How Grammy Awards Honored One Direction’s Liam Payne in Moving Tribute

Liam Payne, who died in October at the age of 31, was honored with a special moment during the 67th Grammy Awards held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Feb. 2.

Even when the night changes, it’ll never change One Direction.

The music community celebrated the life of the late Liam Payne—who died in October at the age of 31 after falling from a third floor hotel balcony in Argentina—during the 67th Grammy Awards Feb. 2 with a touching moment during the night’s In Memoriam segment.

After host Trevor Noah introduced the annual tribute—which featured Coldplay’s Chris Martin singing his group’s song “All My Love”—footage of Liam engaging with a massive crowd of One Direction fans played on screen.

“We never expected any of this to happen,” Liam said in a voiceover as a montage of him smiling and perfoming on stage rolled. “Actually sit and think about it, we’ve done some amazing things.”

Though Liam’s former bandmates—Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik—weren’t present at the 2025 Grammys, they came together in November to honor his life. At the funeral held in the U.K., the group marked their first reunion since their 2016 hiatus as they all attended dressed in black suits.

The former group also came together in spirit the day after Liam’s death to share their heartbreak over losing their friend.

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” they wrote in a joint statement on One Direction’s Instagram in October. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”

The singers continued, “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly.”

They ended the message with, “We love you Liam.”

The “Strip That Down” singer’s cause of death was later confirmed to be a result of the injuries he sustained from his fall, with an investigation also determining he had alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his body at the time of death. Since October, five people have been charged in the case.

The boy bander wasn’t the only late star who was honored at the 2025 Grammy Awards, with Quincy B. Jones—who died in November as the third-most awarded Grammy recipient of all time with 28 awards—being recognized in a special tribute, with performances by Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monáe.

Read on to see the results of the 2025 Grammy Awards.

Album of the Year

New Blue Sun by André 3000

Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé

Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter 

Brat by Charli xcx

Djesse Vol. 4 by Jacob Collier

Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish 

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan

The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Best Pop Vocal Album

WINNER: Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish 

Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande 

The Rise and Fall of A Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan 

The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey

“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish

“Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone

“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan

“Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

“Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter

“Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyoncé

Record of the Year

“Now and Then” by The Beatles

“Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyoncé

“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter

“360” by Charli xcx

“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish

WINNER: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan

“Fortnight” by Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone

Best New Artist

Benson Boone

Sabrina Carpenter

Doechii

WINNER: Chappell Roan

Shaboozey

Teddy Swims

Khruangbin

Best Comedy Album

Armageddon by Ricky Gervais

WINNER: The Dreamer by Dave Chappelle

The Prisoner by Jim Gaffigan

Someday You’ll Die by Nikki Glaser

Where Was I by Trevor Noah

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“Us” by Gracie Abrams ft. Taylor Swift

“LEVII’S JEANS” by Beyoncé ft. Post Malone

“Guess” by Charli xcx ft. Billie Eillish

“The Boy Is Mine” by Ariana Grande ft. Brandy and Monica! 

WINNER: “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga ft. Bruno Mars

Best Country Album

WINNER: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé

F-1 Trillion by Post Malone

Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves

Higher by Chris Stapleton

Whirlwind by Lainey Wilson

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“Cowboys Cry Too” by Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan

WINNER: “II Most Wanted” by Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus

“Break Mine” by Brothers Osborne

“Bigger Houses” by Dan + Shay

“I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen

Best Country Solo Performance

“16 Carriages” by Beyoncé

“I Am Not Okay” by Jelly Roll

“The Architect” by Kacey Musgraves

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey

WINNER: “It Takes A Woman” by Chris Stapleton

Best Country Song

WINNER: “The Architect” by Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry and Mark Williams

“I Am Not Okay” by Casey Brown, Jason DeFord, Ashley Gorley and Taylor Phillip

“I Had Some Help” by Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen and Chandler Paul Walters

“Texas Hold ‘Em” by Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bulow, Nate Ferraro and Raphael Saadiq

