5 Seconds Of Summer’s ‘EVERYONE’S A STAR!’ Shows Why We Still Can’t Get Enough Of Them — Review

With EVERYONE’S A STAR!, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) celebrate the music they love, the songs they love performing, and embrace a sense of resurgence and rebirth.

Released on November 14, 2025, the four-piece pop-rock band from Sydney, Australia, marked the beginning of this era with the “Your Favorite Boyband Is Back” campaign, which feels satirical, self-aware, and an embrace of what the band has been associated with all these years.

As a longtime fan of the band, dating back to “She Looks So Perfect” becoming the soundtrack of my summer in 2014, and then four years later with the release of “Youngblood” and its album of the same name, it’s always great to see how much these boys continue to reinvent themselves with each new music they release.

Even with the sound that made them famous in the early 2010s, during what was a modern-day golden age of boy bands, dominated by One Direction, The Vamps, and Big Time Rush, 5SOS have matured, and so have the production and sound of their songs. Safe to say, Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, and Michael Clifford shaped my music taste during my high school years — and continue to influence it as I’ve grown older.

After releasing a couple of singles and EPs since 2011, the band made bigger waves in the music scene around 2013 and 2014, with tracks like “Amnesia,” “Don’t Stop,” and “Good Girls” receiving heavy airplay on FM radio stations, even here in the Philippines. Their sophomore album, Sounds Good Feels Good, still carried echoes of their debut self-titled record.

However, even then, you can see a steady sense of growth and maturity in their sound. It wasn’t until Youngblood was released in 2018. The record proved to be a true departure from the pop-punk and pop-rock energy, while also giving the keys to most of the vocal work to Luke. It felt new and unfamiliar at the same time. With the addition of more electronic and synth influences, along with darker and edgier songwriting, the band wasn’t keen on remaining in their comfort zone or staying on the same ground they had become known for.

Lo and behold, they had another hit, probably their biggest to date, with “Youngblood,” which in itself is proof that they have broken free from what people perceived them as with their earlier sound. The albums that followed continued their evolution. 2020’s CALM, which contains tracks like “Easier” and “Teeth,” offered a sound similar to Youngblood while providing more vocal experimentation, while the under-appreciated fifth album, aptly titled 5SOS5, was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and showed the band engaging in deep introspection about what they were going through.

That’s why their sixth record perfectly encapsulates how a modern 5SOS sounds and creates as artists, while also nodding back to their early roots with much more nuance and growth over the years.

Staying true to who they are — not just as musicians, but as lovers of music — EVERYONE’S A STAR! is a far cry from their early sound and identity, wearing skinny jeans and piercings that screamed Tumblr days in 2014. This latest album and era, however, marks the band reflecting on themselves and why they are making music in the first place.

The album opens with a bang, with the titular track leaning heavily into the electronic disco that is reminiscent of Duran Duran, The Cure, and Depeche Mode. It is followed by the album’s lead single, “NOT OK,” which is an earworm of a lead single that you’d want to scream at the top of your lungs. Not delving deeply into the lyricism, as the writing is fairly straightforward, the song still paints a vivid picture of the bold and brave sound the boys are venturing into. More than just biting the apple, the danceable and catchy sound continues with “Telephone Busy,” a sound that is completely 5SOS, filled with a hypnotic bass-heavy production, led by Calum.

This can also be heard in “Boyband,” which further explores their commentary on boyband culture and the fandom’s desire for artists to remain perfect, rather than being seen as real humans. But the real kicker is “No. 1 Obsession,” which the band reveals as the first track that ultimately paved the way for the entire album’s existence. The 80s-inspired synth/industrial pop track is exactly what you love hearing when you’re in full “locked-in” mode, packed with the kind of lyrics they used to write that catered to their demographic of yesteryear: “Take me to heaven, kill the depression, make me your number one obsession.”

With a couple of tracks down, “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” is another 5SOS song to add to the “bops with sad lyrics” folder, and it packs a punch when it comes to expressing yearning and heartache. It’s a track that makes you want to say not just “I miss you,” but instead say (or sing) “Every bed is cold without your body in it.” Meanwhile, “istillfeelthesame” retains the same feeling and sentiment. At this point in the album, the flow can feel somewhat repetitive in terms of sonically, but the backing vocals from Michael and even Ashton are nice to hear.

Meanwhile, “Ghost” leans into the slower, downtime section of the album, which can feel somewhat out of place. However, it offers a moment of breathing room, and you can’t help but feel engrossed by Luke’s soothing yet haunting vocals. But immediately, the fun vibe returns with “Sick of Myself,” which is definitely one of — if not the — standout tracks on the album, in my opinion. It flows like your typical run-of-the-mill pop song that is heavy on guitars and a fast-paced flow that offers something different from the tracks that preceded it.

“Evolve,” which contains a sample from “R-Evolve” by Thirty Seconds to Mars, fits seamlessly into the overall sound of the album, with its hyper-aware commentary on the emotional maturity of men and women in relationships. “The Rocks,” on the other hand, feels like the album is nearing its conclusion, complete with its cathartic tone amplified by the chorus: “I can tell you’re lost, I can see you’re reelin’ / Drownin’ in a flood of a thousand feelings / I’ll tell you I’m lost, in the world I know / Throw myself onto the rocks / To make you feel less alone, less alone, less alone.”

The 12th and final track of the standard version, “Jawbreaker,” evokes a flood of emotions, especially for longtime 5SOS fans. The heavy drumbeat from Ashton creates a celebratory moment, serving as a triumphant closer. On a side note, the Fully Evolved version of the album includes the bonus tracks “Start Over,” “Wishful Dreaming,” “Chest,” and “I’ll Find You.” While it offers more of the same sound as the standard edition, it also highlights why the tightly-knit 12-track standard album works so well. These bonus tracks feel like the end credits rolling, leaving you reflecting on the film you’ve just watched and absorbed.

The album deserves to be listened to on repeat. As a fan, I can say that I felt at home with the songwriting, production, and overall identity of the band I grew up with without having to venture into unfamiliar territory, while also validating why I’ve loved listening to them all these years. From relating to songs about crushes and puppy love during my high school days to navigating the first weeks of college, enduring a global pandemic, and reflecting on my personal growth, the band is a reminder of how you can continue to grow, evolve, and change, while also not completely forgetting who you are in the process.

In hindsight, EVERYONE’S A STAR! is sure to be welcomed by longtime fans who stayed, by those who are slowly reconnecting with the band, and even by new listeners eager to experience something fresh to add to their listening loop.

Listen to EVERYONE’S A STAR! (Fully Evolved), featuring the bonus tracks, below: