Harry Styles has dominated this past year. With a no. 1 album, a world tour on the horizon, and rising popularity, there’s no doubt he’s on his way to music legend status. It’s hard to believe the singer is only 26-years-old today, especially with all his major accomplishments.
We’re highlighting all the groundbreaking things Harry has done during his 25th year of life—reminisce with us and let’s celebrate Harry in the best way possible.
1. His speech for Stevie Nicks at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
We’re all in agreement that Harry’s bond with Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks is the best thing ever. So when he showed up to give a touching speech about all her awesome rock and roll achievements, we weren’t exactly surprised. Not to mention the pair also sang a rousing rendition of ‘Stop Dragging My Heart Around’ that left us all wanting more.
2. Co-chair of the 2019 Met Gala
Harry’s influence on men’s fashion has been vital—especially now, with his face plastered on any Gucci billboard. At the 2019 Met Gala, the singer was a proud co-chair alongside Alessandro Michele, Serena Williams, Lady Gaga, and Anna Wintour. He donned a lacy Gucci jumpsuit and a single pearl earring that had everyone pronouncing him as one of the best dressed of the night.
3. Gucci Tailoring campaign
With the amount of Gucci Harry started recently wearing, it was no surprise he became the face of their newest campaign. The former boybander is seen entering a fish and chips shop holding a chicken—don’t ask us why—in the most stylish of clothes, making us wonder when we’ll stumble upon a fashionably-dressed Harry Styles in our local eatery.
4. Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur commercial
His partnership with Gucci doesn’t stop there. Harry even appeared in a commercial for the brand’s newest fragrance. He even speaks a bit of French in this epically bizarre ad spot.
5. Rolling Stone cover story
We can’t forget when Harry graced the cover of Rolling Stone, sending the internet into a tizzy because what’s better than a shirtless Harry Styles? The superstar was interviewed by Rob Sheffield, where he revealed his views on social issues, his next album, and so much more.
6. ‘Lights Up’ single and music video
As his first single since his solo debut in 2017, ‘Lights Up’ made a massive statement. The song unveiled a new side to the singer, one that was deadset on stepping into the spotlight. And it goes without saying that the music video turned heads, with Harry dancing among other scantily clad men and women during a late night in Mexico.
7. Performed with Kacey Musgraves on her ‘Oh, What a World’ tour
s p a c e cowboy pic.twitter.com/YcWTK1NhXE
— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) October 27, 2019
Kacey Musgraves spiced up the end of her world tour with a surprise guest appearance from Harry. The pair sang Kacey’s hit track ‘Space Cowboy’ in Nashville, making it a night each concertgoer would never forget.
8. SNL Double Duty
Harry joined an elite club of celebs who have graced the SNL stage as both the host and musical guest. His second time appearing on the show was an exciting one. He debuted his track ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and even cracked a few One Direction jokes during his monologue. Oh, and also never forget the Sara Lee sketch—comedy gold if you ask us.
9. ‘Watermelon Sugar’ release
‘Watermelon Sugar’ is an innocent enough title even though it implies that it’s anything but. Harry released this track ahead of his appearance on SNL and left us all questioning: what is Harry’s fascination with naming songs after fruit? First, ‘Kiwi,’ ‘Watermelon Sugar,’ and then ‘Cherry.’ Either way, it works, so keep doing you, Harry.
10. Eroda
To prepare for his upcoming single ‘Adore You,’ Harry came up with an imaginary island named Eroda. Fans investigated its connection to the singer and came up with a heap of theories. It started popping up in YouTube ads, commercials, and social media trends, causing people to talk all about this mysterious “Eroda.” We can all agree it was a remarkable marketing tactic by Harry and his team.
11. ‘Adore You’ single and music video
Harry further explored the fascination with Eroda in his new music video for ‘Adore You.‘ The video was narrated by Rosalía and features Harry befriending a fish after realizing he doesn’t quite fit in with the islanders—his smile too bright for the gloomy locals. The track spearheaded Harry’s attempt to become a bit more radio-friendly, and what a success it was.
12. ‘Fine Line’ album release and no. 1 debut
Thank you to everyone listening to FINE LINE, I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I enjoyed making it.
Love you all. H
FINE LINE – OUT NOW.https://t.co/xkqHnAr55E
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) December 16, 2019
The anticipation for Harry’s new album was so high that we didn’t know what to expect. ‘Fine Line‘ was everything we wanted and more—from the emotionally revealing ‘Cherry’ to the retro ‘Sunflower Vol. 6.’ Harry took a step in the right direction with his sophomore LP, straying further from the classic rock style he thrived on in his self-titled debut two years ago and stepping into more pop-friendly territory. But it all seemed to work for him—’Fine Line’ debuted at no. 1 with more than 400k units sold in the U.S.
