History of One Direction in Timeline
One Direction (1D) was a British-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010, comprising Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson. The group achieved immense global success, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands ever and considered the biggest in the world. They went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 after a remarkable run of hit songs and albums.
2002: NSYNC Went On Indefinite Hiatus
In 2002, NSYNC went on an indefinite hiatus, which meant boy bands were off the radar until One Direction's breakthrough.
2008: First group since 2008 to record two number-one albums in the same year.
In November 2012, Upon reaching number one on the Billboard 200, the group became the first boy band in US chart history to record two number-one albums in the same calendar year, alongside becoming the first group since 2008 to record two number-one albums in the same year.
2009: Formation of The Wanted
In 2009, The Wanted formed, with many expecting a rivalry between them and One Direction. However, in 2014, Billboard wrote "the boy band war was over before it even began".
2009: American band used the same name
In 2009, an American pop rock band had been using the name One Direction, recorded two albums.
July 2010: One Direction Formed on The X Factor
On July 23, 2010, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson were put together to form a five-piece boy band on The X Factor, thus qualifying for the "Groups" category.
2010: One Direction finished third in The X Factor
In 2010, One Direction finished in third place on The X Factor.
2010: One Direction formed in London
In 2010, One Direction, an English-Irish pop boy band, was formed in London. The group consisted of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.
January 2011: Recording of debut album began
In January 2011, One Direction began recording their debut album in Los Angeles.
February 2011: Publication of One Direction: Forever Young
In February 2011, One Direction: Forever Young (Our Official X Factor Story), a book licensed by One Direction, was published by HarperCollins.
February 2011: Trademark name application
In February 2011, the US band filed an application to register the trademark name in the US.
April 2011: X Factor Live Tour concluded
In April 2011, the X Factor Live Tour, featuring One Direction, concluded.
September 2011: "What Makes You Beautiful" released
In September 2011, One Direction's debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful", was released in the UK and Ireland.
November 2011: Signed with Columbia Records and released Up All Night
In November 2011, One Direction signed a record deal with Columbia Records in North America, and also released their debut studio album, Up All Night, in the UK and Ireland.
December 2011: Up All Night Tour began
In December 2011, One Direction embarked on their first headlining UK concert tour, the Up All Night Tour.
2011: Larry Stylinson Theory and Twitter Record
In 2011, Larries, who believe in the "Larry Stylinson" theory, contributed to Louis Tomlinson's tweet to Harry Styles becoming one of the most-retweeted tweets on Twitter, peaking as the second-most retweeted tweet of all time.
2011: Partnership with Pokémon
In 2011, One Direction became the face of Pokémon Black and White, starring in a series of television adverts. These ads were the first installments in the fifth generation of the Pokémon role-playing game series. The band also launched Nokia C3 and Nokia C2-02 phones.
2011: Performance at BBC's Children in Need 2011
In 2011, One Direction performed on the BBC's Children in Need 2011 charity telethon.
February 2012: Arrival in the US and promotion
In February 2012, One Direction arrived in the US and embarked on a radio promotion spree, as well as their first North American concert tour as an opening act for Big Time Rush. They also made their first US television appearance on The Today Show.
April 2012: iCarly appearance
In April 2012, One Direction starred in an episode of the American sitcom iCarly.
April 2012: Trademark infringement lawsuit filed
In April 2012, an American pop rock band that went by the same name filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against One Direction.
May 2012: Recording Take Me Home began
In May 2012, One Direction began recording the album Take Me Home in Stockholm at Kinglet Studios.
May 2012: Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction published in the US
In May 2012, One Direction's first book to be licensed in America, Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction, was published in the US and topped The New York Times Best Seller list.
May 2012: Up All Night: The Live Tour DVD released
In May 2012, a recording of a concert from the Up All Night Tour, Up All Night: The Live Tour, was released.
June 2012: Expected $100 million business empire
In June 2012, Nick Gatfield, the chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Music Entertainment UK, said that he expected One Direction to represent a $100 million business empire by 2013.
