5SOS Solo Projects Shine on Top Australian Albums List Ahead of New Release

Recently, we shared our ranking of the top Australian albums from the 2020s so far. This list highlights the richness of contemporary Australian music and acknowledges how local artists have navigated challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and economic strains while working in a tough artistic environment.

The popular band 5 Seconds of Summer made a notable appearance at No. 22 on the list. Meanwhile, solo albums from band members Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin ranked at No. 51, No. 50, and No. 49, respectively.

The absence of Michael Clifford’s solo album, SIDEQUEST, stirred up discussions among fans. After years of focusing on production, the 29-year-old songwriter faced a dilemma: keep his songs hidden or release them to the world. In July 2025, he took the plunge, aiming to create something distinct that would surprise fans.

Unfortunately, SIDEQUEST was released just three weeks beyond the cut-off for our countdown, rendering it ineligible. Nonetheless, it embodies the boldness evident in the other albums on our list.

“I think that was also part of the reason why it took me so long to create this. I take a ton of inspiration from electronic music and guys who work incredibly digitally and I think it’s important to take notes from these kids who are making songs in BandLab on their phone, you know? Like, really keeping in mind that the world is moving forward quicker than I think pop-punk was able to keep up with,” he explained.

“When I write a song, it’s always going to come from that place. I’m an alternative emo kid at heart. That’s just where I write from. But how can I take that and have it not be something that’s been recycled and done before?”

Highlighted Albums from 5SOS Members

Here are details about the other albums from 5 Seconds of Summer members that made it to our countdown of the best Australian albums of the 2020s, spanning from January 1, 2020, to July 1, 2025.

No. 51: Luke Hemmings, When Facing the Things We Turn Away From (2021)

The debut album of Luke Hemmings, the frontman of 5 Seconds of Summer, began during the lockdown period, influenced by artists like Neil Young, The War on Drugs, and Pink Floyd.

“All the lyrics on the album are just trying to understand everything and trying to find my truth and the way I want to live my life from here on in, because I had such a unique time to look back and reflect on what happened.” — Neil Griffiths

No. 50: Calum Hood, ORDER chaos ORDER (2025)

Calum Hood aimed for his debut solo album, ORDER chaos ORDER, to diverge from the sound of 5 Seconds of Summer, collaborating with Jackson Phillips from the indie rock project Day Wave for this endeavor.

No. 49: Ashton Irwin, Superbloom (2020)

Ashton Irwin, the band’s drummer, was the first member to release a solo album. His 2020 project, Superbloom, defied typical 5SOS expectations with a highly personal alt-rock sound that he co-wrote and produced himself.

— Neil Griffiths

No. 22: 5SOS, 5SOS5 (2022)

By the September 2022 release of their fifth album, 5SOS5, 5 Seconds of Summer had established a strong presence on the charts. This record marked their first release with BMG, topping both the ARIA Albums Chart and the UK charts, as well as reaching No. 2 in the US.

It was also noteworthy for being the first album where the band largely wrote and produced all tracks themselves.