Music

The 27 Best Fifth Harmony Songs

On the 10th anniversary of their formation, we honor the best moments from one of modern pop's greatest girl groups

July 27, 2022

Ten years ago, on July 27, 2012, five giddy teenagers were placed side-by-side on The X-Factor stage. “You are all, as you are, invited to the judge’s house,” Simon Cowell told them, casting the spell that would turn Camila Cabello, Dinah Jane Hansen, Normani Kordei, Ally Brooke Hernandez, and Lauren Jauregui into Fifth Harmony. It was his attempt at using the same magic he had recently used to make One Direction superstars, but this time, on a girl group.

From that day until their “indefinite hiatus” announcement in March 2018, Fifth Harmony would buckle up for a roller coaster of drama, elation, and seemingly nonstop touring, accompanied by a fan base devoted to their careers.

After finishing third on the Cowell-hosted competition show, the group introduced itself with the tween-bop EP Better Together in 2013, followed up with the full-length Reflection in 2015 (featuring songs like “Worth It” and “Sledgehammer”), and then released their second LP, 7/27, following the massive success of the hit “Work From Home,” in 2016.

At the end of that same year, in which Fifth Harmony reached their peak, 5H went through a difficult transition after Cabello left the group in the messiest way, via a Notes App screenshot that revealed she had informed the group of her departure “via her representatives.” The group and Cabello would share back-and-forth public statements, making the split unfriendly, to say the least.

As a four-piece, Fifth Harmony went on to release one more album, do a brief overseas tour, skipping the U.S. almost entirely, and throw shade at Cabello at the Video Music Awards, before going on hiatus. (During that time, Cabello would launch her solo career to much success, thanks to the chart-topping “Havana” and other hits.)

A decade after that fateful first day with Cowell, the former members of 5H are all now focusing on their careers as solo artists. Cabello is three albums deep into her run and has starred in Cinderella; Normani has collaborated with Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Sam Smith, and modeled for Rihanna’s lingerie line; Lauren is touring with Banks after dropping an EP last year; Ally wrote a memoir and competed on Dancing With the Stars; and Dinah is teasing a return to music after dropping a trio of singles in 2020.

With three albums, four versions of the same EP, two soundtrack singles, a collab with Mexican legend Juan Gabriel, and a song made for a Kohl’s brand, Harmonizers are sure to have their thoughts on what the group’s greatest song might be. This list of their 27 best tracks showcases the versatility, sass, emotional scope, sex appeal, and female empowerment present in all of the music that Fifth Harmony, arguably one of the greatest girl groups of all time, left behind.

‘This Is How We Roll’ (2015)

As with many songs on Reflection, “This Is How We Roll” samples a pop hit: “Scream and Shout” by will.i.am and Britney Spears, the latter of whom judged the group the year they were formed on The X-Factor. The dance-floor-ready song serves as a grown-up sequel to the group’s “Me and My Girls,” as Camila Cabello sings “We gon’ be sexy, sexy, yeah/Me and my girls, girls, girls,” before hitting one of those “Camila being Camila” high notes. It was a standout during the group’s live shows and continues to be a jam.
‘That’s My Girl’ (2016)

On the opener to 7/27, Fifth Harmony serves up some ultimate girl power in the lyrics — a “joy-saturated back-pat for all the independent women,” according to a Rolling Stone review — over a radio-ready beat. The song’s best part is the Normani-led rap-sung chorus: “Destiny said it, you got to get up and get it/Get mad independent and don’t you ever forget it.” The track is accompanied by an over-the-top, post-apocalyptic video directed by Hannah Lux Davis. (We hate to bring it back up, but the song’s cover art was … not it.)
‘No Way’ (2016)

Lauren mothafucking Jauregui. After getting paid dust on Reflection, where she had the least number of lines, according to Genius, Lauren was practically handed a solo track on 7/27’s deluxe edition. And boy, did she shine. “Everyone comes with scars, but you can love them away,” she sings on one of the group’s more emotional tracks.
‘Top Down’ (2015)

