One Direction: Going Down In History as the Best Boy Band by Nicole Wong

To be frank, I never really listened to One Direction until July of this year, 2020. In fact, I hardly listened to music, nevertheless fangirled over boy bands or developed an obsession with them. In middle school I remember thinking how someone could be so interested and consumed by a group of guys singing and dancing as my best friend rambled on and on about her favorite members of BTS. However, this all changed once my TikTok for you page started including videos about the infamous boy band One Direction, and I was really able to see what it was like to be a part of a massive fandom, admire and be inspired by Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall, and Zayn,  really discover how One Direction changed the lives of so many people, and realize why they will be going down as the best boy band to exist. 

One Direction was formed on July 23, 2010 when Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik were all rejected in the second round of the X Factor. The judges had decided they were not good enough to continue on the show as individuals, but if they worked as a group, they could have a chance of continuing on. And so, by fate, these 5 16-17 year old boys who had never previously met were thrown into a band that would change their lives forever. They ended up placing 3rd on the X Factor that year, and decided to stay together despite their loss, taking their first steps into the real music industry with their newfound brotherhood. Since then, One Direction has released 5 hit albums, sold 70 million records worldwide, embarked on 4 world tours, and sold out stadiums all across the globe. After Zayn Malik’s departure from the band in March of 2015, the band announced a hiatus in December that year, and all their solo careers have been on the rise since.

But before I delve in on why One Direction is the best boy band, let’s define what makes the best boy band stand out from the many other talented boy bands. All the great boy bands have musical talent, they can all sing well and produce good music, otherwise they never would’ve gotten signed or their music wouldn’t have sold. So it’s not just about their musical talent, it’s about the members themselves: what they stand for and who they are as people. It’s about the fandom, the environment the fans create, and the unconditional support they offer. What makes the best boy band the best is not only their music, but the people inside and outside the band. 

One Direction has set records since their formation, and has continued to win awards even during their indefinite hiatus. They have won 6 Billboard Music Awards, 7 Brit Awards, 7 American Music Awards, and 28 Teen Choice Awards, just to name a few. One Direction also broke 6 Guinness World Records, including the first group to debut at No. 1 with their first four albums in the U.S. and the First U.K. group to debut at No. 1 in the U.S. with their debut album. Midnight Memories, their third album, was the worldwide best-selling album in 2013. Not only did One Direction break records, they also broke the “mold” for boy bands. When the band formed, they decided that they didn’t want to follow their predecessors and wear matching outfits and have cheesy dance choreography. They wanted to keep their personality and independence in the band and by doing so, broke the standard and redefined what a boy band looks like. Instead of the meticulously planned choreography bands typically performed at their concerts, One Direction concerts were filled with running up and down the stage, tripping and falling in front of thousands, and massive waterfights (mostly between Liam and Louis). They put on clothing items fans brought to concerts, including banana costumes, hot dog costumes, and caterpillar costumes. They wore horse heads, princess tutus and tiaras, and batman onesies, creating an experience unique to each concert, and their stage behavior changed the idea that boy bands needed to be synchronous and structured. Unlike boy bands before them, they wrote and played instruments in their own songs. By breaking these standards, One Direction showed us and the world that you are not defined by the model of what you are “supposed” to be.

Not only are we able to learn from the band as a group, fans have found inspiration from each individual member. Through his childhood struggles and his redemption on the X Factor, Liam Payne taught us to never give up on our dreams. He suffered many health problems as an infant and spent the first four years of his life in and out of the hospital. Liam had to take up boxing lessons because of how severely he was bullied in school. In 2008, Liam had his first audition for the X factor as a solo artist and made it all the way to the Judges’ houses (round before live shows) before he was eliminated. Despite this heartbreak, Liam continued to work hard, returned to the show 2 years later, and was put into a band with 4 other boys, becoming a part of the world’s biggest boy band. Liam’s persistence toward his dream of becoming an artist in the music industry has shown the fans to never give up on your dreams, and to work hard to achieve those dreams. 

Niall Horan has taught us to keep smiling and laughing through life, despite its challenges. While in One Direction, he was shunned vocally by their management. They would turn his microphone down because they felt his voice wasn’t good enough. Before every album release, fans had gotten #LetNiallSing trending on Twitter, and regardless of everything, Niall always continued to put a smile on his face, and ours. While the rest of his band mates were British and he was Irish, he was unapologetically himself and embraced his culture to the world. Dubbed by the fans “Our Irish princess”, Niall brought a light into so many people’s lives through his smiles and jokes. Niall also is an inspiration to the fandom because of his humbleness. In an interview about his first solo single, Niall thought the interviewer had told him that “This Town” had received 16 million streams, and to this Niall responded “I didn’t even know that. I didn’t think it was going to be- didn’t think it was going to have 16 million streams”, when in reality it had over 60 million streams. Niall’s humbleness and bubbly personality is the reason why so many people consider him a model and his laughter is contagious to the fandom, spreading a smile on our faces everytime we hear it. 

