History of One Direction in Timeline
One Direction (1D) was a highly successful English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010, comprised of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. They achieved global fame and sold over 70 million records, establishing themselves as one of the best-selling boy bands ever. The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
2002: NSYNC Hiatus and impact on boy bands
In 2002, NSYNC went on an indefinite hiatus, which according to Maria Sherman of NPR, marked a period where boy bands were "off the radar" until One Direction's breakthrough.
2008: One Direction becomes the first group to record two number-one albums since 2008
One Direction became the first group since 2008 to record two number-one albums in the same year.
2009: US band was using One Direction name
Since 2009, an American band also used the name One Direction.
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 One Direction on The X Factor after auditioning as solo candidates.
2010: One Direction finishes third on 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 went on to sell over 70 million records worldwide.
January 2011: Recording for Debut Album Begins
In January 2011, One Direction began recording their debut album in Los Angeles with RedOne.
February 2011: US band files for Trademark
In February 2011, the US band had been using the name since 2009, recorded two albums and filed an application to register the trademark name in the US.
February 2011: Publication of "One Direction: Forever Young (Our Official X Factor Story)" and Participation in X Factor Live Tour
In February 2011, the book "One Direction: Forever Young (Our Official X Factor Story)" was published, and the band participated in the X Factor Live Tour.
April 2011: X Factor Live Tour Concludes
In April 2011, the X Factor Live Tour concluded, after which One Direction continued working on their debut album.
September 2011: Release of Debut Single "What Makes You Beautiful"
In September 2011, One Direction released their debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful", which became a commercial success.
November 2011: Signing with Columbia Records and Release of "Up All Night"
In November 2011, One Direction signed a record deal with Columbia Records in North America and released their debut album, "Up All Night", in the UK and Ireland.
December 2011: Start of the Up All Night Tour
In December 2011, One Direction embarked on their first headlining UK concert tour, the Up All Night Tour.
2011: Partnership with Pokémon Black and White
In 2011, One Direction became the face of Pokémon Black and White, starring in a series of television adverts. These were the first installments in the fifth generation of the Pokémon series of role-playing games.
2011: Performance on BBC's Children in Need 2011
In 2011, One Direction performed on the BBC's Children in Need 2011 charity telethon.
2011: Release of Debut Album Up All Night
In 2011, One Direction released their debut album "Up All Night", which topped the Billboard 200 charts, making them the first British act to achieve this.
2011: Tomlinson's tweet to Styles
In 2011, a tweet by Louis Tomlinson to Harry Styles became one of the most-retweeted tweets on Twitter, peaking as the second-most retweeted tweet of all time, largely fueled by the 'Larry Stylinson' fanbase.
February 2012: US Arrival and North American Tour
In February 2012, One Direction arrived in the US, embarked on a radio promotion, and started their first North American tour, opening for Big Time Rush.
April 2012: One Direction appears on iCarly
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 filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against One Direction, claiming they had been using the name since 2009.
May 2012: Release of Up All Night: The Live Tour
In May 2012, One Direction released "Up All Night: The Live Tour", a recording of a concert from their tour.
May 2012: Release of "Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction"
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.
May 2012: Recording Take Me Home
One Direction began recording the album "Take Me Home" in May 2012, at Kinglet Studios in Stockholm.
June 2012: Estimated $100 Million Business Empire by 2013
In June 2012, it was estimated that One Direction would represent a $100 million business empire by 2013.
August 2012: "Up All Night: The Live Tour" sales
By August 2012, One Direction's DVD "Up All Night: The Live Tour" sold over 1 million copies.
August 2012: "Up All Night" sales
By August 2012, One Direction's album, "Up All Night" had sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
August 2012: Record Sales Exceed 8 Million Singles and 3 Million Albums
In August 2012, One Direction's record sales exceeded 8 million singles, 3 million albums, and 1 million DVDs.
September 2012: Release of "Live While We're Young"
In September 2012, One Direction released "Live While We're Young", the lead single from their second album, which was a global success.
September 2012: One Direction wins legal dispute
In September 2012, 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 won three awards at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best New Artist.
November 2012: Release of Take Me Home
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 Royal Variety Performance and headlined a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden.
2012: Appearance on iCarly
In 2012, One Direction appeared in an episode of the American teen sitcom iCarly.
