One Direction
One Direction have scored yet another number one with their new single Drag Me Down Syco Records

Pop stars One Direction have topped the UK singles chart with their new single Drag Me Down, setting a new record for the highest ever first-week streams in the UK.

Drag Me Down is the group's first single as a quartet, following the high-profile departure of Zayn Malik in March.

The single racked up 2.03m plays in its opening week across streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and more, knocking Little Mix off the number one spot on 7 August.

The record-breaker is the group's fourth Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, following What Makes You Beautiful (2011), Little Things (2012) and One Way Or Another (2013).

The group unexpectedly released the new single from their upcoming fifth album on 31 July, just two days after Malik upset fans by reportedly suggesting that he left the group in order to make "real music."

Supporters of Malik, 22, were quick to accuse the group of releasing the song as a jab to their former bandmate, but band member Louis Tomlinson denied these claims, telling Capital FM: "Are you trying to look for some kind of controversial answer here? You're not getting it. The song is not about that... obviously. [It's] just saying no one can drag you down, you'll be all right, don't worry – as long as we're with each other that's all right."

Malik recently signed a solo music deal with RCA Records, the American flagship behind Sony Music Entertainment.

One Direction's fifth album will be released later this year.

More about One Direction