In 2010, five unknown boys competed in a talent competition for aspiring singers. While each of the boys auditioned as solo artists, one judge noticed something special about them. Yes, they were strong as solo acts, but as a boy band– they would be unstoppable.

That competition was X Factor and that judge was the very blunt, and often insulting Simon Cowell. Once Cowell put them together, the boys lives changed forever as collectively they became One Direction.

One Direction grew into what is arguably the best boy band of all time, and that is probably because there was no one else like them. Each boy, which included Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik, brought a different personality which brought in more fans.

One Direction stayed together until 2015, when they split to pursue solo careers. During that time, they published five studio albums which sold 70 million albums.

The current boy band threatening to take away One Direction’s title of best boy band of all time is the all Korean band, BTS. BTS has produced nine studio albums during their 13 year stretch together, but have sold considerably less albums than One Direction, at 30 million.