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 British singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction. After the band's hiatus, he launched a successful solo career, releasing critically acclaimed albums and embarking on sold-out tours. Styles has also ventured into acting, appearing in films like Dunkirk. He is known for his charismatic stage presence, musical versatility, and distinctive fashion sense, which have made him a significant figure in contemporary pop culture. His influence extends beyond music, shaping trends and inspiring a generation with his message of self-acceptance and individuality.
1971: Inspired by Blue and Tapestry
In 1971, Joni Mitchell's album Blue inspired Harry Styles to contact the album's dulcimer instrumentalist, with whom he worked on Fine Line. Harry Styles also chose to record Fine Line in Henson Studios after being inspired by Carole King's album Tapestry, also released in 1971, which was recorded there.
1973: Metaphorical Reference
In a 2015 Rolling Stone review of One Direction's concert, Rob Sheffield compared Harry Style's performance to Secretariat running the Belmont Stakes in 1973.
1973: Inspired by Hosono House
While writing Harry's House in Tokyo, Harry Styles was inspired by Haruomi Hosono's 1973 debut album Hosono House and paid homage to its title.
1975: Joni Mitchell's Harry's House
In 1975, Joni Mitchell's album The Hissing of Summer Lawns featured the track "Harry's House", Joni Mitchell tweeted that she "love[d] the title."
1978: Inspiration from Gerry Rafferty
In 1978, Gerry Rafferty's single "Right Down the Line" was a specific reference point during the creation of Harry's House.
1987: Sampling "Faith"
In 1987, Harry Styles sampled George Michael's song "Faith" on his unreleased track "Anna".
April 2010: The X Factor Audition
On 11 April 2010, Harry Styles auditioned for The X Factor as a solo contestant, initially singing "Hey, Soul Sister" and then "Isn't She Lovely".
July 2010: Formation of One Direction on The X Factor
In July 2010, Harry Styles and four other contestants who were eliminated as soloists were put together to form the boy band One Direction to compete in The X Factor. Harry Styles suggested the name One Direction.
2010: Formation of One Direction
In 2010, Harry Styles's musical career began as part of One Direction, a boy band formed on The X Factor.
January 2011: One Direction Signs with Syco Records
In January 2011, One Direction signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell's label, Syco Records.
2012: Release of Take Me Home album
In 2012, One Direction released their second album Take Me Home, which debuted at number one in the UK.
2013: Ambassador for Trekstock
In 2013, Harry Styles and Liam Payne became ambassadors for the cancer charity Trekstock, raising over US$800,000 through the online fundraising platform Prizeo. Styles also spoke up on Twitter, responding that he "believes in equal rights for everyone" when the Westboro Baptist Church picketed a One Direction concert.
2013: Release of Midnight Memories album
In 2013, One Direction released their third album Midnight Memories, which debuted at number one in the UK.
2013: One Direction: This Is Us Release
In 2013, the One Direction documentary, One Direction: This Is Us was released. The film features the Tremlow Viaduct, where Styles signs his name.
2014: Collaboration with Harry Lambert
During the band's Four era in 2014, Harry Styles began collaborating with stylist Harry Lambert on his fashion choices and public image.
2014: Support for LGBT Rights
In 2014, Harry Styles joined LGBT rights charity Stonewall's #FirstSnog campaign in celebration of their 25th anniversary. He also showed support for Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team, by wearing his jersey onstage during One Direction's concert in St. Louis.
2014: Endorsement of HeForShe gender equality campaign
In 2014, Harry Styles publicly endorsed Emma Watson's HeForShe gender equality campaign, showing his support for gender equality.
2014: Release of Four album
In 2014, One Direction released their fourth album Four, which debuted at number one in the UK.
2015: Sponsorship of water wells in India
In 2015, Harry Styles sponsored water wells in India through Drop4Drop, supporting Life Water's World Water Day campaign.
2015: Release of Made in the A.M. album
In 2015, One Direction released their album Made in the A.M., which debuted at number one in the UK.
2015: Energetic Performance
Since at least 2015, Harry Styles has been recognized by critics for his unusually energetic performances. In a 2015 Rolling Stone review of One Direction's concert at MetLife Stadium, Rob Sheffield compared his performance to Secretariat running the Belmont Stakes.
