HARRY'S "AS IT WAS" SHOWS HOW IT IS

It's no surprise that Harry Styles' new single, "As It Was," is meeting a huge reception in the marketplace. The Columbia superstar's latest, the first salvo from album Harry's House, due 5/20, is #2 on Spotify's U.S. chart, #3 at Apple Music, #1 at iTunes, massive at YouTube (about 13.5m views as of this writing; check out the video below) and already on fire at radio mere hours after its arrival. This on the heels of a giant, sold-out tour and just ahead of what will doubtless be a resonant Coachella appearance by the dapper star.

But beyond its enormous impact on the charts, the new song—written by Styles and co-producers Tyler Johnson and Tom "Kid Harpoon" Hull—has an undeniably zeitgeisty message. Could "it's not the same as it was" become a catchphrase for a generation that has seen its dreams and aspirations put on hold indefinitely?

"As It Was" is already showing signs of being one of 2022's biggest songs. Just how big will it get?