One Direction mattered. They mattered to millions of fans who bought their albums, memorized their lyrics, and attended their concerts. And because One Direction mattered, Liam Payne mattered.
Liam — and separately but ideally collectively, Harry, Zayn, Niall, and Louis — seemed (to quote another boy band) larger than life. They were The Beatles for a generation. That, and the circumstances behind it, is what made Payne’s tragic death at 31 years old so shocking. But through the songs he left behind, Liam Payne — and One Direction as a whole — will continue to matter.
Below, you’ll find five songs from the One Direction discography that showed off Payne’s talents as a vocalist and a songwriter. It’s the story of his life, one that ended far too soon.
“What Makes You Beautiful” (Up All Night)
The first verse on One Direction’s first album is sung by Liam Payne: “You’re insecure, don’t know what for / You’re turnin’ heads when you walk through the door.” It’s all there, the hooks, the harmonies, the way Liam sings “door,” right from the start (he also has the first verse in 1D’s first-ever live performance). In behind-the-scenes footage of the band being together on The X-Factor, host Simon Cowell said Payne had the “standout audition.” Fellow judge (who knows a thing or two about group dynamics) Nicole Scherzinger added that “he could actually be the leader. He’s the standout.” Their instincts to put these five particular boys together proved correct.
“Little Things” (Take Me Home)
According to Setlist.fm, Liam covered this One Direction song more than any other at his solo concerts, so it clearly meant a lot to him. It was written by Fiona Bevan and Ed Sheeran, and has a lot of trademarks of an Ed Sheeran song, namely the folk-pop sincerity. The lyrics don’t amount to much more than “hey girl, you’re perfect because of your imperfections” (“What Makes You Beautiful” did it better), but Liam sells it with his natural charm.
“Diana” (Midnight Memories)
Liam co-wrote over 30 One Direction songs, including many of their biggest hits, like “Midnight Memories” and “Steal My Girl,” as well as fan favorites “No Control” and “Last First Kiss.” He and co-writer Louis Tomlinson really came into their own as songwriters on Midnight Memories. The title track has that titanic chorus, but it’s the deceptively upbeat “Diana” that I return to more often. It’s a fine showcase for the boys’ vocals with a sleek pop-rock sheen.
“Fireproof” (Four)
“Fireproof” shows how much One Direction evolved in three short years. 2011’s Up All Night, for all its youthful energy, has a lot of filler that’s propped up by a few undeniable singles. 2014’s Four is an actual album. The later tracks are as essential as the headliners; the gorgeous “Fireproof,” co-written by Liam and Louis, is instantly nostalgic.
“History” (Made In The A.M.)
This rootsy song was co-written by Liam, who described it to Entertainment Weekly as a “modern version” of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. He added, “More than anything, the song is about the way the fans and everyone have created this massive thing — One Direction — over the past five years. Out of [‘History’] comes a little bit of closure for this chapter of One Direction.” The final words on the final song on One Direction’s final album are Liam saying “we are” before he’s joined by the rest of the group: “live forever.” Through their music, they will.