The boyband proved its appeal as a four-piece following the departure of Malik, as users of the online streaming service played Drag Me Down an incredible 4.75 million times on 31 July (15), beating Wiz Khalifa's previous record of 4.26 million plays in April (15).

The track is also the first to hit number one on the Spotify Global Chart on its first day of release, beating Calvin Harris' Blame, which previously held the record by reaching the top on its second day.

Over the weekend (01-02Aug15), One Direction star Harry Styles thanked his fans for their support over the surprise release, writing on Twitter.com, "Hope everyone is liking Drag Me Down so far. Thank you for all the support. All the love."