August 2012: Up All Night sales
By August 2012, Up All Night had sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
August 2012: Up All Night: The Live Tour DVD sales
By August 2012, the Up All Night: The Live Tour DVD had sold more than 1 million copies.
August 2012: Performance at 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
In August 2012, One Direction performed "What Makes You Beautiful" at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London.
August 2012: Record sales exceeded 8 million singles
In August 2012, One Direction's record sales exceeded 8 million singles, 3 million albums, and 1 million DVDs.
September 2012: "Live While We're Young" released
In September 2012, "Live While We're Young", the lead single from One Direction's second album, was released and was a global success.
September 2012: Legal dispute over band name resolved
In September 2012, the UK group One Direction won the legal dispute over the right to keep using their band name, and the US band changed its name to Uncharted Shores.
September 2012: MTV Video Music Awards
On 6 September 2012, One Direction were the biggest winners of the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, winning their three nominations, including Best New Artist.
November 2012: Take Me Home released
In November 2012, One Direction released their second studio album, Take Me Home.
December 2012: Royal Variety Performance and Madison Square Garden show
In December 2012, One Direction performed "Little Things" at the 2012 Royal Variety Performance in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II, and headlined a sold-out show at New York City's Madison Square Garden on December 3, 2012.
2012: Appearance on iCarly
In 2012, One Direction appeared in an episode of the American teen sitcom iCarly.
2012: Opening Performance at Children in Need Telecast
In 2012, One Direction opened the Children in Need telecast with a performance of their single "Live While We're Young".
2012: Collaborations with Colgate and Pepsi
In 2012, One Direction partnered with Colgate to launch a One Direction-themed toothpaste and toothbrush line. The band also partnered with Pepsi, featuring NFL player Drew Brees in Pepsi's "Live for Now" campaign.
2012: Performance at 2012 Summer Olympics
One Direction performed their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
February 2013: "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" released and Take Me Home Tour began
In February 2013, One Direction released "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" as the 2013 Comic Relief single. Following the release of Take Me Home, One Direction embarked on their second concert tour and first all-arena tour in February 2013, the Take Me Home Tour.
February 2013: Release of Charity Single 'One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)'
In February 2013, One Direction released "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" as the 2013 single for Comic Relief. The group traveled to various countries in Africa and created short films, raising over £2 million.
May 2013: Announcement of the Where We Are Tour
In May 2013, One Direction announced their first all-stadium tour, titled the Where We Are Tour, to support their upcoming album Midnight Memories.
June 2013: Partnership with Office Depot on Back to School Supplies
In June 2013, One Direction announced a partnership with Office Depot on a limited-edition capsule collection of back-to-school supplies, with a portion of the proceeds going toward an anti-bullying educational program.
July 2013: "Best Song Ever" Release
In July 2013, One Direction released "Best Song Ever" as the lead single from their upcoming album Midnight Memories. The song reached number two in the US charts, becoming their highest-charting single in the US. The "Best Song Ever" music video broke the 24-Hour Vevo Record with 10.9 million views on YouTube.
August 2013: Release of "One Direction: This Is Us" and "One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official"
In August 2013, the documentary and concert film "One Direction: This Is Us" was released by TriStar Pictures. The film topped the UK and US box offices and grossed over $60 million worldwide. Also in August 2013, the group released their third book, "One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official".
October 2013: "Story of My Life" Release and 1D Day
On October 28, 2013, One Direction released "Story of My Life" as the second single from Midnight Memories. The single reached number six in the US and number two in the UK. Additionally in October 2013, One Direction hosted "1D Day," a seven-hour interactive YouTube live-stream featuring live performances and celebrity guests.
November 2013: Release of Midnight Memories
On November 25, 2013, One Direction released their third album, Midnight Memories. The album debuted at number one in both the UK and the US, making them the first group to have their first three albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200. The album became the best-selling album worldwide in 2013.