Best Dance/Electronic Album

WINNER: “Brat” by Charli XCX

“Three” by Four Tet

“Hyperdrama” by Justice

“Timeless” by Kaytranada

“Telos” by Zedd

Best Dance Pop Recording

“Make You Mine” by Madison Beer

WINNER: “Von Dutch” by Charli xcx

“L’Amour de Ma Vie [Over Now Extended Edit]” by Billie Eillish

“yes, and?” by Ariana Grande

“Got Me Started” by Troye Sivan

Best Latin Pop Album

Funk Generation by Anitta

El Viaje by Luis Fonsi

GARCÍA by Kany García

WINNER: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran by Shakira

ORQUÍDEAS by Kali Uchis

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

Compita del Destino by El David Aguilar

Pa’ Tu Cuerpa by Cimafunk

Autopoiética by Mon Laferte

GRASA by NATHY PELUSO

WINNER: ¿Quién trae las cornetas? by Rawayana

Best Music Video

Tailor Swif—A$AP Rocky

360—Charli xcx

Houdini—Eminem

WINNER: Not Like Us—Kendrick Lamar

Fortnight—Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone

Best Música Urbana Album

nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana by Bad Bunny

Rayo by J Balvin

FERXXOCALIPSIS by Feid

WINNER: LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN by Residente

att. by Young Miko

Best Rap Song

“Asteroids” by Marlanna Evans

“Carnival” by Jordan Carter, Raul Cubina, Grant Dickinson, Samuel Lindley, Nasir Pemberton, Dimitri Roger, Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West and Mark Carl Stolinski Williams

“Like That” by Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood, Leland Wayne & Nayvadius Wilburn

WINNER: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

“Yeah Glo!” by Ronnie Jackson, Jaucquez Lowe, Timothy McKibbins, Kevin Andre Price, Julius Rivera III & Gloria Woods

Best Rap Performance

“Enough (Miami)” by Cardi B

“When the Sun Shines Again” by Common and Pete Rock ft. Posdnuos

“Nissan Altima” by Doechii

“Houdini” by Eminem

“Like That” by Future & Metro Boomin ft. Kendrick Lamar

“Yeah Glo!” by GloRilla

WINNER: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Album

Might Delete Later by J. Cole

The Auditorium, Vol. 1 by Common and Pete Rock

WINNER: Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii

The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) by Eminem

We Don’t Trust You by Future and Metro Boomin

Best R&B Song

“After Hours” by Diovanna Frazier, Alex Goldblatt, Kehlani Parrish, Khris Riddick-Tynes and Daniel Upchurch

“Burning” by Ronald Banful and Temilade Openiyi

“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” by Sara Diamond, Sydney Floyd, Marisela Jackson, Courtney Jones, Carl McCormick and Kelvin Wooten

“Ruined Me” by Jeff Gitelman, Priscilla Renea and Kevin Theodore

WINNER: “Saturn” by Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solána Rowe, Jared Solomon and Scott Zhang

Best R&B Performance

“Guidance” by Jhené Aiko 

“Residuals” by Chris Brown

“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” by Coco Jones

WINNER: “Made for Me (Live on BET)” by Muni Long

“Saturn” by Sza

Best Pop Solo Performance

“Bodyguard” by Beyonce

WINNER: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter

“Apple” by Charli xcx

“Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish 

“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan

Best Rock Performance

WINNER: “Now and Then” by The Beatles

“Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” by Green Day

“Gift Horse” by Idles

“Dark Matter” by Pearl Jam

“Broken Man” by St. Vincent

Best Rock Album

Happiness Bastards by The Black Crows

Romance by Fontaines D.C.

Saviors by Green Day

Tangk by IDLES

Dark Matter by Pearl Jam

WINNER: Hackney Diamonds by Rolling Stones

No Name by Jack White

Best R&B Album

WINNER: 11:11 (Deluxe) by Chris Brown

Vantablack by Lalah Hathaway

Revenge by Muni Long

Algorithm by Lucky Daye

Coming Home by Usher

 

Best Americana Performance

“Ya Ya” by Beyoncé

“Subtitles” by Madison Cunningham

“Don’t Do Me Good” by Madi Diaz ft. Kacey Musgraves

WINNER: “American Dreaming” by Sierra Ferrell

“Runaway Train” by Sarah Jarosz

“Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

 

Best Musical Theater Album

WINNER: Hell’s Kitchen

Merrily We Roll Along

The Notebook

The Outsiders

Suffs

The Wiz