Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Harry Styles
How Harry Styles built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Harry Styles is a highly influential English singer, songwriter, and actor. Rising to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, he has since established a successful solo career marked by his distinctive showmanship, artistic expression, and bold fashion choices. Styles's impact on popular culture extends beyond music, making him a significant figure in contemporary entertainment and style.
1991: Nielsen SoundScan Tracking Sales Data
In 1991, Nielsen SoundScan began electronically tracking sales data, which later became a reference point when Harry Styles broke a sales debut record.
April 2010: Audition for The X Factor
On April 2010, Harry Styles auditioned as a solo contestant for The X Factor, singing "Hey, Soul Sister" and later "Isn't She Lovely."
July 2010: Formation of One Direction
In July 2010, Harry Styles and four other eliminated contestants were grouped together to form the boy band One Direction, marking a significant turn in his career.
2010: One Direction Formation on The X Factor
In 2010, Harry Styles's musical career began as part of One Direction, a boy band formed on The X Factor after each member was eliminated from the solo contest.
January 2011: One Direction Signs with Syco Records
In January 2011, One Direction signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell's label, Syco Records, marking a significant step in their professional music career.
2013: Charity Work with Trekstock
In 2013, Harry Styles and Liam Payne became ambassadors for the cancer charity Trekstock, raising over US$800,000 through Prizeo. Also in 2013, he spoke up on Twitter in support of equal rights after the Westboro Baptist Church picketed a One Direction concert.
2013: One Direction: This Is Us Documentary
In 2013, the One Direction documentary, One Direction: This Is Us, featured the Tremlow Viaduct, where Harry Styles signed his name.
2014: Endorsement of HeForShe Campaign
In 2014, Harry Styles endorsed Emma Watson's HeForShe gender equality campaign.
2014: Support for LGBT Rights
In 2014, Harry Styles joined Stonewall's #FirstSnog campaign and showed support for Michael Sam by wearing his jersey onstage during a One Direction concert.
2014: Release of 'Four' and Co-writing for Ariana Grande
In 2014, One Direction released their album Four. Harry Styles also co-wrote the song "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart" for Ariana Grande's album My Everything.
2014: Collaboration with Harry Lambert
In 2014, during the band's Four era, Harry Styles began collaborating with stylist Harry Lambert.
2015: Sponsorship of Water Wells in India
In 2015, Harry Styles sponsored water wells in India via Drop4Drop in support of Life Water's World Water Day campaign.
2016: Views on Brexit
In 2016, Harry Styles visited the House of Lords to attend a debate on Brexit following an invitation by Labour peer Lord Winston, stating that "anything that brings people together is better than things that pull people apart".
2016: Featured in Another Man magazine
In 2016, Harry Styles was featured in Another Man magazine, leading The Guardian to label him an "artthrob" for his fashion choices.
2016: One Direction Hiatus
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus after completing promotional activities for 'Made in the A.M.'
2016: Solo Career Beginnings
Throughout 2016, Harry Styles began his solo career, joining Jeffrey Azoff's Full Stop Management, talent agency CAA, signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, and launching his own record label, Erskine Records.
March 2017: Announcement of "Sign of the Times" Release
In March 2017, Harry Styles announced the release of his first solo single, "Sign of the Times", marking the beginning of his solo music career.
May 2017: Intimate Shows for Charity
In May 2017, Harry Styles celebrated the release of his debut album by playing intimate shows at The Garage in London and at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, with all proceeds benefiting charities.
May 2017: Release of Debut Album and Documentary
In May 2017, Harry Styles released his debut studio album, 'Harry Styles', which reached number one in multiple countries, and the film 'Harry Styles: Behind the Album' was released exclusively on Apple Music.
July 2017: Feature Film Debut in Dunkirk
In July 2017, Harry Styles made his feature film debut in Christopher Nolan's war film Dunkirk, playing the role of a British soldier named Alex.
September 2017: Start of 'Harry Styles: Live on Tour'
In September 2017, Harry Styles embarked on his first headlining concert tour, 'Harry Styles: Live on Tour'.
2017: First Use of TPWK Slogan
In 2017, Harry Styles began using the "Treat People with Kindness" slogan during his debut concert tour on a badge on his guitar and tour merchandise.
