In 7 Years After One Direction Broke Up, One Member's Career Never Really Took Off

One Direction was obviously the most popular boy band of the 2010s, with no other musical ensemble even coming close to the popularity these five boys enjoyed. However, after the group disbanded in 2015, each singer went their own way.

And while some, like Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan, managed to achieve real success in their solo careers, other former band members failed to live up to the expectations fans had for them.

The two least popular members of One Direction are obviously Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson.

Payne's solo career can hardly be described as successful, as his first album LP1 failed miserably, selling only 60,000 copies in the UK.

Fans and critics panned the record, calling it a bland mix of other people's ideas that lacked any real identity. However, because of Payne's unpretentious and banal version of R&B, his songs continue to be used in commercials and played on the radio, earning him quite a bit of money.

Louis Tomlinson is in the same boat as Liam, as both were unable to really take off after the end of One Direction. Even when the boys were still together, many fans noticed that Louis lacked the star power to really carry the band and was left out of the spotlight.

His solo career didn't impress either, as he still hasn't managed to produce a single big hit.

However, unlike Liam, Louis is still very much loved by fans and is constantly mentioned on Twitter, as people seem to appreciate that Louis is doing what he really loves instead of chasing cheap trends like Zayn or Liam.

All in all, it is pretty hard to conclude who is the least successful member of One Direction, as even Zayn has fallen from grace in recent years, producing boring and inspired tracks. If we talk about the numbers, Louis is definitely the least successful of the boys, but if we consider fans' admiration for the artists, Liam is at the bottom of everyone's list.