by anne-elise tidwell
“Good things come to those who wait,” a line from one of 5 Seconds of Summer’s newest singles, “Boyband,” holds true. After months of ominous Instagram posts, side quests, and teasing fans with the word “soon,” the band is back with their sixth studio album, EVERYONE’S A STAR!
After taking time off to pursue solo endeavors, the band reconvened and created what lead singer Luke Hemmings is calling the best music of their whole lives.
The Australian pop-rock band began the new era earlier this fall with a new label, a fresh bottle of hair dye and their spunky lead single, “NOT OK,” captivating their audience with a spontaneous pop-up performance in Los Angeles to celebrate the record’s announcement.
EVERYONE’S A STAR! confidently embraces the boy band moniker they once rejected, and delivers a mature, introspective commentary on their 15-year career. The record grapples with the “shadow side” of the industry’s glittery facade, exploring themes tied to the disposable nature of stardom.
“To still be friends, and to still [be] doing s*** like this is pretty amazing,” Hemmings said at the 5SOS Press Conference in Melbourne.
Conceptually, EVERYONE’S A STAR! is presented like a performance art piece and stands as the group’s most thematically driven and ambitious project to date. This album’s rollout has showcased 5SOS’s innate ability to outwardly poke fun at the concept of a boy band, while also taking themselves and their artistry seriously.
“If a boy band is what we are, then we are going to do it in the best way possible,” guitarist Michael Clifford said in a promotional interview.
The record is a sonic journey and an honest testament to the band’s versatile craftsmanship. It begins with hypnotic, atmospheric sounds in the song “Everyone’s A Star!,” impeccably setting the tone for the rest of the record. It also naturally delves into heavier, hard-hitting rock influences, akin to early Paramore, that can be heard on tracks like “The Rocks.”
Through over-the-top stunts, the album's narrative is able to extend well beyond the music itself and pushes the boundaries of the record's creative direction. Dramatic entrances in obnoxious pink limos; performances inside giant plastic-wrapped toy boxes; and a comical, tabloid-esque media outlet the band created called “The Daily Sauce” all serve as audacious promotional tactics and integral pieces of the record’s larger commentary on fame and identity.
The record is not only sonically well-rounded, but lyrically profound, self-reflective and personal. The pre-chorus of “Boyband” articulates the band’s insight well. The song references many facets that come along with being in the public eye, including a lack of autonomy, constant and inescapable scrutiny, and intense pressure to appease a parasocial audience.
“Boy in a boyband / make that monkey dance / let me see you clap your hands / it’s your favorite boyband.”
Their creative direction is seemingly boundless and can be pushed as far as the band is willing to go. They said their upcoming EVERYONE’S A STAR! world tour “truly encompasses” the over-the-top concept, leaning more into a theatrical performance than a traditional concert. The group compared the tour’s production scale to a Lady Gaga or AC/DC show.
The European leg of the tour is set to start March 2026 in Belfast, UK with North American and Oceania following shortly after and will conclude in Perth, Australia next November.