10 years ago, the journey began for one of the world’s biggest boybands, One Direction. After being constructed by Simon Cowell for the seventh season of The X Factor, the British quintet quickly became a household name, building a fanbase that still rivals any other. The band was one of the first artists to grow with the unmatched power of social media to boost their popularity, which, alongside backing from one of the biggest names and shows in music, was integral to their early success. But despite these privileges, nobody could have predicted the frenzy that they began, or the legacy they would leave behind when they split for an indefinite hiatus at the end of 2015.

As one of the defining artists of the last decade, One Direction’s ten-year anniversary was not to be taken lightly. Whilst it is true that the band is not together as this milestone passes, with all five of the original members remaining prevalent in music and the public eye, acknowledgement of the anniversary was widely expected. Since the band passed their fifth anniversary as a quartet (without Zayn Malik, who exited in March 2015) and split shortly after, many fans had been eagerly anticipating this moment for years.

The chaos began with the band’s official Twitter account breaking its two-year silence and teasing a tribute to the band to celebrate the occasion. They then used the opportunity to release a short series of videos on their YouTube channel, starting with a compilation of some of their biggest moments through their esteemed career, revisiting each of their five albums and accompanying iconic eras. This was followed by a selection of their music videos, updated into 4K resolution. The band have also launched an interactive anniversary website which allows fans to browse through their achievements and releases to create a personalised ‘anniversary mixtape’. The site is also packed with loads of facts and extra photos from past shoots and appearances.

The four remaining members also took to Twitter to express their gratitude to fans and associates over the past ten years, despite all dedicating themselves to producing solo material for the last few years. Liam Payne chose to share a text message he sent to his Dad at the moment the band was officially formed , whilst the other members were all quick to thank each other and acknowledge how the band’s success has shaped so much of their current lives. Fans have, however, noted the absence of any acknowledgement from ex-member, Zayn Malik. Malik is the only member to have officially left the band (whilst the others mutually agreed to take a break from the group), but fans were still hopeful that the soloist would speak up for the occasion. This was particularly anticipated after the other members tagged or featured Malik in their respective tributes. With the international reach of the band’s #10Yearsof1D hashtag, it would have been difficult for the singer to avoid the occasion, but he is yet to comment on the milestone.

In addition, despite the fan service displayed for the occasion, many so called ‘Directioners’ are unimpressed by the band’s efforts. In the hours after its release, the first tribute video and the ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ 4K re-release were flooded with comments voicing the fans’ disappointment.

Given the recent success of a reunited Jonas Brothers, and the unprecedented demand for JLS’s reunion tour, One Direction seemed likely to follow in their footsteps

Over the last few months, fans have become increasingly convinced that the band would reunite for their tenth anniversary after Liam Payne continued to tease their communication. The band were always careful not to mark their hiatus with any finality, and implied that they would reunite within a couple of years. When this time passed with the members only continuing to strengthen in their solo careers, the ten-year anniversary became the next marker of hope for fans awaiting more new music from the group, especially after Payne mentioned the approaching milestone in an interview. Given the recent success of a reunited Jonas Brothers, and the unprecedented demand for JLS’s reunion tour, One Direction seemed likely to follow in their footsteps. But the official future of the band remains unspecified.

This uncertainty aside, the 10 year anniversary provides an excellent excuse to revisit the band’s music and achievements. Despite the fact that they haven’t released new music together for almost five years, their legacy continues through the unwavering loyalty of their fans. The band released five chart-topping albums since forming in 2010, and they have maintained an incredible 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify – more than most of the members have managed through their solo material. There is clearly something iconic about One Direction’s group releases that continue to provide something special for fans across the world.

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Up All Night (2012)

Few people fail to remember One Direction’s first steps onto the scene after their time on The X Factor, beginning with what remains their most viewed music video for debut single, ‘What Makes You Beautiful’. The single also won them a Brit award for ‘Best British Single of the Year’. Donning light-coloured chinos and boyish smiles, the Up All Night era stamped itself into pop-culture history after the album debuted at the top spot in charts across the world. The group was later cemented as icons of British culture after they performed at the closing ceremony of London’s 2012 Olympics. Up All Night became a model debut for contemporary boybands, opting for mostly upbeat, youthful tracks accompanied by playful videos and promotion. Rejecting the rockstar-inspired sound largely adopted by their competitors over on Disney Channel, as well as the cool façade of their fellow The X Factor contestants, JLS, One Direction instead drove down a familiar path. They stuck firmly to the pop genre and modernised the typical boyband sound established by the likes of Take That in the 90s, asserting their place in the industry from their very first release. From there, the only way was up.