13. ‘Fine Line’ Live at The Forum
On the same day as the release of ‘Fine Line,’ Harry put on a show at The Forum in L.A. He performed all 12 tracks from his record, giving fans a little taste of what was to come for future shows. He even brought out Stevie Nicks and performed alongside her as they sang her hit ‘Landslide.’ It was a sold-out show, packed full of adoring fans, taking in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
14. L’Officiel Hommes magazine cover
Harry donned Gucci for the cover of L’Officiel Hommes mag just this past year. He showed off his superior modeling skills, that classic boyish Styles smile capturing our hearts. He also talked about his approach to songwriting this time around with ‘Fine Line.’
15. The Face magazine cover
Did we mention Harry could be a model? Well, we’re saying it again. He was on the front of The Face magazine and it solidified our belief that he’s no longer the baby-faced One Direction member.
16. ‘Love On Tour’ announcement
With the release of ‘Fine Line,’ a world tour announcement was inevitable. In April Harry will begin performing across the U.S., Europe, and South America. It’s sure to be one for the books with Harry’s passion for putting on one hell of a show.
17. Beats 1 interview with Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe has a knack for digging deeper when it comes to interviewing some of our favorite musicians. He was able to really crack open Harry’s usually reserved exterior and dive into what inspired some of the most heart-wrenching tracks from ‘Fine Line.’ They discuss Harry’s tough breakup, what’s most important to him, and his upcoming tour.
18. The Graham Norton Show appearance
Harry performed ‘Adore You’ for the first time on The Graham Norton Show. It’s quickly become one of our faves, with his band backing him up on vocals, making it a dreamy rendition we hope to hear more of.
19. Hosted The Late Late Show
We’re all familiar with Harry and James Corden’s friendship—he once filled in for him on the show last minute when James’ wife went into labor, and even did a week-long stint during his first album release in 2017. Well, James must have thought it wasn’t that much of a disaster because he had him back, letting him take over the show once more. He handled it all like a professional as he interviewed stars like Kendall Jenner and Tracee Ellis Ross. Let’s just say if Harry needed a career change, a talk show host wouldn’t be a bad idea.
20. Crosswalk Concert
We never knew we needed to see Harry performing ‘Sign of the Times,’ floating over a crosswalk while backup dancers prance out in the middle of halted traffic. It’s just a list of outrageous things James Corden always seems to wrangle Harry into, and hey, we’re not complaining.
21. Carpool Karaoke
There’s no way the former One Direction member would guest star on The Late Late Show without a bit of Carpool Karaoke. This time though, Harry’s the one driving around while the pair sing a few of the singer’s own hits.
22. The Guardian cover story
In this issue of The Guardian, Harry was his most candid yet. He addressed questions about his sexuality and how he expresses himself through music and fashion. “Am I sprinkling in nuggets of sexual ambiguity to try and be more interesting? No,” he said. “I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or it makes me look straight, or it makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool. And more than that, I dunno, I just think sexuality’s something that’s fun. Honestly? I can’t say I’ve given it any more thought than that.”
23. Performed with Stormzy at London album release show
Just like his show at The Forum, Harry performed at the Electric Ballroom to celebrate the release of his new record. He brought out rapper Stormzy, a totally unexpected but welcome surprise. The duo performed the artist’s track ‘Vossi Bop’ together, making anyone who wasn’t there suffer from a severe case of FOMO.
24. ‘Fine Line’ pop-up shops in L.A., NYC, and London
Harry at the London #FineLine pop-up shop today – December 18 (via mtvuk) pic.twitter.com/KRrhxAscT6
— HSD (@hsdaily) December 18, 2019
To honor ‘Fine Line,’ there were a few pop-up shops held in L.A, New York City, and London. It featured exclusive merchandise and artwork from the album. Harry even made an appearance at the London shop, giving fans the ultimate surprise.
25. BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge
The BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge is a rite of passage for most artists. We’re always excited to see someone like Harry step inside the studio and wow us—especially after his previous appearance where he covered Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain.’ This time around, he sang his own version of Lizzo‘s ‘Juice’ and, not to be dramatic, but it cleansed our souls.
26. Performed ‘Juice’ with Lizzo
More of Harry and Lizzo performing Juice in Miami – January 30 (vía laurenjxixi) pic.twitter.com/fcnOv9Hqkx
— HSD Media (@HSDMedia) January 31, 2020
Yes, you read that right. Harry performed alongside Lizzo at the SiriusXM & Pandora Opening Drive Super Concert Series ahead of SuperBowl weekend. They sang along to the Grammy winner’s hit single ‘Juice’—Harry even went along with her choreography, making the whole performance that much better. It’s as if Harry was giving us a warning with his BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge cover. But can we all collectively agree that we need a Harry x Lizzo collab ASAP?
Featured image source: Instagram (@ryanmcginleystudios)
Well done!!! I’m a really big Harry fan so I already knew ALL of this stuff but you did a GREAT job of summing up an entire year’s worth of awesomeness! I had fun reading the entire thing and realizing JUST how much of a crazy year 25 was for him.