Australian exports 5 Seconds of Summer have ended a three-year recording silence with the release of their new single ‘NOT OK’. The track not only marks their return since 2022’s 5SOS5 but also ushers in a fresh chapter as their first release under Republic Records.
The four-piece-Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin-are back in full force with a track that pushes their sound into uncharted territory. Drawing inspiration from electronic trailblazers like The Prodigy and N.E.R.D., ‘NOT OK’ fuses a high-octane beat with an alt-rock punch.
Luke Hemmings described the song as both a throwback and a reinvention. “It has the older 5 Seconds of Summer energy, but it’s different-which is the whole M.O. of this chapter. Lyrically, it’s about letting out the darker side of yourself and embracing it. The song is also a nod to the band itself. We pull those sides out of each other.”
The track’s chorus-“Hey, I’m not okay! I like the darker side of me…”-has already been touted as one of their strongest and most anthemic in years. Expect it to become a live staple as the band gears up for what they’re calling their biggest era yet.
‘NOT OK’ sets the stage for 5SOS’s forthcoming sixth studio album, Everyone’s A Star!, due later this year. The band recorded the album across 2024 and 2025 in Los Angeles and Nashville, enlisting heavyweight producers and writers including Jason Evigan (Maroon 5, Papa Roach, Rüfüs Du Sol) and the team of Julian Bunetta and John Ryan (Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims).
Hemmings says the record captures both the band’s early free-spirited nature and the maturity that comes with 15 years of experience. “This band is made of four people who could all have their own solo albums where they do it all, sing it all, and write it all. Everyone’s A Star! embodies all of that. We were teenagers at the beginning of 5 Seconds of Summer. We were writing with more naivete, but we said what we were thinking. As time goes on, you tend to get a bit more cautious about what you say, but I think this record has more of our original spirit-but with 15 years of wisdom and a dash of reckless abandon.”
Their last album, 5SOS5, landed at #2 on the Billboard 200 and produced the US Top 40 hit ‘Complete Mess’. The new project looks set to push them further, both musically and commercially.
Formed in Sydney in 2011, 5 Seconds of Summer have transformed from local high schoolers uploading songs online into a global juggernaut. Over 14 years they’ve sold more than 18 million albums, sold six million concert tickets, amassed 10 billion streams, and become the only Australian act to debut three albums at #1 on the US Billboard 200.
The group have also collected ARIA Awards, MTV EMAs, VMAs, and collaborated across genres while maintaining their reputation as one of Australia’s biggest global music exports.
Now signed to Republic Records, Everyone’s A Star! marks a rebirth of sorts. The band is dubbing this new phase “5SOS 2.0 – Evolved,” promising a run of new material, live shows, and what they describe as their “biggest, boldest and brightest era yet.”
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