2012: Collaborations with Colgate and Pepsi
In 2012, One Direction collaborated with Colgate to launch a One Direction themed toothpaste and toothbrush line. The band partnered with Pepsi for the "Live for Now" campaign, featuring NFL player Drew Brees. Mini figures based on the band members were also launched for US fans by Hasbro.
2012: Opening BBC's Children in Need 2012
In 2012, One Direction opened the BBC's Children in Need telecast with a performance of their single "Live While We're Young".
2012: Performance at Summer Olympics and release of Take Me Home
In 2012, One Direction performed their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" at the Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London. They also released their second album, Take Me Home.
February 2013: Release of "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" and Start of Take Me Home Tour
In February 2013, One Direction released "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" as the 2013 Comic Relief single and embarked on their Take Me Home Tour.
February 2013: Release of "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" for Comic Relief
In February 2013, One Direction released "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" as the 2013 single for Comic Relief, raising over £2 million for the charity.
May 2013: Announcement of Where We Are Tour
In May 2013, One Direction announced their first all-stadium tour, the Where We Are Tour, in support of their album Midnight Memories.
June 2013: Partnership with Office Depot
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 towards an anti-bullying educational programme.
July 2013: Release of "Best Song Ever"
In July 2013, One Direction released "Best Song Ever", the lead single from their upcoming third studio album, Midnight Memories. The song reached number two in the US charts, becoming their highest-charting single in the US to date. It also 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, One Direction released two items: the 3D documentary and concert film One Direction: This Is Us, and their third book, One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official. The film topped the UK and US box offices and grossed over $60 million worldwide.
October 2013: Release of "Story of My Life"
On October 28, 2013, One Direction released "Story of My Life," the second single from Midnight Memories. The song charted at number six in the US and number two in the UK, and reached number one in Mexico, Spain, Bulgaria, Denmark, and Ireland.
November 2013: Release of Midnight Memories
On November 25, 2013, One Direction released Midnight Memories. The album debuted at number one in both the UK and the US, making them the first group to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with their first three albums. The album was described as "edgy" and having a "slightly rockier tone".
December 2013: Breaking UK sales record with This Is Us
In December 2013, One Direction's DVD and Blu-ray release of This Is Us broke a UK sales record, selling nearly 270,000 copies within three days. The group was also named among the Top Global artists of 2013 by the IFPI.
2013: Madame Tussauds unveils wax sculptures of One Direction
In 2013, Madame Tussauds in London created wax sculptures of One Direction.
2013: Midnight Memories described
In 2013, One Direction released their third album Midnight Memories. The album is a pop rock record that departs from the band's original teen pop sound and incorporates influences from 80's rock. Lyrically, it revolves around love, heartbreak, and sexual intercourse.
2013: Release of Midnight Memories
In 2013, One Direction released their third album, Midnight Memories, which debuted at number one.
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: One Direction named Global Recording Artists of the Year
In 2013, One Direction was named the Global Recording Artists of the Year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), recognizing them as the artist with the most music downloads, CD sales, and streams of the year. Also, the group became the first and only group to have their first three album top the Billboard 200 in their opening week, and the third pop group to sell more than 500,000 copies in a week in the Nielsen SoundScan era. The group broke the record for most views on Vevo in 24 hours.
2013: Cowell reflects on forming the group
In 2013, Simon Cowell stated that it took him 10 minutes to put the band One Direction together.
2013: Rainbow Direction fandom organisation
In 2013, members of the fandom started the Rainbow Direction organisation, which aimed to promote inclusivity for LGBTQ+ fans at One Direction's concerts.
2013: Release of "Crazy About One Direction" documentary
In 2013, the British documentary "Crazy About One Direction" was released, focusing on fans labeled as 'the craziest'. The documentary received backlash from the fandom who believed the portrayal was inaccurate.
2013: Projected to represent a $100 million business
In June 2012, it was projected that One Direction would represent a $100 million business empire by 2013.
February 2014: Release of "That Moment" Scent
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
One Direction embarked on the Where We Are Tour on April 25, 2014. The tour included 69 shows and grossed over $290 million.
June 2014: Concerts at San Siro Stadium
On June 28 and 29, 2014, One Direction performed concerts at San Siro Stadium, which were later documented in the film One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film.
July 2014: Announcement of One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film and autobiography titled Who We Are.
In July 2014, One Direction announced One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film, documenting their concerts on June 28 and 29 at San Siro Stadium. They also announced a limited international cinema release for October 10–11, 2014. Additionally, they released an autobiography titled Who We Are.
