5 Seconds of Summer (aka 5SOS) is an Australian punk boy band turned pop non-boy band, with hits such as “Youngblood,” “Teeth,” and “She Looks So Perfect.” The band is made up of four members: lead singer Luke Hemmings, lead guitarist Michael Clifford (who also produced his most recent album), bassist Calum Hood, and drummer Ashton Irwin. Luke, Michael, and Calum had grown up together in Sydney and started the band when they were in high school. Ashton, who lived about half an hour outside of Sydney, received a formal invitation to play with them from Michael over Facebook and officially joined the band shortly after. The band began by posting covers (and a few originals!) on YouTube before they were discovered by One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson. Tomlinson reposted them on Twitter and the rest was history. The band’s career took off as they opened for One Direction’s 2014 Take Me Home Tour and released their self-titled debut album, 5 Seconds of Summer. Since then, the band has released four more studio albums and even snagged the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 200 charts three separate times.
After listening to “English Love Affair” by 5 Seconds of Summer, my life was never the same. The harmonies, the guitar chords, and the pure musical magic pumping through my earbuds had me hooked. I dove headfirst into the band’s incredibly diverse discography and never turned back.Â
However, when I told my friends about my new obsession, I was met with side-eyed glances and murmured remarks. Although they’re a widely successful band, I have yet to meet other 5SOS fans in my everyday life. So, here are a few reasons for you to join the 5SOS Fam.
Growth & Variety
The band has 12 years worth of music: five studio albums, three live albums, eight EPs, seven “B-Sides and Rarities” records, and even more on the way. Their first two albums, 5 Seconds of Summer (2014) and Sounds Good Feels Good (2015), have a classic pop-punk sound. Youngblood (2018) is more pop-rock, demonstrating noticeable maturity after a three-year hiatus and containing their most popular song, “Youngblood.” CALM (2020) came out at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and leaned more into alternative influences while still maintaining the group’s pop sound. Finally, 2022’s 5SOS5 is an alt-pop album that sounds completely different from their early work. You can feel the members mature over the years through their songwriting; they move from fun songs about girls in American Apparel underwear (“She Looks So Perfect”) to heartbreaking ballads about grief (“Ghost of You”) to ’50s-inspired piano tracks about the beauty of growing old with a lover and the fear of them passing away first (“Older”). The variety within their music perfectly illustrates the band’s ability to learn, grow, and thrive.
The Band Members
All band members, each “1.25 seconds of summer,” are multi-instrumental and talented vocalists. Unlike many other bands where the lead singer is the star, each member of 5SOS is featured equally. All four get vocal solos and equal amounts of love from fans. I cannot put into words how talented they all are as individuals, but I can say that this talent is only amplified when they come together as a unit. What’s more is that they have incredible chemistry. The members often refer to each other as “brothers,” with Calum even referring to himself as “Uncle Cal” when making a video diary for Michael’s daughter. Their friendship and support for each other is beautiful to witness. There’s also the fact that, when they’re together, they are probably the silliest people on the planet. There are hour-long compilations on YouTube of these guys just being absolute goofballs, bouncing off of each other’s energy and having a grand old time. I highly recommend going down a rabbit hole of these because they are genuinely hilarious!
The Concerts
I’ve only ever attended one 5SOS concert, but I can say that it was one of the best nights of my life. I traded more friendship bracelets there than I did at the Eras Tour! Every 5SOS fan I encountered was incredibly sweet, showering me with compliments about my outfit and laughing at the inside jokes on my bracelets. The concert itself was pumped full of energy, even during the sadder songs. I went to the most recent tour, The 5SOS Show, which was sort of like a sequel to their 10-year anniversary special. Before the show and in between songs, silly pre-filmed skits featuring the band members were shown. They also goofed off while onstage. I felt connected to them and everyone else in the huge arena despite being 1 of 20,000. I cried, laughed, and had an all-around amazing time.Â
(Side note: the show’s opener, Meet Me @ The Altar, is an all women-of-color punk group I highly recommend checking out!)
Bonus: Solo Music
Although the band is still together, two members of 5SOS also have solo music careers.
Luke Hemmings has released a debut album, When Facing The Things We Turn Away From (my favorite!), and a more recent EP, “Boy.” I attended the Spotify Listening Party for the EP and even though Luke was sick, he still managed to crack jokes the entire time. He was so unserious and it was awesome! Both projects are alternative and fully display Luke’s songwriting and vocal abilities.
Ashton Irwin has released two albums, Superbloom and BLOOD ON THE DRUMS. These projects fall into the rock genre with strong alternative influences. In these two albums, Ashton opens up about his personal experiences in a way fans have never seen from him before. He’s usually the most comedic and carefree of the group, so seeing him take on a darker tone in his solo career has been truly interesting.
So, please give 5SOS a listen. I can’t wait to finally have people to talk about my favorite band with!