2016: Signing with Columbia Records and Launching Erskine Records
During 2016, Harry Styles signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and launched his own record label, Erskine Records.
2016: Views on Brexit and political leanings
In 2016, Harry Styles visited the House of Lords to attend a debate on Brexit following an invitation by Labour peer Lord Winston. Regarding Brexit, he stated that "anything that brings people together is better than things that pull people apart" and stated that it symbolises "the opposite of the world [he] would like to be in."
2016: Featured in Another Man Magazine
In 2016, Harry Styles was featured in Another Man magazine, after which Anne T. Donahue of The Guardian labelled him an "artthrob" who offers "something other than token shirtlessness."
2016: One Direction Goes on Hiatus
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus, following a suggestion by Harry Styles, after completing promotional activities related to Made in the A.M.
March 2017: Announcement of First Solo Single
In March 2017, Harry Styles announced that his first solo single, "Sign of the Times", would be released on 7 April.
May 2017: Intimate shows to celebrate debut album release
In May 2017, Harry Styles celebrated the release of his debut album by performing intimate shows at The Garage in London and the Troubadour in Los Angeles, with all proceeds going to charities.
May 2017: Release of Debut Solo Album & Film
In May 2017, Harry Styles released his debut studio album, Harry Styles, which debuted at number one in several countries. The film Harry Styles: Behind the Album was also released in May 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 a British soldier named Alex.
September 2017: Start of First Headlining Concert Tour
From September 2017, Harry Styles embarked on his first headlining concert tour, Harry Styles: Live on Tour.
November 2017: Television Special, Fashion Show Performance, and ARIA Music Award
In November 2017, BBC One broadcast Harry Styles at the BBC, and he performed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Also in November 2017, at the ARIA Music Awards, Styles received the Best International Artist award.
2017: Origin of 'Treat People with Kindness' Slogan
In 2017, Harry Styles began using the slogan "Treat People with Kindness" during his debut concert tour on a badge on his guitar and tour merchandise, including Pride T-shirts sold to raise funds for GLSEN.
2017: Release of Debut Solo Album
In 2017, Harry Styles released his eponymous debut solo album through Erskine and Columbia Records, which debuted at number one in the UK and the US. Also in 2017, the lead single, "Sign of the Times", topped the UK Singles Chart.
2017: Dunkirk Film Role
In 2017, Harry Styles's film roles included Dunkirk.
July 2018: End of First Headlining Concert 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 Sitcom
In October 2018, CBS's sitcom Happy Together premiered, on which Harry Styles served as an executive producer.
2018: Gay Times Honour for LGBTQ Advocate
In 2018, Harry Styles received a Gay Times Honour for LGBTQ Advocate.
2018: Pride Month T-shirt sales and support for social movements
In 2018, Harry Styles's 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.
2018: Performance with Fleetwood Mac and MusiCares Patronage
In 2018, Harry Styles, a patron of the MusiCares non profit organization, joined Fleetwood Mac for a performance of The Chain when the band were honored with the MusiCares Person of the Year award.
July 2019: Reported Talks for The Little Mermaid
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 declined.
October 2019: Release of Lights Up
In October 2019, Harry Styles released "Lights Up", the lead single from his second album, Fine Line.
October 2019: Teaser posters and website launch for "Do You Know Who You Are?"
In October 2019, teaser posters including the phrase "Do you know who you are?" and the acronym "TPWK" were spotted in London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, and Australia. To mark World Mental Health Day in 2019, Harry Styles launched a website bot called "Do You Know Who You Are?" that gives users positive randomised messages.
December 2019: Recognition of 'Treat People with Kindness' Slogan
In a December 2019 interview, Harry Styles stated that he began to notice the 'Treat People with Kindness' slogan gaining popularity as he saw people wearing the T-shirts.
2019: Release of Fine Line album
In 2019, Harry Styles's second album, Fine Line, debuted atop the US Billboard 200 with record-breaking first-week sales by an English male artist.
March 2020: NPR Tiny Desk Concert and Songwriting
In March 2020, Harry Styles performed an NPR Tiny Desk concert. Additionally, in March 2020, he co-wrote the song "Changes" for Cam's album The Otherside.
May 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter
In May 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, 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.
