Thursday, December 18, 2025

One Direction’s Liam Payne Goes in Another Direction, Leaves Sony Music for Universal

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Here’s another clue that One Direction may never ever be getting back together again. Liam Payne has signed with Republic Records at Universal Music Group to begin his solo career.

That makes Liam the second member of the group to leave Sony for Universal. Niall Horan’s new single is licensed to Capitol Records, also at Universal.

Zayn Malik is signed to RCA, which is part of Sony. Harry Styles recently signed with Columbia Records at Sony. That makes Louis Tomlinson the sole holdout for a solo career.

One Direction, of course, is contracted to Sony, which one day will want a reunion album if all these solo plans go awry.

So far, Zayn– who ditched the group first– has had the most success with a hit single “PillowTalk” and a so so hit with his first album. Niall has a single out now called “This Town” that’s struggling on radio. Styles has postponed his music debut to make a movie first. He’s got a part in Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk.”

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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