One Direction, the English-Irish pop boy band formed in London in 2010 on the British singing competition show *The X Factor*, became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, selling over 70 million records worldwide. The group, consisting of Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik (until his 2015 departure), was signed by Simon Cowell to Syco Records after finishing third on the show. Their musical style evolved from teen-friendly pop to include more mature songwriting and production, incorporating rock, acoustic, and folk influences. The band's debut album, *Up All Night* (2011), made them the first British act to have their debut album top the charts on the Billboard 200, and they became the first band to have their first four albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200. One Direction's fourth studio album, *Four*, experimented with edgier tones and narrative depth, and includes the track "Girl Almighty."