Meet Why Don’t We: A Guide to the Charming Boy Band (My Weekly Playlist Pick)
Intro
In 2016, One Direction announced their breakup and fans around the world were stunned. As much as it broke a lot of hearts, that same year also gave us a band I still love to this day: why don’t we was born right before everyone’s eyes.
To me they were basically a reboot of One Direction. The members are all guys, the songwriting style is super similar, and their sudden arrival gave all those heartbroken, lost fans a new place to belong. why don’t we is made up of five American singers: Jonah Marais, Corbyn Besson, Daniel Seavey, Jack Avery, and Zach Herron.
At first they were just buddies who hung out and played video games together. But once they started singing together and realized they all shared similar dreams and tastes, someone said, “why don’t we make a band?” And just like that, with that one sentence, why don’t we kicked off their career, and their band name came straight from that line too.
YouTube playlist:
Spotify playlist:
why don’t we’s first EP, “Only the Beginning”
Just 35 days after forming, they dropped their first EP, “Only the Beginning.” My favorite track on it is “Taking You”: “I ain’t afraid of how you got me feeling. The sky’s so clear when you’re the view. Anywhere I go I’m taking you.” When you’re the scenery, the weather is always clear, and no matter where I go, I’ll always take you with me.
One song isn’t enough. Another track, “Just to See You Smile,” is all about wanting to make you smile: “And I don’t care about nobody’s point of view. You look so beautiful, you walked out of a dream. I never felt this way before, your eyes are all I need.” I don’t care how anyone else feels; you, stepping straight out of my dreams, are so beautiful. I’ve never felt this way before, and your eyes are everything I need. The whole song feels like a love letter written to someone special, beautiful and genuinely moving.
Their second EP “Something Different” plus four more EPs
Early on, while still flying under the radar, they kept cranking out new songs. In 2017 they released their second EP, “Something Different.” Personally I’m only so-so on this one, but if any of you are curious, go give it a listen for yourself. In 2017 they also kept the releases coming with four EPs: Why Don’t We Just, Invitation, and A Why Don’t We Christmas. My absolute favorite has to be A Why Don’t We Christmas! This time I’m recommending “You and Me at Christmas.” The most important part of the whole song is that “yo ou oh oh out ou oh oh and me me at Christmas” bit, which nearly makes me burst into song on the train every single time. You have to go listen to it!
Their first album, “8 Letters”
In 2018 they finally dropped their first album, 8 Letters, the record that blew them up. “8 Letters” refers to the eight letters in “I Love You” – a phrase that holds a kind of magic: short, but never easy to say out loud. Or, as Corbyn put it, maybe it could also be “fart face”? :> For everyone at that age, it’s pretty much like that. My favorite song on this album is “Talk” – it was even my morning alarm freshman year, that’s how much I love it! “… Ooh, yeah, don’t think we’ll ever get better, better. Gets worse with every letter, letter. Dial tone, nothing but that high note. On repeat ’cause we don’t listen when we talk.” Don’t think we’ll ever get better; if anything it just keeps getting worse. You dial the number and all you get is that shrill beeping tone, over and over, “”because we never really hear what the other person is saying.”” Sometimes two people working things out can’t help but rub each other the wrong way, but maybe that’s exactly how you end up finding the partner who fits you perfectly?
Their second album, “The Good Times and the Bad Ones”
From forming the band up to this point, why don’t we had a pretty smooth ride, slowly building up their audience. After releasing 8 Letters, they chose to take a short break to reset and recalibrate their mindset. After all those songs, they truly deserved a proper rest – but they never forgot the Limelights who loved them, and in early 2021 they released their second album, “The Good Times and the Bad Ones.”
My favorite from it is “Love Song.” “I wrote another love song, baby, about you. I’ve written one for every second without you. It goes like this, oh.” I wrote another love song about you, baby; every single second you’re away from me, I’m writing songs. I think this song perfectly captures that ache that wells up from somewhere deep inside every time your significant other is about to leave – that feeling where you want to stay by their side just a little longer, but you still have to get back to reality.
If that style isn’t your thing, then maybe “I’ll Be Okay” is more up your alley. What first drew me to this song was the rhythm – just like the other songs I love, at first it might only be the melody that hooks you. But once you go back and read the lyrics, you fall for it all over again. why don’t we always have this way of moving us with their simple lyrics; they may not be that old, yet they always manage to make our generation feel seen. “I’m a junk man, she’s a promise abuser. Hell, I know that we’re bad for each other. I made my own bed but she tucked me under.” I’m no good, you’re someone who’s all talk; I made my own bed, yet she still tucked me in.
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Full playlist (YouTube):
Full playlist (Spotify):