Earlier this month, One Direction's new single 'Best Song Ever' stirred up controversy when critics pointed out that it sounded remarkably similar to The Who's 'Baba O'Riley'.

Now, the iconic rock band's lead guitarist Pete Townshend (pictured left) has issued a statement about the similarities and confessed that while there is a link between the two tracks he likes the boyband and thinks their international success is great:

"I like the single. I like One Direction. The chords I used and the chords they used are the same three chords we've all been using in basic pop music since Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Chuck Berry made it clear that fancy chords don't mean great music – not always. I'm still writing songs that sound like 'Baba O'Riley' – or I'm trying to!"

"It's a part of my life and a part of pop's lineage. One Direction are in my business, with a million fans, and I'm happy to think they may have been influenced a little bit by The Who. I'm just relieved they're all not wearing boiler suits and Doc Martens, or Union Jack jackets."