If Fifth Harmony gave us one thing, it was bops — and “Top Down” is one of them. On a lyrically simple track about some baddies driving through the city, the girls reference Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City” in the first verse and deliver the IG caption-worthy lyric “Passed out real and I woke up realer.” The track also features a memorable sax part reminiscent of Ariana Grande’s “Problem.”
‘Not That Kinda Girl’ feat. Missy Elliott (2016)

This should’ve been a single. The pop song is a funky closer to 7/27’s standard edition, featuring a standout verse from Missy Elliott. There’s no doubt that “Not That Kinda Girl” was Normani’s song. Period. (Fans will recall her solo dance intro to the track. Truly spectacular.)
‘We Know’ (2015)

Fifth Harmony stand confident and honest in this a cappella R&B track, co-written by Victoria Monet, who was in charge of much of the group’s songwriting. The track showcased each member’s vocal prowess and harmonization unlike any song before it.
‘Don’t Say You Love Me’ (2017)

This one will make any true Harmonizer cry. One of the group’s few powerhouse ballads, “Don’t Say You Love Me” was dropped just a handful of days after 5H’s final performance ever. The video ends with each of the four singers dramatically walking out of a room one by one, before the camera focuses on the door, which is left slightly ajar. That special moment is one of the reasons why fans still won’t lose hope that these girls will reunite. (We’re begging.)
‘Deliver’ (2017)

With its soul influences and R&B-leaning sounds, “Deliver” is Camila-less Fifth Harmony greatness. It’s one of the group’s most cohesive tracks and taps into each member’s strengths, though Dinah Jane’s vocals shine above the rest, like on most of their self-titled album. The single was accompanied by a video where the girls give Supremes realness.
‘Tú Eres Lo Que Yo Quiero’ (2013)

Fifth Harmony accompanied their first EP, Better Together, with Juntos, which reimagined the songs’ lyrics in Spanish over the same beats and melodies. “Tú Eres Lo Que Yo Quiero,” the en español version of the EP’s title track, was a clear standout, with Ally Brooke leading the song in its chorus and high notes. Despite Camila and Lauren being the only native Spanish speakers in the group, all five members enunciated each lyric with near-perfection. (Since we’re talking Juntos, an honorable mention to “Que Bailes Conmigo Hoy,” which nearly made this list.)
‘I Lied’ (2016)

The group tapped into EDM on “I Lied,” a deep-cut standout on 7/27. The track, led by Camila, references Mary J. Blige in the song’s best part: its bridge. “You got that real love/That text in the morning, that real love,” sings Dinah. “How Mary J. call it, that real love/We got real love.”
‘Down’ feat. Gucci Mane (2017)

Fourth Harmony played it safe with this one. With its bouncy, repetitive chorus, “Down” — the group’s first offering after Camila’s departure — seemed like a near copy-and-paste of the group’s biggest hit, “Work From Home.” Like Ty Dolla $ign on “WFH,” Gucci Mane comes in for a stellar verse. And their VMAs performance of the song was a spectacular moment for Normani. (Remember the jaw-dropping splits?)
‘Like Mariah’ feat. Tyga (2015)

Fifth Harmony sample Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” throughout this song, and reference the pop icon’s music several times, making this an R&B-leaning homage to the R&B queen. The song does Carey justice, and so do Dinah’s whistle notes in the song’s outro. A Rolling Stone review in 2015 called the track “the standout” of the group’s debut LP.
‘Worth It’ feat. Kid Ink (2015)

Horns galore = confirmed bop. The hook on “Worth It” featured a sound reminiscent of Jason Derulo’s 2013 hit “Talk Dirty” — it’s no surprise since both songs were produced by Ori Kaplan. This one, written by Muni Long, was accompanied by a video where each of the girls takes over Wall Street. The song reached Number 12 on the Hot 100 and was a radio staple in 2015, making it one of the group’s most memorable singles. (The clubs in WeHo still play this one today.)
‘He Like That’ (2017)

With an MC Hammer sample, Fifth Harmony went sweaty, dirty R&B on “He Like That,” the second single from their final LP. The song played specifically to the strengths of Dinah and Normani in both its sound and its choreography-filled video, making the visual 5H’s sexiest track ever released. Laced with an infectious guitar, the song is reminiscent of the Rihanna we all fell in love with. (Remember when Rih made music?)
‘Sin Contrato,’ Maluma feat. Fifth Harmony (2015)

