Great news about the album. Still a way off what MM did but considering pop groups have a shelf life that's to be expected. And wow to Steal My Girl's sales. How does it compare to the other lead singles?

WMYB was obviously a lot bigger, has been certified platinum (600k) a long time ago (February 2013), it has sold 950k as of last November (see here: http://www.officialcharts.com/featur...revealed-3286/)

LWWY is only certified silver, but it's sold 355k as of November 2014 (according to that article posted above).

BSE has SOLD 385k copies as of last November, but has been certified gold (400k) last summer (due to streams being included since the beginning of 2014).

SMG wouldn't be anywhere near gold without streaming

But then again, the music industry has changed over the last 4 years, download numbers have decreased massively, so it's only fair to include streams when counting the numbers a single has "sold".

So it's safe to say that SMG has now become their second biggest LEAD single. Little Things, OWOA and SOML are still bigger though... Somewhat surprising (not so much with OWOA, which was a charity song), as LT and SOML were both not lead singles and were bought while the album was already available.

Edit: just realised SOML has been out 4 weeks before MM was even released, so it's not THAT surprising its numbers are so high My point stands with LT though

Harry has written a song with Meghan Trainor:
https://twitter.com/1DCentral_/statu...89113679515649
It's appearently new & hasn't been released yet, but it might be one day?

I know that Liam talked about maybe writing not for 1D, but has it happened yet?

I have also read on twitter that Louis has started his own company: 78 Productions:
https://twitter.com/1DAsiaCrew/statu...81404226183168

It's good to know that the boys are also looking beyond 1D



In other news:
Songwriter confirms work on new One Direction album
http://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdes...388/?isworld=y

I find this sentence strange: "Gossip has suggested that the group's future has been in doubt following the release of 'FOUR' late last year."
As if FOUR had bombed & the boys' career was in jeopardy! It might not have sold as much as the previous ones (which sold incredibly well!), but it hasn't bombed by a long shot.

I can't stand that first Meghan Trainor single All About The Bass but she has a nice voice and she's a good songwriter. She wrote the American X Factor group Fifth Harmony's latest single Sledgehammer which is bloody brilliant so I am excited to see what she comes up with with Harry.

Interesting about Louis. I am sure some of those companies are for tax reasons. Not sure how it works in France but here in the UK if you start up your own company and funnel all your earnings through it you pay much lower rates of tax around 20% rather then the 50% Louis would have to pay ordinarily. I don't blame anyone making that type of money for doing that to be honest.

One Direction and Rihanna are the only acts to have 4 albums in the top 100 of UK's best selling albums of the decade (sales up until the end of 2014 included).

#92 FOUR (New entry) - 501,300 copies (1500 copies behind "The Wanted", TW's only album on the list, probably for the last year, they're likely to drop out on next year's list )

#34 MIDNIGHT MEMORIES (45-34) - 843,200 copies

#28 TAKE ME HOME (42-24-28) - 967,100 copies

#20 UP ALL NIGHT (41-23-19-20) - 1,091,100 copies

So it's interesting to see that UAN has been climbing up the list for 3 years, whereas TMH has already started to drop in its 3rd year. Has a lot to do with generally shrinking albums sales, I think. Apart from that, their first three albums had a pretty similar "chart run".
And of course, it was easier for a 2011 album to climb up the list pretty fast, as the decade had only just started. For a 2014 album it's a lot harder, the top 100 is already very "crowded", you need already 462k to even be on the list!

Haha, great post: https://twitter.com/bIxzinglouis/sta...747712/photo/1

Title and track list of Zayn's first solo album have leaked

The boys have been nominated for Best Group and Best Video at the Brits.

Best Video is voted for by the public So they might have another shot this year, as Best Group is out of reach, as long as it's not decided by the public... But why did they choose the "You & I" video??? It's maybe the most boring video they've ever made, all the others in 2014 (MM, SMG, NC) would have been way better and more fun

I don't actually think Best Group is out of their reach this year. I think their main competition in that category is Coldplay. Maybe wishful thinking on my part.

The bookies have them in the lead at 6 to 4 so they could do it

Fingers crossed. I'd vote for the boys over Coldplay and Martin's awful voice every day.

Ha ha someone else on my wave length

Likewise! I'd like them a whole lot more if they ditched him. Fix you is a gorgeous song when done by choirs, could see Liam and Zayn doing a wondrous version of it too but with him, bah just do one you miserable sounding whopper.

Anyway...back to this evening's listening which is Take me home.

Wow, I also thought they had zero chance. It'd be a shame if they got it the one year they're not going to be there

I also think the You & I vid is boring but Best Video is done by views and that has more (124M) than Steal My Girl and MM. Interesting how MM is on far fewer views (72M) even though it's been out longer, I guess it's the boys promoting You & I when it first came out and the song making it onto radio playlists.

What's the 3rd single from Four? Is there a video filmed yet?

Thank you, very interesting information. I've always considered SOML the de facto lead single for Midnight Memories, BSE was really to promote the movie.

I'm intrigued as to how streaming of FOUR is going on spotify. They could win some people round just through the music as I'm sure some people are curious enough to click on a link. It would be fun to have information on which tracks are getting most streams, data like that must be really useful for record labels. I've been a bit out the loop, has anything more been said about Ready To Run being released? If they haven't already filmed a video they'll have to do it abroad because Harry is showing no signs of leaving LA and Niall is reported to be in Australia already.

Great minds! It's probably Ready To Run, which they performed at SNL. I've not heard anything about a video, perhaps they did the same as last year and got it in the bag before the christmas break (although with this fandom it's hard to keep anything a secret).

Zayn has finally had the chop...
https://twitter.com/zaynmalik/status/556548079449817088

He looks fantastic but I loved the long hair too. He's just basically that lovely, i'd be happy regardless.

ha ha ha!! same here.. love him whichever and however way he styles his hair

From the main thread: Samantha Jade opening for 1D on their Australian part of the OTRA tour. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...lian-tour.html

Who do you guys think will support the boys on the UK leg?

I hope it's not Mcbusted. Yawn. Lol. Anyone heard the latest twitter (so it has to be true!) Rumour that Louis is entering the Big Brother house on Friday?

I wouldn't mind them, I quite like having a support act that I've heard of do I can enjoy them and sing along without having to go and search down an album etc... And no I've not heard that!! D'you reckon it's true? He does seem to be very into it but surely he's too famous atm for it, lolz!

I know. Nearly all the people in it are Z List. It's only been reported on one website so far. So we'll have to see. I'd be surprised LOL.