December 2013: Record-Breaking DVD Sales and Top Global Artist Recognition
In December 2013, One Direction broke a UK sales record with the DVD and Blu-ray release of "This Is Us," selling nearly 270,000 copies within three days. The group was also named among the Top Global artists of 2013 by the IFPI.
2013: Global Recording Artist of the Year
In 2013, One Direction was named the Global Recording Artist of the Year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
2013: Simon Cowell comments on band formation
In 2013, Simon Cowell said that it "took [him] 10 minutes to put them together as a group".
2013: Rainbow Direction Fandom Organization
In 2013, fans of One Direction formed Rainbow Direction, an organization aimed at promoting inclusivity for LGBTQ+ fans at the band's concerts.
2013: Crazy About One Direction documentary backlash
In 2013, the British documentary "Crazy About One Direction" focused on fans labelled as "the craziest", which received intense backlash from the One Direction fandom due to its perceived inaccurate portrayal.
2013: Expected $100 million business empire by 2013.
In June 2012, Nick Gatfield, the chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Music Entertainment UK, said that he expected One Direction to represent a $100 million business empire by 2013.
February 2014: Release of 'That Moment' Fragrance
In February 2014, One Direction released their second scent, "That Moment." The fragrance was released with a matching shower gel and body lotion.
April 2014: Start of the Where We Are Tour
On April 25, 2014, One Direction embarked on the Where We Are Tour, which would become the highest-grossing concert tour of 2014.
June 2014: San Siro Stadium Concerts
One Direction held concerts on June 28 and 29, 2014, at San Siro Stadium during the Where We Are Tour. These concerts were documented for the concert film "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film".
July 2014: Announcement of "One Direction: Where We Are - The Concert Film" and Release of "Who We Are"
In July 2014, One Direction announced "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film", documenting their San Siro Stadium concerts. The group also released their autobiography, "Who We Are" in July 2014.
September 2014: Announcement of "Four" and Release of "Fireproof" and "Steal My Girl"
On September 8, 2014, One Direction announced their fourth studio album, "Four," set to be released in November. As part of the announcement, the song "Fireproof" was released for free download for 24 hours on their official website. "Steal My Girl", the lead single, was released on September 29, 2014.
October 2014: Limited Cinema Release of "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film"
In October 2014, One Direction's concert film, "One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film," had a limited international cinema release from October 10-11, before its home media release in December.
October 2014: Conclusion of the Where We Are Tour
On October 5, 2014, One Direction concluded the Where We Are Tour. The tour grossed over $290 million and was attended by 3.4 million people.
November 2014: Release of "Night Changes" and "Four"
During November 2014, One Direction released "Night Changes" on November 14 and released their fourth album, "Four," on November 17. The album topped both the Billboard 200 and the UK Album Chart. It was the sixth-bestselling album of 2014 globally.
2014: Artist of the Year by Billboard
In 2014, Billboard named One Direction as the Artist of the Year.
2014: Artist of the Year
In 2014, Billboard named One Direction the Artist of the Year.
2014: Harry Styles Claims One Direction Was Bigger Than The Beatles In Terms of Fame
In 2014, Harry Styles claimed the band was bigger than the Beatles in terms of fame, although saying One Direction could not compete musically. Paul McCartney disagreed with Styles.
2014: Appearance on Sesame Street
In 2014, One Direction appeared on season 45 of Sesame Street, singing about the letter U in a parody of their song "What Makes You Beautiful".
2014: First band to have their first four albums debut atop the chart
In 2014, One Direction became the first band in history to have their first four albums debut atop the Billboard 200 chart.
2014: Release of Fourth Album "Four"
In 2014, One Direction released their fourth album, "Four", which Liam Payne described as "edgier". Payne noted the group wrote most of the songs. The album's first single, "Steal My Girl", received mixed reviews with Billboard commenting it was "no What Makes You Beautiful, but its Coldplay-like piano pop could be a good direction".
