UK Pop Sensation One Direction Become First British Group in History to Debut at #1 in the US With Debut Album

NEW YORK, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- One Direction made history today as their debut album UP ALL NIGHT entered the US Billboard 200 chart at #1 with over 176,000 copies sold. This makes chart history as the first British group ever to debut at #1 in the US with their debut album release. UP ALL NIGHT went straight to No.1 on the digital chart within minutes of its official release last Tuesday, March 13th.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120320/NY73583 )

Around the world, One Direction fans have used online platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook creating a global phenomenon and inspiring a generation of 1D-mania. Dedicated fans of Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik have taken their music to the top of charts around the world. One Direction have accumulated over 204 million YouTube views, 12 million followers on Twitter and over 3.6 million followers on Facebook. The music video for "What Makes You Beautiful" has already garnered over 72M views, check it out here: http://vevo.ly/1DWMYB.

One Direction gained notoriety in 2010 after appearing on the X Factor UK. Their global smash debut album, UP ALL NIGHT, entered the charts at #1 in 11 countries and has been certified triple platinum in Ireland, double platinum in the UK & Australia, and platinum in New Zealand. Their BRIT Award winning debut single "What Makes You Beautiful" entered the charts at #1 in both the UK and Ireland. In the US, "What Makes You Beautiful" sold more than 131,000 copies in its first week, debuting at #12 on the Billboard Digital Songs chart. Their #28 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 marked the highest debut from a British Group since the Spice Girls in 1998. 

Last week in New York, over 10,000 fans turned out for the band's first live TV performance on NBC's Today Show in Rockefeller Plaza and record numbers of fans have turned out to see them at album signings in the US.

Later this month One Direction will perform their hit single "What Makes You Beautiful" on the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards March 31st, and will appear in an episode of iCarly "iGo One Direction" set to premiere April 7th on Nickelodeon. The band will also be the musical guests on Saturday Night Live April 7th with guest host Sofia Vergara.

Their 2013 UK/Ireland Arena Tour sold out immediately with more dates needing to be added. An estimated 300,000 tickets were sold in the first day. One Direction's tour of Australia & New Zealand sold out in just three minutes.

The X Factor group, who were put together and mentored by Simon Cowell on the UK version of the hit TV show in 2010, were signed to Cowell's label Syco Music in 2011 in partnership with Columbia Records in the US.  

One Direction are Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. All of the group hail from the UK, save for Horan, who is from Ireland. All five of the boys (ages 18-20) auditioned for the UK X Factor in 2010 as solo artists. However, at the suggestion of Simon Cowell they joined forces as a group, quickly becoming one of the competitions most popular acts of all time, finishing in the final three and garnering a gigantic fan-base along the way.

UP ALL NIGHT is available now
iTunes: http://bit.ly/sGhR74 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/sQrNrW 
Amazon (Deluxe Yearbook Edition): http://amzn.to/vfxzwF 

For more info visit
http://www.onedirectionmusic.com  
http://www.bring1dtous.com

Syco Entertainment is a leading global music, television, film and digital production company. Syco is a joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment, with offices in London and Los Angeles. Syco's television and music assets include leading global franchises The X Factor and Got Talent, as well as artists such as Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Il Divo, Cher Lloyd, One Direction & Labrinth. 

About Columbia Records: One of the most respected and successful record labels in the world, Columbia Records is home to established superstars and exciting new talent. Columbia Records is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

The X Factor was created by SycoTelevision and is co-produced by Syco and FremantleMedia. Artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 110 number ones, 270 top 10, and 501 top 50 releases. The X Factor first launched in 2004 in the UK on ITV1. The X Factor has been the number one show in the UK for eight years, with the 2010 finale achieving a peak of 21.2 million viewers, and a 65% share. The 2011 finale, held at Wembley Arena in front of a live audience of 12,000, was the most watched TV show of the year, with a bigger audience than the Royal Wedding. Local versions of The X Factor air in 32 countries. 

The X Factor launched in the US in fall 2011 on Fox, immediately becoming the number one unscripted show of the season.  The X Factor also gave Fox victory in the November "sweep" among adults aged 18 to 49 for only the second time in the network's history. The US version airs in 162 countries. Around the world, The X Factor has increased the average demographic for many broadcasters by up to 250%. 

SOURCE Columbia/Syco Records