This was already going to be a grand day for Directioners: Made In the A.M., the boy band's latest album, hits stores this morning. (And in this writer's opinion, it's been far too long since we've heard from the boys.) In this post-Zayn, near-hiatus world we're living in, today was already set to be a single bright point amid the darkness — but now, thanks to Flipagram, we have even more to celebrate.
The photo- and video-sharing app will now host never-before-seen photos of the boys, as their official profile launches today. The pictures are a sneak peek of the album package — you know, to tide you over until your physical copy arrives.
For those who are unfamiliar with Flipagram (and may only be getting an account now for the sake of Harry, Louis, Liam, and Niall), it's similar to Instagram in its sharing abilities, but has a greater focus on music. Users can make slideshows, videos, stop-motion animations, and more within the app. Then, you can choose from millions of clips for background music. (It's weird that you'd want to use any music other than One Direction's, but that's your prerogative.)
Like most social apps, Flipagram centers around a feed you curate for yourself, based on profiles you follow. Flipagram also has an "Explore" page, again like Instagram's, where you can browse trending hashtags and channels (which, as of right now, include "Sweater Weather," "Puppies," and, obviously "1DPerfect"). Separate from the "Explore" page, but actually more exciting, is the "Music" page — essentially a ranking of the most-frequented artists' pages of the week.
There, Demi Lovato and Fetty Wap's official profiles made the list. Still, One Direction is leagues above, at the number-one spot. The band may have posted only one slideshow so far, but with its moody, black-and-white photos of the boys (and their single, "Perfect," playing in the background), we'll call the ranking well-earned.
And that's not all. As any thinking person knows, today is also the day that Justin Bieber's new album releases. First, catch your breath. Then, show your allegiance to the Biebs by downloading Shots, a selfie app backed by Justin himself.
Celebrities partnering with apps and tech companies isn't exactly new, but it can lead to major success for both parties (cough, Kim Kardashian). The fact that Flipagram is already an app centered around music makes its collaboration with 1D logical and all the more exciting — at the very least, it makes more sense up front than when Polaroid made Lady Gaga its chief creative director. You might even say that all this is what makes Flipagram, well, beautiful.
Flipagram is available for download on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. If you need us, we'll be flipping through One Direction's latest and streaming the album on repeat.