2014: Where We Are Tour was highest-grossing concert tour
In 2014, One Direction's Where We Are Tour, in support of Midnight Memories, was the highest-grossing concert tour of the year and the highest-grossing tour by a vocal group in history.
2014: The Wanted Went On Indefinite Hiatus
In 2014, The Wanted went on indefinite hiatus. They cited One Direction's global success as part of the reason, saying, "One Direction are a phenomenon that no one else can compete with".
2014: Harry Styles first to mention hiatus
In late 2014, Harry Styles was the first member of One Direction to bring up the idea of the band taking a hiatus to avoid exhausting their fan base.
February 2015: Start of the On the Road Again Tour
In February 2015, One Direction embarked on their fourth world tour and second all-stadium tour, the On the Road Again Tour.
March 2015: Fan Reactions to Zayn Malik's Departure
In March 2015, following Zayn Malik's departure from One Direction, fan reactions went viral on social media, including candlelight vigils held in his memory.
March 2015: Zayn Malik's Departure Announcement
On March 25, 2015, One Direction announced Zayn Malik's departure from the band. Malik stated he wanted to be a normal 22-year-old and have private time out of the spotlight. The remaining members confirmed they would continue as a four-piece.
June 2015: Release of 'Between Us' Fragrance
In June 2015, One Direction revealed their fourth fragrance, 'Between Us'. The advertisement for 'Between Us' paid homage to the music video for "Kiss You".
July 2015: Release of "Drag Me Down"
On July 31, 2015, One Direction released "Drag Me Down", the first single from their fifth album, Made in the A.M., and the first song after Zayn Malik's departure. The single topped the charts in multiple countries.
August 2015: Announcement of Hiatus
In August 2015, One Direction announced that they would go on hiatus in 2016 to work on individual projects, but would remain in the band.
October 2015: Conclusion of On the Road Again Tour
On October 31, 2015, One Direction concluded the On the Road Again tour. The tour grossed $208 million.
November 2015: Release of Made in the A.M.
On November 13, 2015, One Direction released "Made in the A.M.", which topped charts in the UK and other countries, reaching number two in the US.
December 2015: Final Performances of the Group
In December 2015, One Direction performed on The X Factor final on December 13. Their final televised performance as a group took place on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on December 31.
2015: Comic Relief Parody as 'No Direction'
In 2015, Comic Relief parodied One Direction for Red Nose Day, featuring comedians as "No Direction".
2015: Fourth highest-earning celebrities in the world
In 2015, Forbes ranked One Direction as the fourth highest-earning celebrities in the world, and the highest-earning celebrities under the age of 30.
2015: Beatles' record broken by One Direction
In 2015, One Direction beat the Beatles' record as they achieved their fifth Top 10 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. The band also earned the highest first-week streams for the single "Drag Me Down" in the United Kingdom.
2015: Launch of 'Action 1D' Campaign
In 2015, One Direction launched the "Action 1D" campaign in partnership with Action/2015 to raise awareness of global issues, including poverty, inequality, and climate change.
2015: Mention in 'Career of Evil' by J.K. Rowling
In 2015, One Direction was mentioned in J. K. Rowling's crime novel, Career of Evil, featuring a murdered girl who was obsessed with the group and claimed Niall Horan was her boyfriend.
2015: One Direction fandom reblogged on Tumblr
In 2015, One Direction was the second most reblogged band on Tumblr. Additionally, the "Larry Stylinson" ship was the most reblogged on the platform. The term refers to a theory that Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were romantically involved.
2015: Zayn Malik's departure
In 2015, Zayn Malik departed from One Direction.
2015: Zayn Malik States Band Got "Sick" of Each Other
Zayn Malik stated that the band had gotten "sick" of each other by 2015, contributing to their split. Malik also said that the band was a great experience, but had run its course.
January 2016: Indefinite hiatus began
In January 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus, allowing all members to pursue solo projects.
January 2016: Rumors of Permanent Split Denied
In January 2016, reports surfaced that One Direction's hiatus would become a permanent split. Representatives for the group denied these reports, stating that hiatus plans had not changed.