2017: Release of Debut Solo Album
In 2017, Harry Styles released his debut solo album through Erskine and Columbia Records. The album debuted at number one in the UK and the US.
2017: Film Role in Dunkirk
In 2017, Harry Styles's film roles included Dunkirk.
July 2018: End of 'Harry Styles: Live on Tour'
In July 2018, Harry Styles's first headlining concert tour, 'Harry Styles: Live on Tour', came to an end.
October 2018: Premiere of Happy Together
In October 2018, CBS's sitcom Happy Together, inspired by Harry Styles's time living with television producer Ben Winston, premiered.
2018: Gay Times Honour for LGBTQ Advocate
In 2018, Harry Styles received a Gay Times Honour for LGBTQ Advocate.
2018: Pride Month T-shirts and Activism
In 2018, Harry Styles' online store sold T-shirts with the slogan "Treat People with Kindness" in a rainbow print for Pride Month, with profits benefiting GLSEN. That year, Styles also tweeted in support of the March for Our Lives petition, and added "Black Lives Matter" and "End Gun Violence" stickers to his guitar.
July 2019: Talks for The Little Mermaid Role
In July 2019, it was reported that Harry Styles was in early talks to play Prince Eric in the live-action Disney film The Little Mermaid, but he ultimately turned down the part.
October 2019: "Do You Know Who You Are?" Campaign Launch
In October 2019, Harry Styles launched teaser posters and a website bot called "Do You Know Who You Are?" to mark World Mental Health Day, offering positive messages and ending with "TPWK. LOVE, H."
October 2019: Release of "Lights Up"
In October 2019, Harry Styles released "Lights Up", the lead single from his second album, Fine Line.
2019: Fine Line Album Debut
In 2019, Harry Styles's second album, Fine Line, debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart, achieving the biggest first-week sales ever for an English male artist.
May 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter
In May 2020, Harry Styles showed support for Black Lives Matter, urging fans to share and donate in support, and pledged to donate to a bail fund for arrested Black Lives Matter activists following the murder of George Floyd.
2020: COVID-19 Relief Efforts
During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Harry Styles released t-shirts to raise money for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and paid his core tour crew's salaries.
January 2021: "Treat People with Kindness" Music Video Release
In January 2021, Harry Styles released a music video for the Fine Line song "Treat People with Kindness" featuring Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
2021: Film Role in Eternals
In 2021, Harry Styles's film roles included Eternals.
June 2022: Advocacy for Abortion Rights
In June 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, Harry Styles tweeted his devastation for the people of America and referenced the ruling at his concert in Austin, Texas, saying that "No one can tell you what to do with your own body, it's yours."
June 2022: Donation to International Rescue Committee
On June 2, 2022, Harry Styles announced he was donating his appearance fee from Apple's AirPods' spatial audio campaign to the International Rescue Committee to help Ukrainian refugees.
2022: Gucci "Ha Ha Ha" Collection and Museum Displays
In 2022, Harry Styles designed a Gucci joint capsule collection with Alessandro Michele entitled "Ha Ha Ha", including suits, trench coats, and kilts. Also in 2022, the Gucci dress he wore on the cover of Vogue was incorporated into a V&A Museum exhibit.
2022: Film Roles in Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman
In 2022, Harry Styles's film roles included Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman.
2022: Release of Harry's House
In 2022, Harry Styles's third album, Harry's House, broke several records and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The lead single, "As It Was", became the number-one song globally.
2022: Partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety
In 2022, following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Harry Styles partnered with Everytown for Gun Safety for shows across North America.
July 2023: Love On Tour and Ukrainian Refugees
In July 2023, Harry Styles invited three Ukrainian refugees supported by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to Love On Tour at his show at Warsaw's PGE Narodowy Stadium, continuing his partnership with the IRC.
2023: Influence on Concert Dressing and Adidas Collaboration
In 2023, Harry Styles was credited alongside Beyoncé and Taylor Swift for the rise in elaborate concert dressing. After Styles wore Adidas Gazelles on Love On Tour, Adidas renamed the shoes "Satellite Stompers".
2023: The Little Mermaid release
In 2023, the movie the little mermaid came out and Harry Styles had turned down the part.
2024: Investment in S.S. Daley
In 2024, Harry Styles invested in a minority stake in emerging British fashion label S.S. Daley.
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