British boyband One Direction signed with Simon Cowell’s record label Syco Records after forming and finishing third in the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor in 2010.
One Direction also known as 1D comprised of five members: Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
Up All Night (2012)
Their debut studio album Up All Night was released in November 2011 via Syco Records. The album’s theme centered around the average teenage experience; relationships, heartbreaks and picking yourself up. Up All Night was an international success.
The album debuted at no. one on the Billboard 200, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Up All Night was the third global best-selling album of 2012 with sales of 4.5 million copies worldwide.
Take Me Home (2012)
It was followed by their sophomore album, Take Me Home. Released a year later via Syco Music and Columbia Records, Take Me Home continued their ascendency to superstardom and helped solidify them as a main stay in pop culture. The album topped the charts in more than 35 countries and was the fourth-global-best-selling album of 2012, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Take Me Home debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making One Direction the first group to bow atop the Billboard 200 with their first two albums since American girl group Danity Kane entered with Welcome to the Dollhouse in 2008 and their self-titled debut in 2006.
Midnight Memories (2013)
In 2013 they released their third album Midnight Memories. Described as having a “slightly rockier tone” than their previous albums, “Midnight Memories” debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making One Direction the first group in history to debut at number one in the US with their first three albums.
Four (2014)
One Direction released their aptly titled fourth album, Four in November of 2014. The album was also their last with member Zayn Malik, who left the band on the 25th of March 2015.
With Four, One Direction became the first band to have their first four albums debut at number one in the United States. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Four was the sixth best-selling album of 2014, with 3.2 million copies sold worldwide.
Made In A.M. (2015)
Their fifth and final album Made In A.M. was released in 2015 of you guessed it, November. The project debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with 459,000 album-equivalent units in it first-week, behind Justin Bieber’s Purpose. Additionally, Made in the A.M. was the second fastest-selling album of 2015 in the UK, surpassed only by Adele’s 25, a week after the album’s release.