September 2014: Announcement of "Four" and release of "Fireproof"
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. Later in September, on the 29th, "Steal My Girl", the album's lead single, was released.
October 2014: Limited cinema release of One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film
On October 10–11, 2014, One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film had a limited international cinema release before its home media release in December.
October 2014: End of the Where We Are Tour
The Where We Are Tour concluded on October 5, 2014. The tour grossed over $290 million, becoming the highest-grossing concert tour in 2014, and was attended by 3.4 million people.
November 2014: Release of "Night Changes" and "Four"
In November 2014, One Direction released "Night Changes" on the 14th, the second single from their album Four. On November 17, Four was released, topping the Billboard 200 and the UK Album Chart. It was the top charted album on iTunes in 67 countries two months before release.
November 2014: Participation in Band Aid 30
On 15 November 2014, One Direction joined the charity group Band Aid 30, recording the latest version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in Western Africa. Niall Horan also hosted a charity football match.
2014: Artist of the Year by Billboard
In 2014, Billboard named One Direction as the Artist of the Year.
2014: Billboard named One Direction Artist of the Year
In 2014, Billboard named One Direction the Artist of the Year, highlighting their significant impact and success in the music industry during that period.
2014: Harry Styles claims One Direction is bigger than the Beatles
In 2014, Harry Styles claimed One Direction was bigger than the Beatles in terms of fame, but acknowledged they 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: One Direction's album chart success and "Where We Are Tour" gross
In 2014, One Direction became the first band in history to have their first four albums debut atop the Billboard 200 chart. The band's "Where We Are Tour" also became the highest-grossing concert tour of the year, grossing $290 million in ticket sales.
2014: Release of Four
In 2014, One Direction released their album Four, which debuted at number one.
2014: Release of Fourth Album "Four"
In 2014, One Direction released their fourth album, Four. Liam Payne described the album as "edgier", noting the group wrote most of the songs. The album's first single, "Steal My Girl", received mixed reviews, with Billboard noting its "Coldplay-like piano pop" direction.
2014: Where We Are Tour was highest-grossing concert tour
In 2014, One Direction's "Where We Are Tour", supporting the album Midnight Memories, was the highest-grossing concert tour.
2014: Billboard declares the end of the boy band war
In a 2014 article, Billboard wrote that "the boy band war was over before it even began" and that One Direction's success led to The Wanted going on indefinite hiatus.
2014: Styles suggests hiatus
In late 2014, Harry Styles first suggested the idea of a hiatus, as he didn't want to exhaust their fanbase. All members later agreed.
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 reaction to Malik's departure
In March 2015, after Zayn Malik left the band One Direction, fan reactions, including candlelight vigils, went viral on social media. Madame Tussauds in London even hired "tissue attendants" to comfort guests visiting the band's wax sculptures.
March 2015: Zayn Malik's departure from One Direction
On March 25, 2015, during the Asia leg of their tour, One Direction announced Zayn Malik's departure from the band.
June 2015: Release of 'Between Us' Fragrance
In June 2015, One Direction revealed their fourth fragrance 'Between Us', with an advertisement paying 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 studio album, Made in the A.M., and the first song released 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, planning to work together in the future.
October 2015: End of the On the Road Again tour
The On the Road Again tour concluded on October 31, 2015, after 80 shows across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. The tour sold more than 2.3 million tickets and grossed $208 million.
November 2015: Release of Made in the A.M. and award at the American Music Awards
On November 13, 2015, One Direction released Made in the A.M., which topped charts in the UK and other countries. On November 22, at the 2015 American Music Awards, One Direction won the award for Artist of the Year for the second year in succession.
December 2015: Final televised performance as a 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.
2015: Comic Relief Parody
For Red Nose Day 2015, Comic Relief parodied One Direction, featuring comedians as "No Direction".
2015: One Direction ranked as fourth highest-earning celebrities
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, highlighting their financial success and popularity.
2015: Ranked fourth highest-earning celebrities by Forbes
In 2015, Forbes ranked One Direction as the fourth highest-earning celebrities in the world.
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. The act was supported by Hillary Clinton.
2015: Release of Made in the A.M.
In 2015, One Direction released "Made in the A.M.", their fifth and final album before their hiatus.
