5SOS5 is the fifth release from Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer and comes in at a whopping nineteen songs if you listen to the deluxe edition. Ever since it was released last week, I have been obsessed with every song on the album. I truly think there are no skips on this record, with each song containing beautiful instrumentals and immaculate lyrics. Thematically this album is very introspective with much of the storytelling looking back at where one was and where one is now. Through their melodic songwriting and incredible compositions, you could feel the passion Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Michael Clifford, and Ashton Irwin poured into the making of this art. Individually, each member serves up fantastic vocals and instrumental performances, but together they absolutely shine. I truly think that this is objectively their best album and can’t wait to see them play it on tour.
5SOS5 Songs Tier List:
#1 – Take My Hand (Joshua Tree Version): This song is so beautiful, and I love every part of it. Each section builds and builds until it’s bursting with emotional impact. The incredible outro is so melodic and conveys a sense of melancholy that would have made this song perfect as the final song on the album but is strangely featured in the top half of the album’s track list which I find odd.
#2 – Easy For You To Say: The vocals here are stellar. The first chorus features an angelic falsetto from Luke. The second verse combines Calum and Luke’s vocals and the second pre-chorus merge Luke and Michael; all to create beautiful, layered melodies. The instrumental outro shines at the end.
#3 – BLENDER: This song packs a punch! Calum’s baseline brings this song to another level and feels very reminiscent of 5SOS’ biggest hit Youngblood. Luke’s vocal range is on full display here and is utterly perfect. Also, the song’s synthwave vibe makes it feel like The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights. When the band is touring this album, I can see this song being the closer since it hits so hard.
#4 – Caramel: When I first heard this song, I got very hyped. The rhythm is on another level and feels so groovy. Luke and Ashton combine vocals on this track to provide incredible harmonies. And the instrumental outro is absolutely beautiful.
#5 – CAROUSEL: This song encapsulates the introspective theme of the album. Luke does Luke things with his unbelievable vocals. The lyrics have such an amazing storytelling feeling. The outro has a great effect where they strip away most of the parts and you’re left with this incredible melody and beautiful vocals from Luke.
#6 – Bad Omens: The instrumentals have a purely profound feeling to them. The lyrics feel so personal and raw. And there is a fantastic choir-like aspect to the production.
#7 – Me Myself & I: This song is the definition of a certified bop. The beat is infectious, and the lyrics get stuck in your head making it a great pop banger for radio play.
#8 – Bloodhound: This song is such a fun banger and has one of the best 5SOS choruses since Youngblood. Vocally, Bloodhound is incredible and the line distribution between all four band members was delightful. Ashton’s vocal bridge is absolutely electric and the instrumental delay right before the final section hits so hard. Michael’s part in the second verse starts with a really fun distorted vocal effect and is vibey as hell.
#9 – Red Line: The writing on this song is next level and conveys a sense of pure poetry. So much deep meaning is baked in and carries a melancholic ending with audio of train cars closing, tying into the overall meaning of the track. It contains a beautiful outro which is fitting because this song is the closer of the standard edition of the album.
#10 – You Don’t Go To Parties: The storytelling in this song is incredible, playing with relatable concepts surrounding longing for someone in your past that you can’t see anymore. This song feels very fresh with amazing lead vocals by Calum and a fantastic pre-chorus provided by Ashton. The upbeat melodies and great vocals make this song a lot of fun to spend time with and just dance.
#11 – Flatline: Luke and Calum’s vocals on this song are incredible and they transition from one to another seamlessly. The chorus really stands out with an amazing running acoustic guitar and Calum’s vocal performance, which could be argued as his most impressive on the entire album.
#12 – Bleach: This song really hit me hard with its beautiful rhythmic contrast between the melodies and vocals in the verses, pre-choruses, and choruses. Luke killed it with his passionate vocal performance, and Calum and Michael’s vocal sections were so pleasant to hear. The sudden ending of the song is haunting and stands in contrast to the rest of the tracks on this album.
#13 – COMPLETE MESS: There is an incredible drop where the instrumentals and vocal melodies come together to give you everything you want. I particularly like the instrumental break towards the end that leads into a great vocal bridge from Michael.
#14 – Older (feat. Sierra Deaton): This song feels like an outlier. Numerous albums usually have one ballad; however, this song does not feel cohesive within the framework of the album. Older captures a sense of beauty in the concept of loving someone so much that it will be devastating when you lose them to old age. As someone who can relate, this song is very impactful. However, the track feels so sonically different from the rest of the album thus leaving me with an odd predisposition to this song. It breaks the overall cohesive flow of the album. Perhaps the song would have fit far better on Luke’s solo project When Facing the Things We Turn Away From (2021), considering that his fiancé is featured on the song and was instrumental in the writing and production of the track behind the scenes.
#15 – Best Friends: This song has a great energy to it with cute lyrics about the friendship the band members share. Luke sounds fantastic as always, however the highlight is Michael’s part on the second verse and pre-chorus, which sounds incredible. Although this song can come across as cheesy; this track feels like it could really pop off in a live setting, galvanizing a room full of fans.
#16 – HAZE: Upon first listen, this song felt off to me. I didn’t hate it, but I felt as if it was a track I would probably not add to my playlists. However, subsequent listens really made me come around on it. The guitar riffs are really groovy and the instrumental break towards the end is very unique. Calum particularly sounds incredible here doing most of the heavy lifting vocally. Additionally, Ashton’s vocals on the second verse provide such an incredible contrast to Luke and Calum’s sections before, which I greatly enjoy.
#17 – TEARS!: This song is very dark and stylistically harkens back to Ashton’s solo album Superbloom (2020). It feels very personal to Ashton and he does a fantastic job leading the vocal work on the track conveying a lot of grit. Calum’s pre-chorus sections are also very enjoyable and provide great contrast to Ashton’s deep voice.
#18 – Moodswings: This song is very unique in the way it utilizes different vocal pairings. Throughout the entire song, every single section combines Luke, Calum, Michael, and Ashton’s voices in distinct ways to create beautiful melodies. Instrumentally I love the acoustic guitar and percussion that plays throughout the song. It’s hard for me to nail down why I think the overall presentation of the track doesn’t match up to the rest of the album. Perhaps the more I listen to it the more its uniqueness will grow on me. As it stands right now, I really enjoy the song for its contrast to the rest of the album, but sonically it feels a tad jarring.
#19 – Emotions: This is a pure Michael track and I love how raw and emotional he comes across. However, the lyrics feel a tad cliché. Tonally the song is reminiscent of the sound their first album encapsulated, however the band as a whole has matured and sonically evolved past their pop punk origins which makes this song feel out of place within the album. I still love this song and it does a great job of putting you in Michael’s mindset.
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