Is Benson Boone's Music Too Similar To Harry Styles'? A Critical Analysis

Omar Yusuf

4 min read

Post on Apr 26, 2025

4.1

Share

Vocal Style and Timbre Comparisons

One of the most immediate comparisons between Benson Boone and Harry Styles lies in their vocal styles. Both possess a warm, inviting timbre with a certain breathiness that adds a unique texture to their music. This shared vocal quality is particularly evident in songs like Boone's "In the Stars" and Styles' "Watermelon Sugar," where the use of falsetto and a relaxed delivery creates a similar emotional resonance.

• Shared Vocal Techniques:
  • Breathy vocals
  • Frequent use of falsetto
  • Melismatic phrasing
  • Relaxed, conversational delivery

However, while similarities exist, their voices are not identical. Styles possesses a slightly more raspy edge to his tone, while Boone’s voice maintains a clearer, almost boyish quality, especially in his higher register. This subtle difference contributes to their distinct sonic identities, despite the overlapping vocal techniques. Careful listening reveals these nuances in Benson Boone vocals compared to Harry Styles vocals, highlighting the subtle yet significant differences in their vocal timbre comparison and overall vocal delivery.

Genre and Musical Influences

Both Benson Boone and Harry Styles primarily reside within the pop genre, often incorporating elements of soft rock and occasionally venturing into more soulful territories. This shared genre preference is unsurprising, as both artists cite similar musical influences.

• Shared Musical Influences:
  • Classic rock acts like Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles
  • 70s soft rock artists
  • Elements of soulful pop

These shared influences undeniably contribute to the sonic similarities in their music. The mellow instrumentation, often featuring acoustic guitars and layered harmonies, creates a familiar listening experience across their respective discographies. However, while they draw from a similar wellspring of musical influences, Boone's sound often incorporates a slightly more contemporary, polished production, differentiating it from Styles' sometimes more raw and nostalgic approach to pop music and soft rock. A careful genre comparison unveils these subtle distinctions.

Songwriting and Lyrical Themes

While both artists craft catchy melodies, their approaches to songwriting differ subtly. Styles often incorporates a more overtly romantic and whimsical tone in his lyrics, while Boone's songwriting often explores more introspective and emotionally vulnerable themes. Nevertheless, certain lyrical themes overlap:

• Shared Lyrical Themes:
  • Love and heartbreak
  • Self-discovery and personal growth
  • Nostalgia and longing

Both artists utilize storytelling narratives, although their storytelling techniques show some variation. Styles tends towards vivid imagery and metaphorical language, while Boone often opts for a more direct and emotionally raw approach in his Benson Boone lyrics. Examining Harry Styles lyrics alongside Boone’s reveals stylistic choices that ultimately distinguish their individual approaches to songwriting style.

Production and Arrangement Similarities

The production styles of Benson Boone and Harry Styles share several similarities. Both artists utilize layered instrumentation, creating rich sonic textures. They frequently employ harmonies, often with a focus on building emotional intensity within their songs.

• Similar Production Techniques:
  • Layered vocals and harmonies
  • Use of acoustic and electric guitars
  • Incorporation of subtle electronic elements
  • Emphasis on creating a warm, intimate sonic landscape.

However, the overall sonic texture can differ based on the specific song. While both utilize similar building blocks in their music production and song arrangement, Boone sometimes leans toward a cleaner, more contemporary production while Styles occasionally employs more vintage-inspired sounds, revealing subtle yet important differences in their approaches to music production.

Conclusion: Final Verdict on Benson Boone and Harry Styles' Musical Resemblance

In conclusion, while undeniable similarities exist between Benson Boone's music and Harry Styles', particularly in their vocal styles, genre, and some production choices, a closer examination reveals distinct differences in songwriting approaches and overall sonic textures. The shared influences are apparent, but Boone has carved out a unique niche within the pop landscape, demonstrating his individual artistic voice. While the comparisons are valid, to label Boone's sound as merely derivative would be an oversimplification. The similarities are more a reflection of shared influences within a particular musical space than a direct copy.

Do you think Benson Boone's sound is too derivative? Let us know in the comments below!