The hugely anticipated sixth studio album, EVERYONE’S A STAR!, by Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) is out now! Listen to it here.

For those who don’t know, 5SOS have been a band for over a decade, forming in 2010 and gaining their peak popularity while touring with One Direction back in 2013. They consist of four members: Luke Hemmings (lead vocalist & rhythm guitarist), Michael Clifford (lead guitarist), Calum Hood (bassist), and Ashton Irwin (drummer). Following a period of time after 2022 when each band member pursued their own solo careers, the band decided it was time for some new music together. The band’s style seems to have really changed as a whole. Not only is it more personal – still funky clothing, hair and makeup – but their sound and attitude have evolved too. A really great mix of pop, punk, and grunge can be heard on this album, constantly changing from upbeat songs, that will definitely have an amazing atmosphere live, to slower ballads.

“Everyone’s A Star!,” the title track of the album, makes complete sense. With the whole rebrand/transformation of the band, this is definitely a focus track. This song is a really equal mix of old 5SOS sound, while also leaning heavily into introducing the listener to their new sound. The highlight is really shone onto Luke Hemmings‘ insane vocal range, which is truly showcased during the opening track. For me, this track feels weirdly nostalgic due to the blend of their musical eras.

“NOT OK” was the first single to be released, coming out on the 24th of September. This song was the absolute perfect song to release to initially tease the new album. The upbeat vibe of the entire song is utterly addictive to listen to, and you can’t help but sing along with the catchy chorus. At the same time, this song is quite experimental compared to some older music, really showing fans that they have jumped head first into their new era. Watch the music video here.

“Telephone Busy” was the last single off of the album, released on the 23rd of October. The reaction given by the public was overwhelmingly positive. Lots of people saw the vision of how it would be live and are buzzing to hear it on stage. This is definitely a song to dance along to, with a very catchy beat and lyrics that compliment it perfectly.

“Boyband” was the second single to be released, coming out on the 16th of October. The sound of a photograph being taken at the start of the song references paparazzi and fame, taking digs at the music industry with lines like “make that monkey dance,” and reclaiming a phrase that was used against them so much in their earlier years. “I think Boyband for us was about reclaiming the phrase boyband. Boyband was a very dirty word and to some, it still is… It doesn’t matter to us if you call us a boyband or not. But if you do call us a boyband, we want to be the best. We want to be the best boyband of all time. So why not full send it and just go for the stars?” explains Michael Clifford. Watch the music video here.

“No. 1 Obsession” became a favourite very soon after first listening to it. The song is very guitar heavy and features a massive range in the vocals, making it such an interesting and enjoyable listen. “Yes, the song that started it all. ‘No.1 Obsession’ was the first song on the album that led to the other songs in somewhat of a domino effect,” explained Hemmings. This fact makes complete sense. This song itself pretty much sums up the vibes of the album as whole and it is truly a great song to dance around to.

“I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” slows the pace down for the first time in this album after five quite high-energy songs. This softer alt-pop song has already been compared to the earlier works of The 1975, and once again incorporates sounds from 5SOS’s older music. Topics of yearning for a person and learning within a relationship can be heard all throughout this song.

“istillfeelthesame” is the “modern/orthodox of 5SOS” and is confirmed to be one of Calum Hood‘s personal favourites off of the album. The vocals during this song blend together so well, creating an incredibly emotional piece that is really enjoyable to listen to. The ending of the song slows down even more, creating quite a nice transition into the next song.

“Ghost” leans a bit further from the band’s usual sound, instead sounding quite similar to Luke Hemming‘s solo music, with a much slower melody and “intense, visual lyrics.” Consistent with Hemmings’ solo music, topics of mental health are seen in this song, with lyrics such as “you and I are haunted by a similar ghost,” which talks about his anxieties. Upon my first few times listening to this album, this song really stuck with me, and I would definitely say it’s one of my favourites off of this album at the moment.

“Sick of Myself” picks up the beat slowly after three quite resonant and meaningful songs, while still including some deeper lyrics. The sound of the song itself is quite happy, very slightly masking what the lyrics themselves are saying. The song is on the shorter end -just over two minutes- but is a great transition from the slower ballads back into their more usual sounding music.

“Evolve“- In an interview about this song, Calum Hood says “The song is one of my favourites conceptually because it’s really empowering for our fan base. Most of our fan base is female and it’s just talking about how stupid dudes are which I’m reminded of every day and in the bridge, there is an excerpt of this scientist talking about the scientific research behind how guys mature slower than women and I think it’s cool that we could write a song about that.” I think this song works really well with their re-brand, and is one that fans are really going to pick up on as more authentically their sound.

“The Rocks” is a truly fantastic song as we are nearing the end of this album. If you’re listening and thinking that this song feels a lot more like their older music, you’d be correct. As confirmed by Ashton Irwin, they revisited their old production and writing partner, Jake Sinclair, with the plan of creating another rock-sounding song, similar to their iconic “She Looks So Perfect.”

“Jawbreaker” is an absolutely amazing ending to the album. The first few lines of the song can’t help but remind me of TV Girl sound wise, which is a stark contrast from “The Rocks” only a track prior. The song really has a sense of reflection about the past and shows personal growth and change, making it a really nice ending to the album, tying everything together nicely.

Overall, this album really is amazing all around. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the songs on it. “No. 1 Obsession” and “Ghost” really stick out as my personal favourites after many listens. I really recommend this album, regardless if you are someone who’s curious and only knows their old music or if you’ve never heard of them. I would highly recommend giving this a listen!

Pictures by Brian Ziff, song-by-song interviews by Official Charts.

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