Up All Night became a model debut for contemporary boybands, opting for mostly upbeat, youthful tracks accompanied by playful videos and promotion

Take Me Home (2012)

Releasing a second album less than a year after their debut only served to promise the world that this new boyband was not going anywhere. Take Me Home impressively displayed the band’s versatility, with upbeat singles like ‘Kiss You’ and the acoustic ‘Little Things’ (written by Ed Sheeran) both greeted with enthusiasm from listeners. This sophomore effort saw One Direction strengthen their grip on the pop music industry, again topping charts with the album and singles alike. With a continuation of the now well-established pristine and boyish reputation, the band’s fanbase only grew. But the Take Me Home tracklist also boasts unprecedented strength in its lesser known songs, creating an overall more convincing and profound album. My personal favourite One Direction track, ‘Nobody Compares’, is one such underrated song that helped build and improve the band’s discography at this early stage.

Midnight Memories (2013)

Their third era saw the group display a somewhat unexpected new maturity in both appearance and sound. Gone were the innocent talent show teenagers of their earlier eras, replaced by five serious singers stepping into adulthood and increasingly appearing in the press to build new reputations. Tabloids aside, Midnight Memories undoubtedly lifted the band’s credibility in the music industry. The first single, ‘Best Song Ever’ took the world by storm with a record-breaking music video which landed the most streams in 24 hours ever recorded, whilst ‘Story of My Life’ became the first of the band’s singles for which all five member received song-writing credits . The group’s fanbase was also given plenty of opportunity to prove their size and strength during this era. The band released a documentary and concert film, One Direction: This is Us, which topped U.K. and U.S. box offices, and their massive tour took them to 69 stadiums over the course of seven months.

FOUR (2014)

By the time FOUR was released in late 2014, One Direction were almost impossible to ignore. Their vocals and song-writing had gone from strength to strength, and when they kicked off this era with the anthemic ‘Steal My Girl’, the world was suddenly leaning in to listen, Directioner or otherwise. Similarly, the slower, smoother ‘Night Changes’ saw impressive vocal performances from every member and set up the band’s fourth album to be another chart-topping success. But in the midst of the album’s international tour and promotion, Zayn left the band, throwing the band’s future into uncertainty, and the fans into freefall. However, the remaining members soldiered on, preparing to release more music as a quartet after collecting a plethora of well-deserved awards for FOUR. Whilst many fans were heartbroken over Malik’s departure, and the press was overwhelmed by the whirlwind of behind-the-scenes rumours, many anticipated the band’s new era with both excitement and nerves.

Their vocals and song-writing had gone from strength to strength and the world was suddenly leaning in to listen

Made in the A.M. (2015)

Reduced to four members and with the eyes of the world trained on them, the pressure and expectation on One Direction after FOUR was immense. The band shocked all when they dropped ‘Drag Me Down’ in August 2015, with a symbolic video filmed at NASA in Houston to accompany the single. Whilst none of the members are credited for the song, many saw the punchy, confident lyrics as a message to the band’s ex-member, and a tribute to their loyal fans who stood by the group. A fifth album, Made in the A.M., was announced shortly after, confirming that the band hadn’t taken much of a break after Malik exited. The quartet’s second single, ‘Perfect’, was another which caused a stir in the press because of its apparent references to Harry Styles’s relationship with Taylor Swift. But rumours aside, the track impressed fans and quashed any suspicions that One Direction would fall at the fifth hurdle. This was confirmed when Made in the A.M. was finally released, topping the U.K. chart. Soon after, the indefinite hiatus was announced and implemented. But with such an expansive fanbase and five-year impact on the industry, the group could not leave quietly. They finished their international tour, performed live on The X Factor, and released ‘History’ as a tribute to their fans. The lyrics urge fans not to let go of their One Direction memories, for they can ‘make some more.’ If the exposing track is anything to go by, we haven’t seen the last of this beloved boyband.

 

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