13 years ago, back in Australia, Michael Clifford messaged Ashton Irwin, a local young drummer, to ask if he wanted to play a gig with him and his band. After all, the show would be huge. At least 200 people had RSVP’d on Facebook! Of course, Ashton saw an opportunity out of this world, and after being part of multiple bands, he said yes. It was December 3; Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Michael Clifford, and now Ashton Irwin were preparing to perform at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney, Australia. They went out, and there were only 12 people…including their moms. December 3rd marks the 13th anniversary of 5SOS, and we at The Honey Pop couldn’t be prouder of the band!
You may think that was it, that after that awkward failure, the band would dissolve and never perform again. However, the case was the contrary, and if anything, that show was the night that 5 Seconds of Summer was born. It was a rocky start, but these guys knew they had a bright future. They kept making covers and getting attention until they finally released their first song, ‘Gotta Get Out.’ It doesn’t matter if you became a 5SOS fan yesterday, six years ago, or you were here before Ashton; we all have a special place for the very first 5SOS songs in our hearts.
Pre-Debut Years
Time passes, and suddenly, after much hard work, they are opening for One Direction! Lucky are those who got to see both bands live at the same time… Alexa play ‘That Should Be Me’ by Justin Bieber. Calum, Luke, Ashton, and Michael moved to London, far away from home, but if you want to make your dreams come true, you have to take risks, and they did. It’s 2013, and the band dropped ‘Heartbreak Girl’—Calum Hood, if you are reading this, we advise you to skip to the next paragraph—. It’s a timeless song, and we don’t care what any bad member has to say about it; long live ‘Heartbreak Girl.’
Self Titled
2014, and all of a sudden, they are a big thing. ‘She Looks So Perfect’ is a song that got around the globe! With influences of 2000s punk rock bands like My Chemical Romance and Blink-182, 5SOS wanted to bring instruments and the genre back to the radio. Spoiler: They did. With the release of their first album, 5 Seconds of Summer, the only smart thing to do was to get into the studio and record their sophomore album.
Sounds Good Feels Good
For us, Sounds Good Feels Good is 5 Seconds of Summer’s more honest and raw album. At first, you may think that’s an album that’s just the predecessor of the first one. However, they established themselves as songwriters who aren’t afraid of being honest and vulnerable. Broken homes, mental health, being an outcast, and feeling lost are just some of the album’s topics. Songs like ‘Jet Black Heart’ and ‘Outer Space/Carry On’ are ones that the fans hold fondly for their meaning and how beautiful they are.
Youngblood
They went on a long hiatus. Patience was the only thing that the fans had. Finally, in 2018, out of nowhere, they announced not only the first single, of their third album but also a tour. We don’t think that the band thought that 2018 would be as wild because after ‘Want You Back’ they dropped ‘Youngblood’ and everything changed. If ‘She Looks So Perfect’ was popular, ‘Youngblood’ was a phenomenon. The song was on Riverdale, got awards, and was a new beginning for the band. Oh, and also was the album title. It was really a song of change for 5SOS because they totally switched their styles and followed their instinct with this record. Songs like ‘Ghost of You’ and ‘More’ put 5SOS on a whole new level and showed us how versatile they can be.
CALM
Then, in the middle of the pandemic, they had to release their fourth album, CALM. It was difficult for the band to promote the record; however, through Zoom calls and Instagram Lives, they made the promotion one to remember. Also in this era, they introduced The Vault: live performances of the songs ‘Teeth’, ‘Easier’, and ‘No Shame’. Because of the circumstances, the album didn’t get the recognition it deserved. But, once you listen to ‘Lover of Mine’ or ‘Lonely Heart,’ your life will not be the same.
Ashton’s and Luke’s Solo Music
After CALM, the band didn’t release music for two years, minus a song on their 10th anniversary called ‘2011.’ They also gave us The 5SOS Show: a live-streamed show full of music and comedy sketches. However, Luke and Ashton released solo music during this time. When Facing The Things We Turned Away From and Superbloom were solo projects that allowed the fans to see how both artists worked on their own and how their own styles have influenced the band. Two years later, they both released their second solo album and EP. Ashton’s second album, Blood On The Drums, and Luke’s first EP, Boy, with visuals recorded in Bogotá, Colombia, for every song!
5SOS5
For their fifth album, they went independent and recorded a marvellous album with Michael as the main producer. 5SOS5 is the band’s latest work, which came out in 2022. It gave us hits like ‘Bad Omens’ and ‘Haze’. They presented the album for the first time in a special show in the Royal Albert Hall called The Feeling Of Falling Upwards.
Remember The 5SOS Show we just talked about? They took it all around the globe in 2023. They also introduced the favorite element of the tour: The Dice. Basically, in every show, they would throw this huge dice that had a 5SOS song printed on each side. They would have to play, if Luke didn’t cheat, the track the dice landed on. This tour was one for the books; every single fan who got to see them live will forever remember it!
What Can We Expect From The Future?
In the past year, the band has given us small glimpses of the future record; however, we don’t have anything concrete. We hope that next year we get new 5SOS music because it’s been a while!
5SOS is one of the most important and influential bands of our generation. After 13 years of career, we can’t help but feel nostalgic and proud. We are looking forward to the future because, after all, 5SOS is forever! For the fans, 5SOS’s 13th anniversary is a special date and should be celebrated as one. Grab your headphones and listen to all of their music, and why not, read that fanfic that kept you up all night when you were 14 and had school the next day!
How did you celebrate? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram!
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