1. Introduction to What Makes You Beautiful
What Makes You Beautiful is a popular British-Irish boy band, One Direction’s debut single. It was released on 11 September 2011, by Syco Records as the lead single from their debut studio album, Up All Night (2011). Written by Savan Kotecha, Rami Yacoub, and Carl Falk, and produced by Yacoub and Falk, the song was heavily promoted by the label, featuring in television adverts and a high-profile promotional campaign.
2. Music & Lyrics
What Makes You Beautiful is written in the key of B♭ major with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. Stylistically, the song is an uptempo teen pop, dance-pop and pop rock track. The song’s instrumentation is composed of an electro rock guitar riff, synth chords, and a dance-ready, stomping beat. The lyrical content of the song comprehends admiration for a woman’s beauty, confidence in oneself, and age’s innocence.
3. Cultural & Commercial Impact
What Makes You Beautiful debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 21 September 2011, becoming the three members’ fourth number-one single in the UK and first as part of One Direction. It eventually spent four non-consecutive weeks at the top position. Additionally, the single debuted at number one on the Irish Singles Chart, where it spent two consecutive weeks. The song also charted at number one in New Zealand, Australia, Denmark and Sweden. In the US, it debuted at number 28 and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, What Makes You Beautiful peaked at number five in the Canadian Hot 100 and became the third best-selling single of 2011.
What Makes You Beautiful was the fourth best-selling single of 2011 in the UK, with 772,000 copies sold, becoming the best-selling single of 2011 by a non UK-artist and the 30th best-selling single of all time in the UK. It has sold 4.78 million copies in the US, and has been certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The single also went on to become One Direction’s fastest-selling single ever and the third highest-selling single from the band. Till date, the single has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.