June 2016: "What Makes You Beautiful" sales
By June 2016, One Direction's song "What Makes You Beautiful" had sold 4.8 million copies in the US and over 7 million copies worldwide.
2016: Appearance on Family Guy
In 2016, One Direction was featured in the Family Guy episode "Run, Chris, Run", with Tomlinson and Payne providing voices for themselves.
2016: Highest Paid European Celebrities
In 2016, One Direction was the highest paid European celebrities, despite having been on hiatus for a year.
2016: One Direction went on hiatus
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus.
May 2017: All members release solo singles
By May 2017, all members of One Direction had released solo singles, marking a significant step in their individual careers during the band's hiatus.
October 2017: Touring company applied for removal
In October 2017, One Direction applied for removal within the Companies House registry, resulting in reports that the group folded its touring company in February 2018.
2017: Premiere of 'Boy Band' TV Series
In 2017, ABC premiered the television series Boy Band, which aims to find male vocalists to become a member of a new five-piece boy band. Many media outlets suspected the show's premise and inspiration was to find "the next One Direction".
2017: Tied with the Beatles for solo albums
In 2017, One Direction tied with the Beatles, with three members from each group having achieved number-one solo albums.
2017: Styles Discusses Hiatus Decision
In a 2017 interview, Harry Styles stated that he initiated the idea of a hiatus for One Direction in late 2014, because he "didn't want to exhaust" their fanbase.
February 2018: Touring Company Folded
In February 2018, reports emerged that One Direction had folded its touring company after applying for removal within the Companies House registry in October 2017, signaling a formal end to the band's touring operations.
2019: Mention in Euphoria
In 2019, the American teen drama Euphoria featured a character writing One Direction fan fictions online, and had an animated sex scene between Styles and Tomlinson. Tomlinson did not approve of the scene.
July 2020: One Direction's 10-Year Anniversary
In July 2020, One Direction posted on their social media accounts in anticipation of their tenth anniversary the following day, including a retrospective video. Their catalog on YouTube Music experienced a 486% increase immediately following the anniversary.
2020: One Direction's Record Sales
As of 2020, One Direction had sold a total of 70 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
2020: One Direction's fandom popularity on Tumblr
In 2020, One Direction was Tumblr's fifth most popular band. Their fandom is also credited with popularizing a meme involving digitally adding flower crowns to celebrity images.
2020: One Direction featured in Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS
In 2020, One Direction was prominently featured in Maria Sherman's book, "Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS."
2020: One Direction Described as 'The World's Biggest Boy Band'
In 2020, four years after their hiatus, One Direction was still being described as "the world's biggest boy band".
2020: Billboard celebrates One Direction's 10-year anniversary
In 2020, on the 10-year anniversary of One Direction, Billboard acknowledged that their "groundbreaking success" was in part due to their dedicated global fanbase.
2022: Release of Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It
In 2022, Kaitlyn Tiffany released the book "Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It", which focused on the cultural impact and online community created by Directioners.
2022: Unseen footage of the formation of One Direction was released
In 2022, The X Factor released previously unseen footage showing that Nicole Scherzinger did play a significant role in forming the band.
2022: Positive Impact of One Direction Fangirls
In 2022, an article by Fast Company credited One Direction fangirls for shaping modern social media interactions between fandoms and making the internet a better place.
2023: Tomlinson Reflects on Split
In 2023, Louis Tomlinson described the split of One Direction as feeling like "another loss."
October 2024: Liam Payne's Death and Reunion
In October 2024, Liam Payne died. Malik, Styles, Tomlinson, and Horan released a joint statement paying tribute to him. One Direction's music saw a surge on charts following Payne's death.
2024: Simon Cowell Announces Open Casting Calls for 'Next One Direction'
In 2024, Simon Cowell announced open casting calls for the "next One Direction", stating that he did not believe a boyband had reached the success of the group since the band's conception.
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