Louis Tomlinson has taught us that even when life gets hard, you have to keep going. He’s taught fans what it means to be strong and that everything does get better. While in One Direction, it is rumored that he was forced to sign a contract saying he had to hide his personality because it was “too loud”. His mom, Johannah Deakin, passed away after losing her battle with leukemia about a year after One Direction took their break. Also in the same year, Louis was involved in a custody battle over his son. Three years later, his sister Felicite passed away due to a drug overdose. Dealing with the deaths of two close family members and the separation of his kid, Louis has shown us how important it is to be strong, and has served as a role model to many. Through the years fans have watched Louis grow as a person, and have watched him grow back the confidence he once had. Fans have admired and have been inspired by his strength in the face of many tragedies life has thrown at him. 

Harry Styles has shown fans to never be ashamed of who they are or who they love. He has taught fans to always be themselves and to practice self love. His saying “Treat People With Kindness” reminds us to put more love into the world, and not hate. He defied the traditional gender norms regarding clothing with his infamous black frilly lace jumpsuit at the 2019 Met Gala. He wears butterfly clips, nail polish, and dangly earrings, not caring what other people think about him because he wears what he wants, going against what is typically “socially acceptable” for men’s fashion. Harry Styles has shattered gender norms and defied toxic masculinity, creating a change in the fashion industry and showing everyone that you should be unapologetically yourself. He has always let his fans know that they are loved, even through small things such as a simple lyric change in One Direction’s song “Little Things”, which was written by Ed Sheeran for One Direction. When singing it in concert, Harry changes the lyric “I know you’ve never loved the sound of your voice on tape, You never want to know how much you weigh, You still have to squeeze into your jeans, But you’re perfect to me” to “...You still have to squeeze into your jeans, And you’re perfect to me”. This small lyric change lets the fans know that what we perceive to be flaws are not negatives and that he loves us with our flaws, not despite them. Harry has always supported his fans, saying “How can you say young girls don’t get it? They’re our future. Our future doctors, lawyers, mothers, presidents, they kind of keep the world going”. His belief in and love he holds for his fans has inspired so many to be confident in who they are, no matter what other people think. Harry Styles has taught us that perfection isn’t real, he’s taught us love, respect, and to always be yourself. 

Zayn Malik has taught us that mental health always comes first and that it is important to do what is best for ourselves. After being a part of One Direction for 4 years, Zayn Malik parted ways with the band in 2015. While being in One Direction, he suffered from anorexia and anxiety, taking a toll on not only his physical, but mental health. Zayn’s departure from One Direction has shown fans that it is important to put yourself first, that your health is more important than anything else, including what others think of you. As fans, we know that the decision to leave One Direction was not easy, and Zayn has helped us understand that putting yourself first is in no way wrong, in fact it is what you should do, especially if you are struggling or need help. 

A big part of what made One Direction so big was the fandom, or as we call ourselves, the Directioners. I honestly never really understood how amazing being a part of a fandom could be until I became a part of the Directioners. It seemed crazy to me how people could camp outside stadiums a week before the concert just to get a good place, until I realized that this was just one of many ways Directioners showed their support for One Direction. While waiting days for the concert, fans would organize what they call a “fan project”, most notably the San Siro Concert. What could go down as quite possibly the largest fan project for any artist, fans spent days lining the giant stadium with papers so that when the boys were on stage, each member of the audience held up a piece of paper, revealing the words “We Are 1D Family” across the crowd. The boys were absolutely in shock, their faces lit up as they couldn’t believe their eyes. The Directioners have continued to support One Direction even after their hiatus began. This is evident through One Direction still winning awards as a band at the British Music Awards in 2016 and 2017, although the band started their break in 2015. While support for One Direction has continued, Directioners have also supported their solo careers. At this moment, Billboard is hosting a fan competition, where Directioners have pushed Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan into the quarterfinals, showing their support for them as solo artists. The fandom is so big, and yet we are able to connect with each other through our love for One Direction. It’s the way we were all freaking out on July 23rd thinking there was going to be a One Direction reunion because it was their 10th anniversary, and how we got the President to tweet about a trend we started regarding One Direction (Fans were mad at the wall in One Direction’s History music video because we were expecting a reunion, so they started to trend #brickwallisoverparty on twitter and the President thought Directioners were talking about him). It’s the way fans were able to hack into airport security in an attempt to find footage of the boys together and how fans dedicate so much of their time doing research, creating conspiracy theories about the band in hopes for a reunion (Yes, they said 18 months and it’s been 5 years but we’ll continue to wait). It’s the way that this fandom was so open toward new members and is filled with overwhelming amounts of love that it can’t just help but feel like a second family. 

Some people may say that the Backstreet Boys, BTS, or NSYNC are a better boy band or that their music is better. BTS has especially been on the rise, competing for the best boy band title. But as Billboard’s Poll for “What’s Your Favorite Boy Band of All Time?” results show, One Direction won with 48%, BTS trailing in second. And, this is while One Direction has been on a 5 year break, with BTS still currently active. Through this it is evident that One Direction continues to outshine their competition, and will only win more as time progresses. 

For 10 years, One Direction has grown, not only as a group but as individuals. As a group, they’ve broken down barriers and smashed records since their debut in 2010’s X Factor, and the world has been able to learn valuable lessons from each of the members. One Direction has not only brought joy through their music, but has also been an inspiration to thousands of people all across the world. Their stories and legacy will live forever, as the fandom will make sure that One Direction goes down in history as the best boy band to exist.