One Direction 'Drag Me Down': 1D Releases First Song Without Zayn Malik

One Direction, the English-Irish pop boy band which was propelled to fame by social media following a third place finish in The X Factor in 2010, has released their first new song since band member Zayn Malik split from the group on March 25 of this year. The new single track, 'Drag Me Down', was released today and is available on iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify.

The release of 'Drag Me Down' comes just two days after the announcement that Zayn Malik had signed a deal with RCA Records, whose lineup includes Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, and Miley Cyrus, reports Us Weekly.

Malik tweeted ""I guess I never explained why I left, it was for this moment to be given the opportunity to show you who i really am! #realmusic #RCA !!" along with a photo showing himself signing the papers with the hastag #REALME.

Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson will continue to perform as a foursome without adding a new fifth member. One Direction is still signed under Simon Cowell's Syco label and has had a deal with Columbia Records in North America since 2011, reports Digital Spy.

If comments from fans on the group's Facebook page are any indication, the critical reception seems to be mostly positive. Read (below) what some listeners of the new track have said on social media:

Hannah Davies posted "I love you one direction you are the best boyband in the world and I love the new single xx."

Alessandra Tomlinson said "YEEEES. DRAG ME DOWN IS MY NEW OBSESSION. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT."

Oona Kruth wrote "I just CAN'T stop playing it."

Paola Bernal shared "Who says One Direction is nothing without Zayn? Ooops. One Direction is always on top, with or without Zayn. Great song btw!"

One Direction, commonly called 1D, consistently topped the charts with their four albums, Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013) and Four (2014), featuring singles like 'What Makes You Beautiful', 'Live While We're Young', 'Story of My Life' and 'Steal My Girl'.