From The X Factor to world domination and beyond: Inside boyband One Direction's mammoth success
In 2010, boybands got a modern resurgence with One Direction, and in the six short years they had together, they became a juggernaut.
They've won close to 200 awards – from BRIT Awards to Billboard Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards and MTV Video Music Awards – have sold more than 70 million records worldwide and have made hundreds of millions from their touring.
Their rise to fame has been described by some as 'meteoric' and despite splitting in 2016, they still have a huge legion of fans who grew up with them.
But now the world is mourning the death of Liam Payne, who died after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday October 16.
READ MORE: Liam Payne, former One Direction member, dead at 31
From five individual singers who auditioned on The X Factor in 2010, to one of the biggest boy bands in history. X Factor/YouTube
The boys – Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson – all auditioned as solo artists for The X Factor in 2010 but failed to get through, but instead they were put together as a boyband for the 'groups' category.
They had two weeks to get to know each other and rehearse, and the rest became history.
While the group were the last ones to be eliminated from the competition, finishing in third place, they were signed by Simon Cowell for a record contract, which at the time was worth a reported £2 million (approx. $3.8 million).
Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zian Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan have seen incredible success. Getty
Cowell and fellow The X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger both credit themselves for forming the band, although a clip, which had been unseen until 2013, revealed she had a big part in adding Payne and Malik to the group when they were putting the boys together on the competition show.
One Direction's first single What Makes You Beautiful was released in 2011 and hit number one in several countries, kicking starting their success. Up All Night, their debut album, became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK in the same year, and they also headed off on their first tour.
The history-making group filled the gap in the music industry left by the boybands of the '90s.
READ MORE: 'Sending strength': Stars rocked by Liam Payne's tragic death
One Direction split in 2015, but they have created an incredible legacy that will follow them all for life. Getty
Their rise to fame – eventually heading way past the success and popularity of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys – was nothing short of history making.
At one point they were the biggest band in the world.
Their posters filled the bedrooms of teen girls everywhere, their hits were on the radio, they were exploding on social media and you just couldn't stop the trajectory they were on.
READ MORE: The eight-word 'killing blow' to the biggest boy band in the world
Payne, pictured here with Horan in October 2024, died aged 31 weeks later. Snapchat
With a legion of growing fans, the band – who nailed the teen heartthrob look and attitude – went international and really made it big.
By 2014, the band were performing in stadium tours across the globe, 69 shows across South America, North America and Europe. They had hit the big time with their highest-grossing tour to date, raking in more than $290 million in revenue – but it was also their last full-length tour with Malik before he left the group.
Throughout their short, but insanely successful time together, they released five albums, landed multiple Top 10 hits around the globe, toured the world four times – twice playing stadiums – and were adored by millions.
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In 2020, Rolling Stone called the band "one of the great rock & roll bands of the 21st century" and it's not hard to see why, even years after their split.
A big part of their success can also be attributed to their rise hitting right as social media started to kick off, which really helped redefine the fandom.
Even now, years on from their split, each of the members all have millions of followers across Instagram, showing the legacy they've created at One Direction has followed them into their individual careers.
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