2015: One Direction broke Beatles' record
In 2015, One Direction surpassed the Beatles' record by achieving their fifth Top 10 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. In the same year, the band's song "Drag Me Down" earned the highest first-week streams for a single in the United Kingdom.
2015: One Direction's popularity on Tumblr
In 2015, One Direction was the second most reblogged band on Tumblr, and the 'Larry Stylinson' ship was the most reblogged ship on the platform, showcasing their strong presence in the online fandom community.
2015: Mention in J. K. Rowling's "Career of Evil"
In 2015, One Direction were 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: Zayn Malik leaves One Direction
In 2015, Zayn Malik departed from the band One Direction.
2015: Band got "sick" of each other
Zayn Malik stated that by 2015, the band had gotten "sick" of each other, which contributed to their split.
January 2016: Reports of permanent split denied
In January 2016, reports surfaced that One Direction's hiatus would become a permanent split, which were subsequently denied by representatives for the group.
January 2016: Hiatus
In January 2016, the band went on an indefinite hiatus, allowing members to pursue solo projects.
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: One Direction goes on indefinite hiatus
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus.
2016: One Direction named the highest paid European celebrities
In 2016, One Direction were recognised as the highest paid European celebrities, even though the band had been on hiatus for a year.
2016: One Direction fan fiction on Wattpad
In 2016, a study revealed that a quarter of Wattpad's 150 most popular authors wrote One Direction fan fiction, highlighting the band's significant influence on the platform.
2016: Family Guy Appearance
One Direction were featured in the 2016 episode "Run, Chris, Run" of Family Guy, with Tomlinson and Payne providing voices for themselves.
May 2017: All band members release solo singles
By May 2017, all members of One Direction had released solo singles.
October 2017: Touring company removal application
In October 2017, One Direction applied for removal of their touring company within the Companies House registry.
2017: Premiere of "Boy Band" television series
In 2017, ABC premiered the television series "Boy Band", aiming to find male vocalists to form a new five-piece boy band, leading many to suspect its inspiration was to find "the next One Direction".
2017: One Direction tied with The Beatles for solo album success
In 2017, One Direction tied with The Beatles, with three members from each group having achieved number-one solo albums, demonstrating the individual success of members after the band's hiatus.
2017: Styles discusses hiatus idea
In a 2017 interview, Harry Styles said he first suggested the hiatus idea in late 2014.
February 2018: Touring company folded
In February 2018, it was reported that One Direction had folded its touring company after applying for removal within the Companies House registry in October 2017.
2019: Reference in Euphoria
In 2019, the American teen drama Euphoria featured a character writing One Direction fan fictions online, including an animated sex scene between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, which Tomlinson disapproved of.
2020: One Direction's total record sales
As of 2020, One Direction had sold a total of 70 million records worldwide, solidifying their status as one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
2020: Description as the "world's biggest boy band"
As recently as 2020, four years after their hiatus, One Direction was described as "the world's biggest boy band".
2020: Billboard article about One Direction's success
In 2020, Billboard wrote an article in honour of One Direction's 10-year anniversary, attributing their 'groundbreaking success' to their dedicated global fanbase and the rise of social media and online music streaming.
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", which documents the history and impact of boy bands.
2020: One Direction's ranking on Tumblr
In 2020, One Direction was ranked as the fifth most popular band on Tumblr, indicating their continued relevance and popularity within the online fan community.
2022: Publication 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", focusing on the cultural impact and online community created by One Direction's fans, also known as Directioners.
2022: Retirement of One Direction Wax Sculptures
In 2022, Madame Tussauds in London retired the wax sculptures of One Direction, six years after the band's indefinite hiatus.
2022: X Factor Releases unseen footage of band formation
In 2022, The X Factor released previously unseen footage showing Nicole Scherzinger played a significant role in forming the band.
2022: Article about One Direction's fans
In 2022, an article by Fast Company credited One Direction fangirls for shaping modern social media interactions between fandoms, highlighting their positive impact on the internet.
2023: Tomlinson remarks split felt like "another loss"
In 2023, Louis Tomlinson remarked that the split felt like "another loss".
October 2024: Payne's death and music surge
Following Liam Payne's death on October 16, 2024, the remaining members released a joint statement. One Direction's music saw a significant surge, including all five albums returning to the UK Albums Chart top 40 and the US Billboard 200.
2024: Simon Cowell announces 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 boy band had reached the success of the group since the band's conception.
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