The English-Irish boy band One Direction became international pop superstars after competing on Season 7 of The X Factor (UK) in 2010, but as individual performers, they failed to make the cut. Lucky for them, guest judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested the boys team up for the Groups category. Although they didn't win the competition, coming in third place behind Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle, they signed a recording contract with Simon Cowell's Syco Records.
One Direction's official debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful," was a smash hit in the UK upon its release in 2011, topping the singles chart and breaking the record for the most pre-ordered Sony Music Entertainment single of all time. With a new contract from Columbia Records, the group rode their wave of success across the pond, where their single debuted at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and they were hailed as one of the forerunners of the new British Invasion.
After their whirlwind success in the US, the group, along with Syco Records and Sony Music Entertainment, was slapped with a trademark infringement lawsuit by a band that claimed to be the real One Direction. The California Punk Rock band insisted they'd performed under the name since 2009, before their Pop counterparts even surfaced on The X Factor. They not only demanded a cut of the boy band's profits, but also over $1 million in compensation for the "substantial confusion and substantial damage" caused by the name theft. The lawsuit didn't sit well with the UK One Direction's die-hard fans, who allegedly began sending hate mail and death threats to the US band. They eventually lost and changed their name to Uncharted Shores.
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