2020: COVID-19 Relief Efforts
During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Harry Styles released t-shirts with the slogan 'Stay Home. Stay Safe. Protect Each Other,' with 100% of the profits going towards the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund by the World Health Organization. Styles also paid his core tour crew's salaries for the duration of the postponed dates until the end of 2020.
January 2021: Release of 'Treat People with Kindness' single and music video
In January 2021, Harry Styles released the song "Treat People with Kindness" as a single, with a subsequent music video featuring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, after using the slogan 'Treat People with Kindness' for some time.
March 2021: Grammy Award Win and Brit Award
In March 2021, at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Harry Styles won the Best Pop Solo Performance award for "Watermelon Sugar". Also in March 2021, "Watermelon Sugar" earned Styles his second Brit Award for British Single of the Year.
September 2021: Love On Tour Kickoff
On September 4, 2021, Harry Styles's Love On Tour officially kicked off in Las Vegas after a previous postponement.
November 2021: Eternals Cameo and Pleasing Launch
In November 2021, Harry Styles made a cameo appearance as Eros / Starfox in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Eternals. He also launched his gender-neutral skin and nail care brand, Pleasing, in November 2021.
June 2022: AirPods Commercial Feature
In June 2022, Harry Styles and his single "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" were featured in an AirPods commercial.
June 2022: Response to Overturning of Roe v. Wade
In June 2022, Harry Styles tweeted his devastation over the overturning of Roe v. Wade, stating "I'm absolutely devastated for the people of America today" and referenced the ruling at his concert in Austin, Texas, telling the crowd that "No one can tell you what to do with your own body, it's yours."
June 2022: Donation to the 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, a global humanitarian aid organization that is responding to the more than six million refugees being forced to flee Ukraine.
September 2022: Madison Square Garden Residency
In August and September 2022, Harry Styles performed 15 sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, leading to a permanent banner being raised in the venue to mark the achievement. Styles became the third musical artist in history to have a banner raised at Madison Square Garden.
November 2022: Gucci Collaboration
In November 2022, Harry Styles collaborated with Alessandro Michele on a Gucci collection titled "Gucci Ha Ha Ha".
2022: Onstage Physicality
In 2022, Craig McLean described Harry Styles's onstage physicality for The Face as, "stomping, head-banging exuberance" that is "impossible to resist."
2022: Gucci "Ha Ha Ha" Collection and Museum Exhibits
In 2022, Harry Styles designed a Gucci joint capsule collection with Alessandro Michele entitled "Ha Ha Ha". The collection was unveiled at Milan Fashion Week. Also in 2022, the Gucci dress he wore on the cover of Vogue was incorporated into a V&A Museum exhibit called Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear. Several of Styles's outfits have been displayed in museums, including a blue velvet suit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, linen trousers at the Design Museum, and a leather suit in the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live.
2022: Film Roles and Reviews
In 2022, Harry Styles starred in two films: Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman. Don't Worry Darling, which premiered at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, received mixed reviews for both the film and Styles's performance. My Policeman, which premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, also garnered divided opinions from critics, with varying assessments of Styles's acting.
2022: Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman film roles
In 2022, Harry Styles's film roles included Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman.
2022: Release of Harry's House album
In 2022, Harry Styles's third album, Harry's House, broke several records and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Also in 2022, its lead single, "As It Was", became the number-one song globally, according to Billboard.
2022: Partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety
In 2022, following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Harry Styles partnered with the nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety for 44 shows across five cities in North America as part of his Love On Tour.
July 2023: Invitation to Ukrainian refugees to Love On Tour
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 organization.
July 2023: Love On Tour Conclusion
In July 2023, Harry Styles's Love On Tour concluded as the then-fifth-highest-grossing tour of all time, earning $617.3 million.
September 2023: Background Vocals on Mitch Rowland's Track
In September 2023, Harry Styles provided background vocals on bandmate Mitch Rowland's track "Here Comes the Comeback".
2023: Pollstar Award for Brand Partnership/Live Campaign of the Year
In 2023, Harry Styles and Live Nation's partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety won a Pollstar Award for Brand Partnership/Live Campaign of the Year.
July 2024: Performance with Stevie Nicks
In July 2024, Harry Styles joined Stevie Nicks on stage at the British Summer Time festival in London to perform "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" and "Landslide" in tribute of Christine McVie's birthday.
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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