5 Seconds of Summer

In a few short years, 5 Seconds of Summer evolved from a charming pop-punk band to one of the more formidable forces in rock and pop. Formed in Sydney, Australia, by college friends Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin, 5SOS first got a foothold in 2011 with a series of acoustic covers posted to YouTube—a path that helped them build their ravenous fan base from the ground up. After a profile-boosting tour with One Direction in 2013, they released their self-titled debut album, which combined the punchy, hook-heavy sound of bands like blink-182 and My Chemical Romance with a strong pop gloss, topping charts in 14 countries almost instantly. In 2015, they followed with Sounds Good Feels Good, and then they made a big stylistic leap for 2018’s anthemic, dance-oriented Youngblood. On one hand, 5SOS are part of a lineage that dates back to (and before) The Beatles: four charismatic, fresh-faced guys out having fun. But flipping a narrative that could easily turn saccharine and bubblegum, 5SOS's youthful, playful appeal is decidedly edgier. They also represent a different shift in pop-punk's audience, from the dude-heavy ’90s to a more inclusive, female-friendly 2010s—one the band has embraced with good faith and open hearts. Reflecting on their bond with one another, frontman Hemmings told Apple Music, “To have people in the same position as you is very comforting. And to know that however you’re feeling, there’s three other people who have felt the same way. I don’t know how to say it without getting too emotional. This is my whole life; these are my brothers.”