4. They Made Boy Bands "Cool" Again
Back in the late 80s, boy bands weren't taken seriously. But alongside The Wanted and JLS, One Direction have helped re-invent the phrase. These new boy bands have been joined by the resurgence of the older generation "man bands" - including Take That and Boyzone. 90s boy band New Kids on the Block have reformed with the Backstreet Boys to make a "super boy band", NKOTBSB. Despite this, one of the most popular boy bands of the 90s, Westlife announced their split earlier this year. One Direction's ability to make boy bands "cool" again is specifically obvious in places like North America, where other boy bands have failed to really make their mark.