Watermelon Sugar

The song's harmonic identity is defined by its commitment to the D Dorian mode. By using a G major (IV) chord instead of a G minor (iv), the song achieves a 'bright minor' sound that is synonymous with funk and indie-pop. It avoids functional V-I cadences, opting instead for a circular progression that sustains a consistent mood without needing to resolve to a tonic major, making the loop feel infinite and driving.

The song originated from a 2017 session where Harry Styles and his collaborators were 'playing around' at The Cave Studio. Styles had the 'Watermelon Sugar high' hook for a long time but the team struggled to complete the verses. It was notoriously the hardest song for Styles to finish during the album cycle, and he nearly excluded it from the final tracklist before finishing it in 2019.

This Grammy-winning track from the album 'Fine Line' solidified Harry Styles as a solo powerhouse by blending 1970s rock aesthetics with modern pop production. Its infectious horn lines and breezy guitar riffs evoke a retro, psychedelic summer atmosphere that became a global cultural phenomenon.