One Direction

One Direction skillfully blended hooky songs, slick production, and winning personalities together in a way that made them one of the most popular boy bands ever, regardless of era or region. Made up of five distinct vocalists, the group was formed on the U.K. talent show X-Factor and over the course of six years topped the charts with million-selling singles and albums while filling arenas around the world. Their initial songs, like 2011's "What Makes You Beautiful," were bubblegummy and sweet, but the band soon delved into other avenues including indie folk ("Story of My Li...