In the Latin music world of 2015, Maluma was an artist on the rise. Meanwhile, Fifth Harmony had cemented themselves as a pop staple, always tapping into the Latin American roots of three of its members. After a performance at the 2015 Latin Grammy Awards, the pop divas and Latin sensation released “Sin Contrato,” a remixed reggaetón jam that elevated Maluma’s track to a beloved, well-done Spanglish crossover.
‘Angel’ (2017)

“Angel” shot to fame thanks to 5H’s iconic VMA performance in 2017, when a fake fifth member was flung off the stage before Normani declared, “Who said I was an angel?” The viral moment, now cemented in pop-music history, served as a clear message from the new four-piece that they didn’t come to play. The song features synthy EDM production led by industry heavyweights Poo Bear and Skrillex, easily making the track a Fifth Harmony standout. There’s also a rap-sung verse from Ally and a magnetic pre-chorus, shared by Dinah and Lauren: “The original me wouldn’t fuck with ya/And I was beginning to fuck with ya.”
‘Everlasting Love’ (2015)

Over a piano and head-bop-worthy percussion, Fifth Harmony reimagined the R&B sounds of the late Nineties on fan-favorite “Everlasting Love.” Sonically, the song feels like a Destiny’s Child–meets–Mariah Carey imitation, with Normani’s sweet vocals in its bridge giving Beyoncé energy to the max. The lyrics may be a little cliché (“I don’t even know you, but I know that I can’t wait to kiss you”), but that’s what makes the song, like much of 5H’s music, so fun.
‘BO$$’ (2014)

“C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T, that’s me/I’m confident.” With its Michelle Obama and Oprah shout-outs, “BO$$” served as the ideal transitional single for the group between its teen-poppy EP Better Together and the “We’re adults now” debut album. (The girls even almost cussed!) The track stands out as one of the group’s best female-empowerment records, as they “pledge allegiance to my independent girls in here” and pack the bop with pop-culture references, as they sing about wanting a “Kanye not a Ray J.” The only thing missing from the song? A verse from Dinah.
‘Who Are You’ (2013)

It’s strange to say it, but Fifth Harmony’s best, most meaningful ballad came on the EP they released as teens. The lyrics to “Who Are You” follow a main character as she reflects on the daily changes of a shitty boyfriend. The piano-backed track is carried by Dinah and Ally’s powerhouse voices in the song’s chorus and bridge: “Who are you today? Will you be the sun or the pouring rain?”
‘Sledgehammer’ (2014)

“Sledgehammer” was the group’s breakthrough hit, much thanks to the song’s co-writer Meghan Trainor — who also gave Harmonizers “Suga Mama” and “Brave Honest Beautiful” — as well as production from Dr. Luke (pre-legal drama). The song is a quintessential radio-ready synth-pop single with a sticky chorus, pounding percussion, and Camila’s signature vocal style, as the group sings “If you could feel my heart beat now, it would hit you like a sledgehammer.”
‘Miss Movin’ On’ (2013)

There’s a video somewhere on the internet of the Fifth Harmony girls, freshly formed in 2012, listening to their debut single play on the radio for the first time ever. They tear up, hug one another, and smile from ear to ear. It’s at that moment, six months after competing on The X-Factor, that they comprehend that their career as a group is just beginning — and about to skyrocket. Ten years later, “Miss Movin’ On” carries a sense of nostalgia, but it also features a rare, timeless energy. The song, about, well, moving on from an ex, was the ideal, empowering introduction to what would become the most iconic girl group of the 2010s. It’s no surprise, then, that Lauren’s chorus had a TikTok resurgence over the last year: “So call me, call me, call me/Miss movin’ on.”
‘Lonely Night’ (2017)

