‘Better Than Words’: How One Direction Became One of the Great Rock Bands of the 21st Century

Collaborators Savan Kotecha, Carl Falk, Julian Bunetta, and John Ryan recount the group’s story and sound for their 10th anniversary

A bathroom figures significantly in the origin stories of at least two classic One Direction songs. The first will be familiar to any fan: Songwriter and producer Savan Kotecha was sitting on the toilet in a London hotel room, when he heard his wife say, “I feel so ugly today.” The words that popped into his head would shape the chorus of One Direction’s unforgettable 2011 debut, “What Makes You Beautiful.” 

The second takes place a few years later: Another hotel room in England — this one in Manchester — where songwriters and producers Julian Bunetta and John Ryan were throwing back Cucumber Collins cocktails and tinkering with a beat. Liam Payne was there, too. At one point, Liam got up to use the bathroom, and when he re-emerged, he was singing a melody. They taped it immediately. Most of it was mumbled — a temporary place-holder — but there was one phrase: “Better than words …” A few hours later, on the bus to another city, another show — Bunetta and Ryan can’t remember where — Liam asked, maybe having a laugh, “What if the rest of the song was just lyrics from other songs?”

One Direction: 10 years of the band – in pictures

Dormant pop beasts One Direction are marking their 10th anniversary on Thursday by launching a new website containing a series of celebration videos, archived behind-the-scenes footage and interactive playlists for fans to enjoy.

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The much-loved boy band, who have been on hiatus since 2015, broke their two-year Twitter silence on Wednesday, to announce: “Tomorrow! You and me got a whole lot of history #10YearsOf1D.”

The pop act first appeared on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2010 and went on to make the Best Song Ever (quite literally).

Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and former bandmate Zayn Malik have stolen plenty of hearts along the way too.

With rumours of a 2020 reunion rife, check out their story below, and remind yourselves of exactly what makes them beautiful.

One Direction were born on series seven of The X Factor, where they reached the final – losing out to Matt Cardle.

The five-piece were formed as a group on the talent show after having entered as individual performers, and soon signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Records company.

They ended up having huge chart success with four UK number one albums and four number ones singles.

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The boy band’s prowess was recognised with multiple Teen Choice Awards, Brit Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards.

They have had global hits with songs like Best Song Ever, Little Things, Steal My Girl, Story Of My Life and What Makes You Beautiful – the latter being the most-played One Direction track ever in the UK, according to music licensers PPL.

1D, as they are affectionately known, have also won America Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards.

They have sold more than 50 million records around the world, and also worked with charities like Children in Need.

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In 2015, the band of five became four, when Malik quit in the middle of a world tour, citing stress.

As he went it alone, the departing member later called One Direction’s music “generic” and said it didn’t suit his tastes.

One Direction went on as a four-piece, but later that year announced they were to go on hiatus… where they have remained until now.

During that time, though, all four have forged careers as solo artists, yet always left the door open for a reunion.

Payne (second left) hinted in April this year that the group might reunite in 2020 to mark their 10th anniversary. “I’m not allowed to say too much obviously, because I’d be giving it away,” he told presenter James Corden.

“But we’ve been speaking a lot more at the moment,” he added. “I think that we’re all feeling that that 10 year[s] is a very special moment.”