Last Wednesday night the Internet began to stir with murmurs and rumors -- an old atmosphere of excitement and speculation, long dormant, was awakened. The cause? A member of One Direction was about to drop a solo track, of course.

The secret song wasn't released until Thursday morning, when “This Town,” a song by Niall Horan, finally met the air of American radio. One Direction fans, true to their legacy, came out of the woodwork, trending #thistown and Niall Horan on Twitter for the entire day and shooting the track to the number one spot on iTunes. Niall also teased an unfinished future album, described as having similar vibes though being “a bit more upbeat.”

The song itself is not too different from what one might expect for the first solo track from one of the (remaining) members of the world's biggest boy band. Unlike the solo premiere of former member, Zayn Malik, who veered farther from the One Direction sound, Niall sticks closer to his roots. “I love all types of music, so it was never tough for me to do any of the 1D stuff… [I’m a] big pop fan,” Niall assured, in his first interview of the morning.

The lyrics of “This Town” speak of past love but contain double meaning about missing a home town, both subjects that Niall and One Direction have touched on in the past. With just a guitar and a microphone, the one-take acoustic number allows Niall to showcase his voice -- this time for a full three minutes. Described by many as a long Niall solo, that's exactly what the track is, which may go to show that, unlike Zayn, Niall was always making the type of music that he wanted to. “This Town” fits in with the Shawn Mendes singles and Justin Bieber ballads that seem to reign over the radio today, while allowing Niall to introduce his talents as a solo artist.

Niall's solo track and its success proves the importance of a fan base like the one that continues to exist for the members of One Direction. The fans, made up primarily of teenage girls and women in their twenties, continue to prove that their love is as strong as ever. A fan base which has raised thousands of dollars for numerous charities, and which prides itself on its friendship and creativity, One Direction fans have a certain degree of power which won't soon be lost.