Friends! I am so excited to start a new weekly segment: Music Feature Friday. For my senior project at UNW, I have started posting more What’s Trending content. You can read more about what that is on my About page. This will be an addition to it.

Every Friday I will be highlight new and old music. I’ll share some of my favorite bands and artists. I’ll also be sharing music that I love that is underappreciated by the world and popular culture. Those who know me know how much I love music, especially when its live — this will also be a way for me to highlight different shows, tours and what I’m listening to.

My musical taste thrives in all sorts of genres. I’m excited to share.

TO START

5 Seconds of Summer.

Who?

Exactly. It’s been a long time. I haven’t highlighted them on my blog since 2016. TWO YEARS AGO.

5SOS is my teen years in the form of music. They were my summer night anthems. My driving at night, windows down, music up, kind of soundtrack. At 16, they were my everything.

Their first two albums were pop punk/punk rock. The music jammed hard, and was so fun to workout to.

I was convinced I was going to date Luke Hemmings or Ashton Irwin. Still am.

But in all seriousness, I was attached to their fandom. Mostly because my cousins and I bonded over them. Their music and personalities connected us, and it gave us something to follow together–just as some might follow a TV series, video games or books together.

5SOS was ours, and we shared it so unapologetically.

During my first year of college, I was known as the concert girl. In Minnesota, I was also known as the 5SOS girl because of my fan account on Twitter in support of them and their upcoming shows. I love the way social media connects people and Twitter gave me the platform to share my love for their music and promote them. I met some really awesome people while running the account and it made attending their concerts even more exciting.

In 2015-2016 my cousins and I saw 5SOS numerous times on tour. One time we went to a show in Minneapolis then decided to drive through the night to see them the following day in Chicago. It was nuts. It was spontaneous. I lived for those moments. I’m still surprised our moms were cool with it :)

5SOS had a strong career for a few years. They played sold out shows, toured the world and released music that went to the number one spot on many music charts. I loved their passion for their art and sound. They had a fire and a drive that was admirable.

The band started to remove themselves from the music scene after touring their sophomore album Sounds Good Feels Good which came out in 2015. I wasn’t surprised. It had been a couple crazy busy, non-stop action years for them–they went from touring with One Direction to immediately playing their own gigs, festivals and award shows. It was one hell of a rollercoaster to witness.

Then, for three years, 5SOS didn’t release any music. No new singles, no media appearances… nothing. They would occasionally post to social media, but as far as we knew, they were either hard at work preparing for new songs or they were on a beach somewhere back in Australia. Probably both.

BUT, February 22, 2018, the hiatus came to an end. 

 

Bless.

5 Seconds of Summer released their new song “Want You Back” and it’s really good. It’s different from previous 5SOS music. It has a fresh sound that is mature and one I hope sets the pace for the new album.

I had to film a reaction video the first time I listened to it:

The video says everything. I’m excited about this new chapter. I can’t wait to hear how their sound develops and to see if they chase more pop-infused melodies and themes in their songs.

The band also just announced a few upcoming shows and they will be playing Varsity Theatre on April 15 in Minneapolis. It will be an intimate setting with a small number of fans that I cannot wait for. The only times I have seen them have been with thousands in arenas… I’m ready for this new chapter and sound.

It’ll be hype, and it’ll be special.

5SOS, you heard us when we said we “WANT YOU BACK,” thanks for listening.

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