Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer debuted their sixth studio album, Everyone’s a Star!, on Nov. 14. The 12-track project from Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin leans into an electronic, new-wave sound, separating themselves from their previous, more indie-focused era.
Opening with the title track, “Everyone’s a Star,” the band sets a melancholic, hypnotic tone. They acknowledge they’re no longer the “flavor of the week” — referenced later in “Boyband” — and grapple with fading public attention, singing, “Everyone’s a star / Baby, it’s a dream…” The repeated “I wanna stay” deepens the trance-like feel of the chorus, hinting at their desire to remain in the spotlight.
With the lead single “NOT OK,” 5 Seconds of Summer blends nostalgia with reinvention, reviving their earlier energy while introducing the album’s satirical, over-the-top persona. They confront fame’s darker side — “Inside every one of us, a shadow side / I call it my better side / I call it the call-me-up-if-you-wanna-feel-better side” — but admit they still crave it. The recurring imagery of temptation, like “Bite the apple, baby,” reinforces their push-and-pull relationship with stardom.
“Telephone Busy” keeps the dark production but pairs it with a funky bassline and playful lyrics. The song doubles as a story about self-sabotaging relationships and a metaphor for dwindling fame. On one hand, it describes an unhealthy relationship with lyrics about the addicting nature of being with someone who’s bad for you, “I’ll fall in love with the next one / It’ll be so good with a good one.” However, another meaning could be related to the band knowing they’re not popular anymore, “Call you, but your telephone busy / I been thinking do you miss me? / Does my memory make you wanna kiss me?” The repeated phrase of “I’ll never change” becomes a mantra of denial, whether romantic or artistic.
On “Boyband,” with its alternative rock sound, a message on the impact of stardom is presented. 5 Seconds of Summer directly addresses the label they’ve tried to escape since touring with One Direction in 2013. Rather than rejecting the title, they fully lean into it, chanting, “It’s your favorite boyband,” while also revealing the toll of being eternally marketed as youthful and shiny. They know they’re only “the flavour of the week” for now, yet the allure remains irresistible.
The façade of their career begins to settle in during “No. 1 Obsession.” The track finds the band convincing themselves they still want fame, pleading for attention with, “I’m dying for a little bit of your affection / I’d do anything / To be the only one that you think of … Tell me I’m your type … Make me your number one obsession.”
“I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” slows the pace, trading the previous tracks’ cheeky irony for vulnerability in romantic lyrics. Its soft rock production lets the emotional vocals take the lead: “Every bed is cold without your body in it / Everywhere I go, my skin is crawling / What if I can’t close my eyes without you in my head?”
In “istillfeelthesame,” a synth rhythm and an 80s-inspired atmosphere are created. While discussing a one-sided relationship, the song feels as though listeners are reading a diary entry about slipping away from someone you still care for, “Your heart’s beating different / Show me nothing’s changed / Kiss me like you mean it / I felt you slip away.”
“Ghost” softens into a slow, drum-heavy ballad about shared self-destruction: “I picked you up off the street / Some lady screamed, ‘Jesus can save him’ / Late at night, we’re the same, it shows / You and I, haunted by a similar ghost.” A sudden beat drop and instrumental break propel the track into one of the album’s more cinematic moments.
Despite its upbeat melody, “Sick of Myself” delivers some of the album’s heaviest emotional punches. Its indie-rock style contrasts with lyrics of self-loathing and dependency: “I’m so goddamn sick of myself / Wish I could walk a mile out of my shoes.” After the bridge, the lyrics further describe a dependency on someone, “I can’t look myself in the eyes / I need you, I need you tonight.” The outro’s quiet, repeated phrase “Please, stay,” can be heard with only the bass line for just a moment before the melody kicks right back in, emphasizing the daunting feeling of the track.
“Evolve” channels early-2000s club music with spoken vocals and lyrics that capture the tension between public expectation and personal desire: “But I wanna’ have fun … When you gonna’ grow up?” In the pre-chorus, the band is aware that the person they love is maturing while they’re behaving erratically with the lyrics, “So you’re movin’ on / But I’m beggin’ you to / Wait for me.” It’s a commentary on recognizing your faults while begging that person to not to move on without you.
Returning briefly to their punk-rock roots, “The Rocks” explores feeling stuck and overwhelmed. There’s a sense of urgency throughout the song as lyrics state, “You said that life’s one hell of a ride / So why, why, why, why’s it passing me by?” While the track feels like a shout for help, a message of the band creating music to express their emotions, which, in return, makes their audience feel connected, “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.”
The album closes with “Jawbreaker,” an electropop track with dreamy vocals and a looping beat. Altogether, the song ends the album on a coming-of-age, cinematic note: “This is evеrythin’ I didn’t know I wanted.”
In the “fully-evolved” version of Everyone’s a Star!, four additional tracks are included — “Start Over,” “Wishful Dreaming,” “Chest,” or “I’ll Find You.” Across sixteen songs, the album offers something for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
5 Seconds of Summer will begin their 2026 North American tour on May 29 in Uncasville and, as of now, have no scheduled stops in Illinois. Tickets are available on www.ticketmaster.com.