Australian group leans into darker pop-rock while redefining fame

On their sixth studio album, “Everyone’s a Star!”, 5 Seconds of Summer push back against a decade of being labelled a boyband and turn that tension into some of their most focused work yet. The record, reviewed by Rolling Stone Australia, opens with an atmospheric title track built on psychedelic synths and brooding vocals from frontman Luke Hemmings. From there, the band pivots between glossy pop-rock hooks and darker, electronic-driven production that dissects fame, insomnia and self-destructive habits. Rather than trying to reclaim their early sound, 5SOS lean into what growing up in the spotlight actually feels like.

One of the standout tracks, “Boyband”, addresses the label head-on. Over pulsing electronics, the lyrics mock the idea of being an “imaginary boyfriend” for fans while nodding to the pressure of constant album cycles. The song, co-written with hitmaker John Ryan, reflects how the group has learned to twist pop conventions to their advantage. Elsewhere, songs like “No. 1 Obsession” explore the dopamine rush of life lived through a phone screen, pairing heavy drums with synth lines that shimmer and stutter. The band sounds more comfortable than in recent years, shedding what the review calls a period of “genre identity crisis” after their mega-hit “Youngblood.”

The album’s middle stretch experiments with spoken-word vocals and more jagged structures. Tracks like “NOTOK”, “Telephone Busy” and “Evolve” flirt with Damon Albarn-style delivery, half-sung and half-narrated over distorted backdrops. The lyrics dig into the thrill and damage of chaotic relationships, with choruses that shout their way through anxiety and self-doubt. Not every experiment fully lands, but the production keeps the songs moving, and the review credits producers Jason Evigan and John Ryan with giving the band room to stretch without losing momentum.

Subhead 2 (vulnerability, growth and fanbase impact)

“Everyone’s a Star!” softens in its final third, revealing a more vulnerable side. “Ghost” is framed as a particularly personal track for Hemmings, co-written with his wife and backed by swirling synths that echo the lyrics’ fear of confronting a partner who mirrors his own flaws. Insomnia emerges as a recurring motif, culminating in the breakup anthem “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again,” where the band channels late-night panic into a soaring chorus. “istillfeelthesame” pushes the tempo higher, blending ‘80s-style riffs with racing drums to depict anxious love as an almost physical rush.

Fans nostalgic for the group’s earlier pop-punk leanings get their fix on songs like “Sick of Myself” and “The Rocks”. These tracks draw from the energy of bands such as Panic! at the Disco while updating the sound with slicker modern production. The album closes on “Jawbreaker”, a more hopeful love song that suggests the band’s “darker parts” are finally starting to give way. Rolling Stone argues that by exploring every corner of pop-rock—from electronic gloom to fizzy anthems—5SOS have crafted their most cohesive and charismatic project to date. In a chart landscape crowded with minimalist folk-pop, “Everyone’s a Star!” stands out as a high-octane, emotionally candid alternative.

Music video link:https://youtu.be/OOHndihD7Dc