Boyzone have dismissed notions that they are in direct competition with One Direction.

The two acts both released albums at the same time last year and instantly ideas of a boyband battle were planted in people's heads.

However, Shane Lynch told Dubai's Ahlan! magazine the two groups are different in style and fanbase.

He said: "One Direction are 20 years younger than we are and I hope they're still around in 20 years time, but our fans are very different to theirs. Boyzone have an incredible fan base which is built on a foundation, a solid rock."

Lynch added: "We don't compete with any of those youngsters anymore for number ones. We're a bunch of 40-year-old men and that's reflected in our music. It's more grown-up now and on our new album we have a sound we are proud of that reflects where we are today."

Whilst One Direction's 2013 album 'Midnight Memories' reached No.1 in November, Boyzone's 'BZ20' charted at No.7.