Think One Direction Is Still Leading Pop Music? Think Again — Little Mix Sold More Albums

When you think about the leaders in pop music, one of the first names that might come to mind is One Direction. But you may be surprised to learn that the boy band is actually plummeting in popularity, and it appears that the girl band Little Mix may be taking their place.

According to Chronicle Live, Little Mix sold more albums in the U.K. this year than former teen-pop titan One Direction. While the One Direction album Made in the AM sat comfortably in the top spot at one point in time, it has fallen down to spot 14 on the list of bestselling pop albums in 2015. And the third Little Mix record Get Weird surpassed it at number 11.

While Little Mix’s victory over One Direction may be surprising, the top three spots on the list are not shocking at all, with Adele at No. 1, Ed Sheeran at No. 2, and Sam Smith at No. 3. You can check out the full list of bestselling pop albums in the U.K. below.

1. 25 – Adele
2. x – Ed Sheeran
3. In the Lonely Hour – Sam Smith
4. If I Can Dream – Elvis Presley
5. Purpose – Justin Bieber
6. 1989 – Taylor Swift
7. I Cry When I Laugh – Jess Glynne
8. Chaos and the Calm – James Bay
9. A Head Full of Dreams – Coldplay
10. Wanted on Voyage – George Ezra
11. Get Weird – Little Mix
12. Hozier – Hozier
13. Never Been Better – Olly Murs
14. Made in the AM – One Direction
15. Wilder Mind – Mumford & Sons

After losing Zayn Malik, One Direction has struggled to maintain the kind of momentum they had at the start of their career. And, ironically perhaps, one of the star singers in Little Mix is Perrie Edwards, the ex-girlfriend of One Direction’s ex-member, Zayn.

And One Direction isn’t looking to recover from their slump in popularity any time soon. An article from the Telegraph details One Direction’s sudden rise and sudden fall from fame and notes that the band members are planning to take a hiatus from the band as soon as March, 2016.

Meanwhile, Little Mix is doing better than ever, with Get Weird being their highest-charting album to date. The album’s single, “Black Magic,” reached the No. 1 spot for three weeks. Perrie Edwards and the other girls of Little Mix also earned their first Teen Choice Award for “Breakout Artist” this year.

You can watch the official Little Mix music video for “Black Magic” below.

Little Mix is also keeping busy outside of producing albums, having loaned their dancing and vocal skills to an advertising campaign for USA Pro, according to Just Jared.

The video was posted to the official Little Mix YouTube channel with the description, “Check out our first ever TV advert with @USAPro! We’re so excited for you guys to see it! #USAProXLittleMix #joinourmovement.”

You can watch Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson strut the line of activewear in the commercial below.

According to Glamour Magazine, Little Mix advocated for the diversity of the USA Pro line, claiming that the clothes are suitable for a variety of body types and fashion styles.

“We are all different shapes and sizes so there is going to be something for everybody and it’s not just for working out in, it’s casual wear as well,” Little Mix said. “We all have different styles with our gym wear and we are very confident in our bodies – we are happy to be the shapes we are.”

What do you think about Little Mix’s climb to the top of the charts? Were you surprised to learn they outsold One Direction in the United Kingdom in 2015?

[Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images]