subtle, almost buried, providing a nervous energy.
- The vocal delivery: Styles sounds almost bored, or perhaps just tired. He isn't belting. He’s whispering the truth.
This lack of "vocal acrobatics" is what made the song so ubiquitous. It’s easy to hum. It’s easy to cover. It doesn't demand your full attention with loud crescendos, so it fits perfectly into the background of a coffee shop, a gym, or a TikTok transition.
The Music Video and the Red Jumpsuit
Visuals matter. You can't talk about As It Was by Harry Styles without mentioning the red and blue sequins. Directed by Tanu Muino, the video features Styles and a partner on a spinning circular platform.
It’s a literal representation of the "cycle" of a relationship. They are trying to reach each other, but the momentum of the world—the spinning floor—keeps pulling them apart. It’s beautiful and frustrating to watch. It mirrored the feeling of 2022 perfectly: trying to get back to "normal" while the floor is still moving under your feet.
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Many fans pointed out the choreography was intentional in its lack of polish. It felt modern, interpretive, and a bit frantic. It wasn't a synchronized boy-band dance. It was two people trying to hold on.
Why the "As It Was" Trend Took Over TikTok
TikTok is often where songs go to die from overexposure, but As It Was by Harry Styles survived. The "In this world, it's just us" line became the soundtrack for millions of "then vs. now" videos.
People used the song to document their own changes. Moving houses. Losing weight. Grieving loved ones. Transitioning. It became a vessel for the internet's collective nostalgia.
This is the "Value" part of the song. It provided a vocabulary for people who felt like they were living in a different version of reality than the one they started in. When Styles sings "You know it’s not the same as it was," he’s not just talking about a breakup. He’s talking about the entropy of life. Things break down. Things change. We have to keep running at 174 BPM just to stay in place.
Critical Reception vs. Fan Reality
Critics loved it. Pitchfork called it "buoyant" and "shimmering." It was a far cry from the "Sign of the Times" era where he was trying to be the next David Bowie. Here, he was just being Harry.
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However, some old-school music buffs argued it was "too short" or "too simple." At 2 minutes and 47 seconds, it’s a tiny song. It gets in, does its job, and leaves. But that brevity is exactly why it was streamed billions of times. You finish it and immediately want to hit repeat because you feel like you missed something.
There’s a bridge in the song that almost sounds like a frantic news report: "Answer the phone / Harry, you're no good alone / Why are you sitting on the floor in the self-checkout?"
That line is a gut punch. It’s the image of a man who has everything but is having a breakdown at a grocery store. It’s the most "human" Styles has ever sounded. He isn't a god; he's just a guy who can't figure out the self-checkout machine.
How to Actually Listen to the Song Today
If you want to get the most out of As It Was by Harry Styles, stop listening to it on tinny phone speakers.
- Use decent headphones. There are layers of percussion and soft backing vocals in the final third of the song that get lost in the air.
- Listen to the transition. On the album Harry’s House, the way it flows from the previous track is intentional. It’s part of a larger narrative of "home."
- Watch the live versions. Styles often extends the "bells" section at the end of his live shows, turning the melancholy track into a genuine celebration. It’s a fascinating look at how a performer can re-contextualize their own sadness for an audience.
The song isn't just a "hit." It’s a time capsule. 20 years from now, when people want to know what the early 2020s felt like—the anxiety, the forced cheerfulness, the longing for a pre-pandemic world—they won't look at a history book. They’ll listen to those first four synth notes and they’ll get it.
Actionable Insights for the Music Fan
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific sound or understand why this track hit so hard, here’s how to expand your palate:
- Check out City Pop: Look up Tatsuro Yamashita or Miki Matsubara. You’ll hear the DNA of Harry’s current sound in their work.
- Study the Lyrics: Read the words without the music playing. It reads like a poem about depression and dissociation. It changes how you hear the melody.
- Analyze the Production: If you’re a creator, look at how the song uses "subtraction." It’s a very "empty" mix, which allows Harry’s voice to feel close to your ear. It’s a lesson in "less is more."
The cultural footprint of this track is massive. It proved that Harry Styles wasn't just a "teen idol" anymore; he’s an architect of the modern pop sound. Whether you love him or are tired of hearing him in every grocery store in America, you can't deny the craft. It's a perfect 3-minute pop pill.
Keep an eye on his future releases, as they likely won't stay in this lane. Styles tends to pivot just when people think they have him figured out. But for now, we’re all still living in the world of "As It Was." Change is the only constant, and this song is the ultimate anthem for that reality.