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One Direction, the boy band from the U.K. put together by Simon Cowell, hit the Plaza this morning to a crowd of screaming fans who camped out overnight for the launch of the new British Invasion.

The group — Niall Horan, 18; Zayn Malik, 19; Liam Payne, 18; Harry Styles, 18; and Louis Tomlinson, 20 — were individual contestants on The X Factor’s 2010 season, but failed to make the cut in the individual boys category.

At the suggestion of guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, show producers put the guys together as a band and re-entered them in the group competition, where they finished in third place and signed with show creator Simon Cowell’s Syco Records.

The group has already taken the UK by storm, reaching double-platinum status and beating out Adele for best British single at this year’s Brit Awards. Their debut album, “Up All Night,” was the fastest-selling debut album on the 2011 UK Albums Chart.

One Direction signed a record deal with Columbia Records in the United States. The album’s North American release was originally scheduled for March 23, 2012, but was moved up to March 13, 2012 “due to overwhelming fan demand,” according to the record company.

Photos, Today Show videos and “What Makes You Beautiful” video below:

photos: PNP/WENN