Pop-Culturalist.com

It’s crazy to think five years ago, the boys of One Direction were complete strangers. Having auditioned for the X Factor U.K. as solo artists—Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall, and Zayn were cut prior to judges’ houses. However, far too talented, the judges threw the boys a lifeline and offered them a spot in the Groups category. If you’re looking to feel a bit nostalgic, here’s their very first performance as a group.

Five years later, with over 61 million records sold worldwide and countless #1 hit singles, One Direction is undoubtedly the biggest band on the planet. Earlier this year, One Direction announced they would be taking an extended hiatus beginning in 2016. Fans, myself included, began showing their support with the hashtag #ThisIsNotTheEndOfOneDirection on Twitter.

On Saturday, the boys returned home to the X Factor stage. One of their last performances before their much-deserved hiatus—Harry, Liam, Louis, and Niall delivered an emotional performance of “History”. If the montage of images appearing behind the boys did not make you shed a tear, the hug at the end definitely did. Although, we’ll be deprived of moments like these for the next eighteen months, who doesn’t take comfort hearing the boys sing: “this is not the end.”