5 Seconds of Summer

***5* Seconds of Summer (also known as 5SOS)** is an Australian pop rock band formed in Sydney in December 2011. The band consists of Luke Hemmings (vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Clifford (vocals, lead guitar), Calum Hood (vocals, bass guitar), and Ashton Irwin (vocals, drums).

## **Background**

5 Seconds of Summer began in December 2011 when Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford and Calum Hood started posting videos of themselves performing covers of popular songs together on YouTube. Their cover of Chris Brown and Justin Bieber's "Next To You" received over 600,000 views. In December 2011, drummer Ashton Irwin joined and the current 5 Seconds of Summer line up came to be. Currently, they have amassed over 243 million views in their original YouTube account, and a large following on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The band attracted some keen interest from major music labels and publishers, and have signed a publishing deal with Sony ATV Music Publishing. Despite having no promotion apart from Facebook and Twitter, their first music release, an EP entitled "Unplugged", reached #3 on the iTunes chart in Australia, and the Top 20 in both New Zealand and Sweden. The band then released Somewhere New EP on the second half of 2012.

   Their international following increased significantly once again when One Direction member Louis Tomlinson posted the link of their YouTube video of their song "Gotta Get Out", stating that he's been a fan of 5 Seconds of Summer for a while. The band was once again the subject of interest for One Direction following the release of their first single, "Out Of My Limit" on November 2012, this time with Niall Horan, also a member of One Direction, tweeting the link of the video clip.

    The following year, the band received a further boost after being asked to be the opening act for One Direction's Take Me Home Tour. The tour kicked off at the O2 Arena in London on February 23, 2013, allowing 5 Seconds of Summer to join One Direction for shows in the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand, including seven shows at Allphones Arena in the band's home town of Sydney.

Shortly, the band signed with Capitol Records. In 2014, a third EP was released, She Looks So Perfect, and their debut self-titled album, 5 Seconds of Summer, followed soon afterward. The said album promptly hit number one in the charts of 14 countries around the globe. The band also released three other EPs.

    In late 2014, the band wrapped up their own world tour and released the live concert album LiveSOS, which featured 15 songs including a cover of the Romantics' 1980 hit "What I Like About You". After embarking their first headlining tour "Rock Out With Your Socks Out Tour", the band traveled to Los Angeles to work with producer John Feldmann who previously helmest most of the group's debut album. On July 17, 2015, 5SOS released She's Kinda Hot EP, featuring a song from their upcoming second studio album. After a month, the band announced that their second studio album is called Sounds Good, Feels Good and was released worldwide on October 23, 2015.

### 2015: Touring and *Sounds Good Feels Good*

In May 2015, the band embarked their first headlining tour "Rock Out With Your Socks Out Tour" of Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America.[ On 17 July 2015, 5 Seconds of Summer released the first single "She's Kinda Hot" from their upcoming second studio album.

On 12 August 2015, the band announced that their second studio album is called *Sounds Good Feels Good*. It was released worldwide on 23 October 2015. On 28 August 2015, the band released their seventh EP *She's Kinda Hot* in UK and Ireland only. On 9 October 2015 the band released *Hey Everybody!* as the second single from the album.

On 9 October 2015 the band announced their *Sounds Live Feels Live World Tour*, to be held in 2016 with dates in Asia, the UK, Ireland, and North America announced so far.

The band released a music video for Jet Black Heart on 17 December 2015 featuring fans.

On 3 June 2016, the band announced their next single Girls Talk Boys. This song is included on the Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). It was released on 15 July 2016.

## **Discography**

**Unplugged EP****Somewhere New EP****She Looks So Perfect EP****Don't Stop EP**5 Seconds Of Summer (Album)**Amnesia EP****Good Girls EP**LiveSOS**She's Kinda Hot EP**Sounds Good, Feels Good