One Direction’s 1st VMAs Appearance Was 10 Years Ago

Folklore has it that high-pitched screams could be heard 'round the world from LA on the night of Sept. 6, 2012, as One Direction was performing their hit song "One Thing" at the MTV Video Music Awards.

At the time, 1D was certainly the most talked-about boy band in the music sphere, and this performance had fans of all ages (albeit mostly teenage girls) glued to their TVs, ready to witness the boys perform at one of their first award shows.

Even though this performance happened a whole decade ago, it continues to be a memorable performance. 1D kept audiences captivated from the start when they got slowly elevated onto the stage from a moving platform to the end when they were hovering over the audience of the VMAs, again, on an elevated platform.

They clearly had a thing for being elevated — and that certainly reflects the trajectory of their career as a band following this performance.

They went on to win the VMAs for best pop video, most share-worthy video and best new artist on that same night — which just so happens to be the first set of awards the boys ever won.

1D was just getting started on what turned out to be a long, triumphant road to historic boy bandom.

Although now the boys (well, men, we guess) are now off on their own unique paths since officially splitting in 2016 (Or did they? Just kidding), they'll never truly escape their badge of honor as a member of one of the greatest boy bands of all time.

Here's what the boys are up to nowadays.

Harry Styles

Styles is undoubtedly the busiest of the five lads. Not only has he released three full studios albums since his departure from 1D — but he's also gone on to do multiple world tours, and is currently on his North American leg of "Love on Tour," where he's added songs from his new album, "Harry's House."

He also has his own beauty brand, "Pleasing," which features nail polish and skincare products that are available for purchase online.

And lest we forget that Styles is also continuing his acting career by starring in not one, but TWO! films set to release this fall: "Don't Worry Darling" in theaters and "My Policeman" for Amazon Prime.

So yeah — he's a busy guy. Liam Payne

Liam Payne, known by many 1D fans for his leading-man attitude, released “Strip That Down” in 2017 after he left 1D. He followed that single with his debut album, "LP1," in 2019.

He's also known for his mysterious selfies and onstage dance moves.

Payne shares a son named Bear, born in 2016, with his ex, singer Cheryl Cole.

Payne also recently went on the record with Logan Paul sharing some of his memories of being in One Direction. He revealed that, while he and Tomlinson are pals now, they hated each other while in the band. He also asserted that in the early years of 1D, he was the leader of the band.

Louis Tomlinson

Tomlinson, known for his pranks and overall great vibes he brought to the band, also went solo after 1D stopped making music together. The singer released his first solo single, "Just Like You" in 2017, and followed it in 2020 with his first full studio album, "Walls."

He also has a 5-year-old son, Freddie, who he co-parents with his ex, Briana Jungwirth.

Niall Horan

Horan also continued to make his own music after his career in One Direction. He's most known for his hit singles "Slow Hands" and "This Town," which both have over 600 million streams on Spotify.

In 2017, he won the American Music Award for Best New Artist of the Year, as well as a handful of iHeart Radio Music Awards.

Horan has also been spotted by fans at Styles' concerts — proving that the brotherhood of a boy band never dies.

Zayn Malik

The "Bradford Bad Boy," as many 1D fans colloquially address him, also went on to make solo music — but this was to be expected, as he was the first to announce his leave from the group in 2015. 1D continued to make another album, "Made in the A.M.," after Malik's departure.

One of the songs off his first album "Mind of Mine," which he released under the artist name ZAYN in 2016, has reached over a billion streams on Spotify to date.