What was One Direction’s debut single, released in 2011?

One Direction’s debut single, released in 2011, was “What Makes You Beautiful.” The song was written by Rami Yacoub, Carl Falk and Savan Kotecha, and it became the group’s first major international hit.

The single was released in September 2011 after One Direction had finished third on the seventh series of *The X Factor* in the United Kingdom. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number one and won the 2012 Brit Award for British Single.

The song’s bright pop-rock sound helped distinguish the group from some contemporary dance-pop acts. One Direction’s debut studio album, *Up All Night*, followed in November 2011. Their later singles included “Gotta Be You,” “One Thing” and “Live While We’re Young,” so those titles are often confused with the debut.