Background
One Direction (1D) is a pop boy band from the UK and Ireland, made up of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan. Former bandmate Zayn Malik left the group on March 25, 2015, and Liam Payne passed away on October 16, 2024. The band was active between 2010 and 2015.
The group’s journey began in early 2010 when teenagers Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik auditioned individually for the seventh season of The X Factor UK. For Liam, this marked his second attempt; he had auditioned in 2008 but was cut at the judge’s houses stage due to his age and lack of experience. For Louis, this was his third try, though it was the first time he moved beyond the initial auditions in April 2010. All five made it to the bootcamp stage as solo acts but were eliminated at its end. Simon Cowell and the other judges felt the soloists didn’t balance the competition, so they invited ten of them back and split them into two new groups, giving them another shot in the contest. In August 2010, the members of One Direction spent two weeks living together at Harry’s father’s place in Cheshire, England. Throughout the season, they were fan favorites on The X Factor, stirring up excitement and gaining immense media attention. Though they eventually placed third, behind runner-up Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle, Simon Cowell signed them to his label, Syco Music, on December 13, 2010.
Debut
One Direction’s first single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” was released on September 11, 2011, and quickly hit the #1 spot on the UK Singles Chart by September 18. It became the third fastest-selling single of the year in the UK, with 153,965 copies sold in its first week. The song also topped charts in Ireland, Mexico, and Scotland, and reached #4 in the United States, while claiming the #1 position on the US Dance Club Songs chart. With over 7 million copies sold globally, it ranks among the best-selling singles ever. The band’s debut album, Up All Night, came out on November 18, 2011, and became one of the year’s top sellers. Three additional singles followed—”Gotta Be You,” “One Thing,” and “More Than This”—with “One Thing” securing top ten positions worldwide. One Direction launched their first headlining tour, the Up All Night Tour, on December 18, 2011.
