Pop-punk boyband 5 Seconds of Summer released their sixth studio album titled “EVERYONE’S A STAR!” on Nov. 14. This comes after a break from new music production from the group as a whole, following their previous album “5SOS5” that was released in 2022.
Since the release of that album, members of the group have pursued more solo work before coming back together to announce this album, and a following world tour. 5 Seconds of Summer has been big in the music industry since the boyband boom of the mid 2010s, and they are one of the only groups from that era still together and releasing music. Because of this, their style has, of course, naturally evolved over time.
With more recent albums, they have transitioned to more pop than punk, less harsh than their earlier records. This album is not necessarily a deviation from that pattern, but it does feel like it takes on a harsher and darker tone than their other modern releases.
The lead single from this album, “NOT OK,” was released months ago in anticipation of the full album. The track has a grittier, more techno-feel than anything we’ve heard previously from the group, and set the tone for a record that wasn’t afraid to be a little bit darker and more intense. Their release follows a trend within popular music more broadly, which has lately embraced a messy, beat-heavy, talk-singing style. The second and third singles from this album, titled “Boyband” and “Telephone Busy” respectively, have a similar feel to “NOT OK.”
Upon the release of “EVERYONE’S A STAR!” this week, listeners found that the album as a whole, while still aligning with the sound of the singles, has overall a lighter feeling than the singles themselves. The tracklist covers a wide range of feelings, from “Evolve” having beats you want to get up and dance to and lyrics like “I want have fun, I want to get high, I want to get drunk,” to songs like “Ghost” that are slower, etherial, and emotional. “Ghost” features lyrics like “Late at night, we’re the same it shows. You and I, haunted by a similar ghost” that feel aligned with the track “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” both in lyrics, and a similar emotional feel and melodies and vocal mixing that make you feel like you should be floating through the stars as you listen.
Hearing that a long-running group is releasing new music is both exciting and scary, because there is always the possibility that the music will not live up to the band’s previous releases. If this is your fear, I can guarantee that you have nothing to worry about with this album. It’s worth a listen if you have been a fan for years, or even if you honestly didn’t know that 5 Seconds of Summer had more music beyond that one song about underwear.
It feels impossible to compare 5 Seconds of Summer’s albums to each other, because each one has been released in such a specific period of time, and has its own very specific, cohesive feel. But this album is certainly not a dip in quality, sound, or lyrics in any way. “EVERYONE’S A STAR!” is a perfect new addition to a discography made up of some of the consistently best pop-adjacent music of the decade.
In an era of pop music that feels hollow and disingenuous, this album has been a breath of fresh air. I strongly recommend you give it a listen if you haven’t already; it really is delightful. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for everyone’s favorite boyband in the years to come.
Featured image: @5sos on Instagram
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