When One Direction first announced they'd be embarking on pop's ultimate kiss of death -- the indefinite hiatus -- fans expected side projects would blossom into solo efforts soon enough.

And they have! Sort of. While pervasive rumors hinted Harry Styles would be the first one to release his own dad-rock jams, both Zayn Malik and Niall Horan beat him to the punch.

Zayn got to work immediately upon parting ways with the group in 2015, releasing his first solo effort Mind of Mine a year to the day after he quit One Direction. The album's lead single, the R&B-leaning "Pillowtalk," offered up an image rebrand and musical redirection that proved Zayn's capability as a solo artist without alienating his core fan base.

Then came Niall, who dropped his debut solo single -- the acoustic guitar-driven "This Town" -- earlier today (September 29) with zero warning. Reminiscent of 1D's lesser ballads, the track is your typical singer-songwriter fare, perfect for fans of Niall's thin (but much improved!) vocals.

So the question is this: If you had to decide between either Zayn Malik's or Niall Horan's debut solo single to listen to on repeat forever, which would you choose?

The two tracks are wildly different, but what's the point of boy bands if you can't compare the individual members by their post-group musical output?

Listen to the tracks below, and then vote in the poll. We'll announce the winner on October 6, so get to it!

Niall Horan, "This Town"

Zayn Malik, "Pillowtalk"

Zayn Malik's Best Live Vocals

One Direction Through The Years

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