One Direction is the world’s newest and hippest boy band. In 2010, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan applied as solo artists for the seventh season of The X Factor UK; however they failed to qualify for the “Boys” category. After much consideration, judge Simon Cowell thought that sending them home would be too much of a loss and that their talent would be better put to use together. The five were then offered the opportunity to be put together to form a band, thus qualifying for the “Groups” category. The boys knew this was a chance of a life-time and immediately took the offer. They took a few days to get to know each other and deemed themselves, One Direction. Their first performance was at the Judges’ House level in the competition where they sang “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia. As the competition continued on the boys gained more and more fans. Their adorable faces and angelic singing voices shot them to the Finale. After placing third, the boys were signed with Cowell’s record label Syco Records.

Once the show had ended the boys began making their first album titled Up All Night. They debuted in the UK their first single “What Makes You Beautiful” on September 11, 2011. The single broke pre-record sales for Sony Music. Their second single “Gotta Be You” was released on November 13, 2011 which hit the charts at number 3. The entire album was the released on November 21, 2011 debuting at number 2 on the UK Album Charts. The album was a hit and the band announced the dates for their headlining UK Tour. On February 21, 2012 “What Makes You Beautiful” won the boys a Brit Award for Best British Single.

Upon coming to the United States, the band signed with Columbia Records. They released their album on March 13, 2012. In the U.S. “What Makes You Beautiful” became the highest Billboard Hot 100 debut for a UK act since 1998. The boys have released dates for the North American leg of their Up All Night Tour which will from April to July 2012.

These boys sure are headed in “one direction,” and this up!