“Lonely Night” is the perfect example of how much more cohesive and mature Fifth Harmony sounded as a four-piece. The sexy R&B song, co-written by Dinah and Normani, stands out as the group’s best on their self-titled album. “If you don’t treat ya mama right, bye-bye, bye-bye,” sings Dinah on the chorus. “If you got another chick on the side, bye-bye, bye-bye.” The song is anchored by Dinah’s powerful vocals (and gorgeous whistle notes in the bridge). Instead of trying to go down the “Work From Home” route with “Down,” the group should’ve opted for “Lonely Night” and rebranded as versatile R&B-leaning songstresses.
‘Going Nowhere’ (2015)

“Going Nowhere” is the prime example of how Fifth Harmony kept some of their best songs on the deluxe editions of their albums. With its EDM elements and synthy handclaps — which appear throughout Reflection — the song shines with its singalong chorus and lyrics, written by Muni Long, about keeping a partner who is making an attempt to leave a relationship: “Sit yourself down ’cause you know you gon’ stay/Boy, you better listen to the words I say.”
‘Work From Home’ feat. Ty Dolla $ign (2016)

The lead single off 7/27, “Work From Home” — with its earworm melodies, finger snaps, “naughty AC/DC-level entendres,” and trap-laced pop beats — skyrocketed Fifth Harmony into household-name status. It also made girl-group history, becoming the first Top Five single by a women-led band on the Billboard Hot 100 since Pussycat Dolls’ “Buttons,” 10 years prior. The track features a bridge sung by Ty Dolla $ign that completes the perfect formula for the 2016 pop hit, and its construction-site video (with its sweaty, shirtless men in hard hats, including Britney Spears’ future husband Sam Asghari) continues to stand as one of the sexiest pop videos ever made. Originally named “Work,” the song was renamed after Rihanna released her song of the same name a month prior to its release. Thanks to the three-word title that stuck, the song had a meme-led resurgence in 2020 as the pandemic forced people to, well, work from home.
‘Big Bad Wolf’ (2016)

Call this song’s Number Three ranking justice for an unreleased banger. “Big Bad Wolf” was ultimately left off of the final tracklist for 7/27, only making it on the Japanese deluxe edition of Fifth Harmony’s second album. The song opens with a sexy, dark verse from Ally, followed by a sassy pre-chorus from Normani and a memorable chorus sung by Dinah and Camila: “Cause if you wanna talk, baby, use your hands/If you wanna go make a move, you can/If you want a shot, baby, cock and pull/If you’re gonna bite, be a big bad wolf.” After fans circulated a leaked version on Twitter following the LP’s release, the group performed the song on tour, accompanying the single with some of their sexiest choreography onstage. Like several unreleased Fifth Harmony songs — among those the butt-shaking “Voicemail,” the airy ballad “All Again,” and “Double Vision,” which ended up going to Prince Royce — “Big Bad Wolf” would’ve been a hit.
‘Reflection’ (2015)

“Reflection” is the ultimate Fifth Harmony track, thanks to its girl-power lyrics and head-bopping, hip-pop-worthy production. As their first album’s title cut, the song encapsulates the sounds and sass featured on their debut record. It laces effortless bad-bitch energy with timely references to the now-defunct Vine. (What happened to Lil TerRio, BTW?) The song, apt for an all-ages club, opens with Normani’s suggestive “M-hmm.” She then returns for a flirty chorus (“Where you from? Must be heaven”), before revealing that compliment was about herself all along: “Boy, I ain’t talking about you, I’m talking to my own reflection.”
‘All in My Head (Flex)’ feat. Fetty Wap (2016)

Girl, was it time to impress. When you have an island girl in the group like Dinah Jane (her family is Tongan), you’d be missing out if you didn’t tap into her tropical roots. With an interpolation of reggae king Mad Cobra’s 1992 song “Flex (Time to Have Sex)” in the chorus, “All in My Head” was the beachside follow-up single to “Work From Home.” Taking inspiration from songs of the past is what 5H did best. And the flirty song — even with its 2016 AF feature from Fetty Wap — continues to stand the test of time, mostly thanks to Dinah’s catchy hook, the song’s dance-ready chorus, and its sexy, sandy video. (We’re still not over those swimsuits.) The song, which the girls helped co-write, was the undeniable anchor of 7/27, and it stands up today as their finest and most 5H moment.