Bite the apple, baby! On September 24, Australian band Five Seconds of Summer (5SOS) released their new single, “NOT OK,” as part of the rollout for their new album, “EVERYONE’S A STAR!” 

In the weeks before its release, neon posters lined the streets of Los Angeles reading “Your favorite boyband is coming back.” This seemed odd to many fans of the band, as they had long been adamant about being a “band,” who play their own instruments and write the majority of their own music, as opposed to a true “boyband” like One Direction. On October 9, a corresponding music video came out for “NOT OK,” which furthered this new direction the band adopted. 

I didn’t start listening to 5SOS until 2020 during the pandemic, but their entire discography from 2011 to today still holds a special place in my heart. The 5SOS concert I went to at the Mann Center outside of Philidelphia is the only concert I have attended. The band always went in a pop-punk direction with their music, seen with their 2014 single “She Looks So Perfect” and 2015’s “She’s Kinda Hot.” 

Later on, they became more pop focused, like in 2018 with their album “Youngblood” and in 2020 with “Old Me.” The band has always been good at reinventing themselves, and their vocal, lyrical, and musical abilities have aided in this fluidity between genres.

Though it is a large departure from their earlier work, I really enjoy the sound of “NOT OK,” as well as the snippets from other songs on the new album. It retains the same catchiness in its chorus that is found in songs like “She Looks So Perfect,” and while it isn’t as powerful as some of their other ballads, it certainly is fun. The backing vocals and instrumentals are also incredible, and help the song lend itself well to being performed live. 

All in all, I appreciate 5SOS’ ability to rebrand and be willing to be unconventional and their commitment to the bit, as it pays off in the end, as seen with “NOT OK.”