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Liam Payne Helped Unlock One Direction’s Potential

One Direction’s impact on modern popular music cannot be forgotten -- and Liam Payne’s role in creating that seismic shift was indispensable.

There are plenty of instances of Liam commanding the spotlight in a One Direction hit, from “Best Song Ever” to “Steal My Girl” to “History,” and as the group graduated to the biggest venues on the planet, he demonstrated an ability to perform to enormous crowds while maintaining an assuredness and affability that made every stadium show seem downright intimate. The culture that 1D created over their run prioritized inclusion, and never talked down to their younger fans; Liam was a key part of reimagining the longstanding boy band model as a more global, social media-savvy and ultimately more accessible pop phenomenon. Liam kept collaborating with other pop personalities (Zedd, J Balvin, Rita Ora) while exploring hip-hop, R&B and dance music; his 2019 debut, LP1, was supposed to receive a follow-up in the near future, following the release of the single “Teardrops” earlier this year.

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