Does One Direction's "Best Song Ever" have the best video ever to match? Uh, YES.

Like the song's progressively layered synth intro reminiscent of The Who's "Baba O'Riley," Directioners the world over have been been steadily building and building up to the moment when the music video for "Best Song Ever" -- the lead single off of One Direction's upcoming third studio album, Where We Are -- would finally be released. Well, guess what: NOW IS THAT TIME.

While fans may be split as to which number from the boys' catalog is indeed their true "best song ever," we can unequivocally say that this is, without a doubt, their best video ever... along with "What Makes You Beautiful"... and "Little Things" -- OK! So maybe all of their videos are their #BestEva, but that doesn't change the fact that the "Best Song Ever" video is not only a small step for man, but one GIANT leap for boy band-kind.

Watch One Direction's "Best Song Ever" video after the jump.

The Ben Winston-directed clip opens with our guys in a meeting with a bunch of shallow, out-of-touch Hollywood types -- played by the boys of One Direction themselves -- who try to force Harry, Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Louis into some hackneyed boy-band cliche-filled vision for the boys' upcoming concert film, "This Is Us" (out Aug. 30!). Knowing full well that they're not the type to copy The Village People, *NSync, or Backstreet Boys, 1D run wild at the agency, eventually igniting a highly choreographed ending dance routine that references the fact that, well, they don't dance.

Packed with no shortage of self-aware, tongue-in-cheek moments, "Best Song Ever" regularly alludes to memorable moments in boy-band history -- much like The Wanted's recent "Walk Like Rihanna" video -- but unlike their rivals, One Direction opt not to recreate any boy-band moments (unless they're being ironic, which they totally are). In doing so, the boys essentially close the door on the previous era of packaged boy-band behavior (think: matching outfits, choreographed dance routines, toy dolls.... oh, er, never mind), and turn toward the future to usher in the next. What's left? The Best. Boy. Band. Video. Ever. #MICDROP

+ Watch One Direction's "Best Song Ever" video.

Photo credit: Columbia