One Direction, simply put, is the hottest group in the world.
The British boy band's first two albums, Up All Night and Take Me Home, both debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200. This incredible feat makes them the first British band to top the charts with the release of their first two albums since The Beatles.
Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles cover this week's Billboard magazine and open up about writing and recording their third effort, Midnight Memories.
"I'm a night owl, so the late-night recordings don't really bother me—as long as I can sleep in late!" Malik told the mag.
Styles agreed, saying, "I don't think it's that hard to stay focused. We get to go to amazing places and work with great people. It's just really fun."
One Directioners will know this already, and are probably counting down the days and hours and minutes, but Midnight Memories will be available on Nov. 25.
The five guys look casual in the cover shot, as they strike different poses while walking in the middle of a busy London street.
"I don't like thinking of them as a brand, to be honest with you," their mentor Simon Cowell said. "They're just five guys doing incredibly well, and if the money comes in, even better."
Being on the road and away from home can be difficult for the lads, but they used those emotions as inspiration for the song "Don't Forget Where You Belong."
"Luckily, I have my four best mates on the road with me to keep me from getting lonely," Horan explained. "Of course we all miss home at times. Who wouldn't, being on the road all year long? Wouldn't give it up for anything, though."
One Direction was extremely hands-on with their third studio album, "contributing lyrics to 12 of the 14 songs on the regular edition, and an additional three on the 18-track deluxe." Horan's work on the guitar is also featured on Midnight Memories, and this collection of tunes is said to be the "most representative work of the group's five members to date."
"They're experiencing all this crazy stuff right now," producer Julian Bunetta said. He also helped the band use their experiences to write their songs. "It's like the prime ripe moment. They've been like sponges and now they want to express it and talk about it. They know who they are better than anyone and they also know what their fans want better than anyone."
The future of One Direction looks incredibly bright; Sony just re-upped its contract with them and their London-based management company, Modest!, for another three albums.
"Eventually they probably will split and up and maybe want to have their own careers," Cowell said. "The choice is theirs, and we've got the opportunity to do both. But from what I hear, they're really enjoying what they're doing and we don't feel there's anything seriously wrong here. They're getting more time off and I hope they stay a band for a long time."
Payne echoed Cowell's sentiments, saying, "We just love what we're doing right now. We've got no intention to change that."
"Who knew we would be here three years ago?" Tomlinson added. "We're just going to focus on tomorrow and go from there."
Tune in for more exclusive chats with the members of One Direction all this week on E! News at 7 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.