5 Seconds of Summer are back with their third studio album, Youngblood, and it’s completely different than anything they’ve ever released. Formerly identifying as a pop-punk band, 5sos ditches their angsty edge on their new record and embrace their new, full-pop sound. In doing so, they lose their iconic vibe, which is what really made 5 Seconds of Summer stand out against bands like One Direction.
Of course, one has to think that maybe that’s what they want, but in ditching their pop-punk background, they’re going to have stiff competition in the realm of pop music, especially following their long hiatus from the spotlight.
The majority of songs off Youngblood focus on heartbreak, which makes sense, given how young each member of 5SOS is. “Lie to Me” and “Why Won’t You Love Me” are perfect examples of them trying to appeal to a younger generation, who always seem to be going through some kind of heartbreak. But, deeper within the lyrics, the band gives a message of the tiresome life of fame.
Watching the boys throughout the years, it’s been easy to guess that they’re getting tired of being in the spotlight, as they took a couple years off of touring after only releasing two albums. In the 9th track off the album, “More,” the band sings, “there’s me and you all living in the same place / Why do we feel alone? Feel alone? / A house that’s full of everything we wanted / But it’s an empty home, empty home,” and as the song progresses, the chorus repeats “And all the things that we dream about / They don’t mean what they did before / I just wanna get back to us / ‘Cause we used to have more.”
It’s no doubt that 5 Seconds of Summer gained fame incredibly fast. But, maybe they’re too young to handle all that comes with said fame. This album sounds like they’re appealing to what the audience wants rather than their roots.
Do what you want with this album. Some will think it’s great, and others will consider it just another boyband-pop album. The choice is yours. There are 16 songs total, all relatively short, so listen to Youngblood and form your own opinion!
