One Direction are one of the biggest bands in the world right now, selling out arenas in seconds and their latest album a massive smash hit in the charts.
While all might be looking great on the balance sheet, it seems as if not everything in the world of One Direction is sunny, with reports coming out that Zayn Malik may be on the brink of walking out of the group. While these reports have since been debunked by the bands spokespeople, Zayn has spoken before about his homesickness.
It raises the question as to how good the group are looking in the long term. The band did the cardinal sin of releasing two full albums within twelve months of each other (something that showed in the rushed feel of the second album), something that used to be a sure fire way to see that a group may be headed for the rocks.
Look at the bands that have lasted over the decades, though thick and thin. They’re the bands that came up together, the ones that started as a group of friends and simply want to put out the best music they can. They’re also typically the more traditional style of band, not just a vocal group.
Neither of these aspects really applies to One Direction. This is a band that was thrown together by the judges at X Factor as the groups that had turned up simply weren’t good enough. They’re also entirely vocal based, with none of the band taking up any instrumental roles at all. Not only does this mean that they’re all more likely to be tempted to go for solo glory, but that the band is more reliant on each of them specifically. A normal band can change its drummer or bassist without too much upheaval, but changing out a vocalist is a much bigger deal.
The quintet might be good friends, but do they have the deep bond that many bands have built over the years of struggling and searching for recognition?
This is a band built on the personalities and charms of the five boys involved, not on the quality of their song writing or the depth of their instrumentals. Let be honest, the music comes second when it comes to most Directioners.
Also, how long will it be until one of the guys has had enough of sharing the spotlight and wants to claim it all for themselves?
That’s not a slight against any one of One Direction’s members, but a factor with boy bands as a whole. Take That had Robbie Williams leave it to do solo projects, Boyzone had Ronan leave, ‘N Sync had Timberlake run off to do his own thing. All these groups soon collapsed after the walkout of a member. It’s a simple fact that boy bands don’t last for a long time.
All these historical signs show that the band's fans should make the most of what they have now, as it looks as if the foundations for the group might not be able to last too many bruising storms over the next few years.
Tagged in One Direction Harry Styles Zayn Malik