As the stars of One Direction mourn the loss of Liam Payne, we honour his memory by looking back at boyband's best music videos.
At one point in recent pop culture history, British boyband One Direction was every aspiring singer's big dream. Born in 2010 at the televised singing competition The X Factor, and propelled into stardom Simon Cowell's label Syco Records, the band – comprised of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik – made its stars global icons.
The boys' infectious charm was clearly reflected in their music; however, also in their evolution on stage and, of course, in their music videos. And whilst the group disbanded in 2016, and all its members have been met with their own fates – from Styles' meteoric rise, to Payne's untimely demise – One Direction fans are known to treat the locations where the boys made music video magic as must-visit sight-seeing destinations.
Yes, as One Direction fans grieve Liam Payne's death, nostalgia has gripped us all. Here, we take you through some of the most memorable One Direction music videos and the iconic locations that made them the coolest boyband of the last decade.
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Malibu
One Direction's first hit was a catchy, simple song whose main appeal was the video. In it, the boys ride down the road to a lonely, laid-back beach to meet a group of girls, and a breathtaking sunset. The video was filmed in Malibu, on one of the quieter beaches.
Although it has not been revealed precisely which beach was chosen, we know that it is a clean and fresh horizon, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the beaches of the place. It has a pier and a wooden hut to take shelter after the sunset. It should be noted that Harry Styles apparently returned to the same spot to shoot part of the video for "Watermelon Sugar", one of his solo songs.
Battersea Park
The video for this song was among the first to catapult 1D to fame. The plot shows the five singers touring London while greeting fans and strangers. Although they go through different places, one of them stands out and it is Battersea Park, which has many paths to walk or bike. It also has a zoo ideal for the little ones to enjoy, as well as a giant sandbox. For adults there are sports facilities and allusions to other cultures, such as the Buddhist pagoda, perfect for resting.
Natural History Museum
POV: we have a date with Zayn, Liam, Harry, Louis and Niall... and it all goes wrong in the end. Or at least that's the premise of the video. It shows the guys in different situations having a date with whoever watches the video and for this, we can move to several places; although one stands out: the ice rink at the Natural History Museum in London.
The ice rink is open all year round but best time to visit is during the winter season. The session lasts 40 minutes and skates can be rented on site, or you can bring your own pair. In addition, during the activity you can look at the museum building as the main stage at any time. And to close the activity, there is a bar to enjoy from a beer to a hot chocolate, and a good meal.
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California Desert
This video featuring Dani DeVito and a local school marching band shows the members of One Direction in a Burning Man-style celebration. As such, the unmissable views of the California desert emanate energy and nicely embrace the fun scenes throughout the story. It is important to note that there are several deserts in California, but as in "What Makes You Beautiful", it is not clear which one. What is certain is that it has mounds of sand and climbing stones to see the sunset in all its glory.
Brick Lane
Another busy London neighbourhood was featured in this One Direction video: Brick Lane, where the boys arrive after a failed party, and immediately you can see the the food stalls and the flea markets that make this London district so unique
While it is not the only location in the video clip, it is one of the most recognisable, as it dates back more than 400 years and today is a must-see for locals and tourists who want to try delicious food and shop. This neighbourhood of Victorian homes is a true cultural melting pot.
Clevedon Pier
The last video in which the five members participated was filmed on a wooden pier, but it's not just any pier, it's a historic site in England. The narrative shows the boys walking across it and merging with each other, but the path seems to go on forever.
The pier dates back to the 19th century and is very close to Bristol. In fact, the 300-plus-meter path passes over the River Severn, which is the longest river in Britain. It is considered the most beautiful in the country due to its preservation over the years, as well as the constant maintenance of its Victorian architecture. Despite this, it had a serious modification in the 1970s, as it suffered severe damage in that decade. It is also on the United Kingdom's list of grade one listed buildings and monuments.
NASA Johnson Space Center
By this point, the group consisted of only four members, as Zayn Malik had left. We then see Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne dressed as astronauts at one of NASA's bases, located in Houston. This was founded in 1961 and it monitors space phenomena; it is also a training centre for astronauts offering biology and technology services, among others.
It has a flight food laboratory and a lab for lunar samples that were brought back to Earth from 1969 to 1972. The mission control inside allows everything to be in order during space travel and if there is any anomaly, the attendants are the first to know. Among other activities, there is also a zone for the general public to get to know more about space, and learn the essentials of off-planet exploration.
