Youngblood (Japanese Edition)

Michael:

We were sitting on the plane, flight’s ramped, not even a seat open, it’s really busy. This is a week after Youngblood had come out and, as we’re waiting to find out where we ended up charting for the week on the Billboard Charts, we’re sitting there and the flight just keeps getting delayed, but we’re not too upset ‘cause it means we have service and we can keep waiting for the information. We were up that whole week against the, of course, the first time that Beyoncé and JAY-Z had done anything together in years, and they actually started an actual project together, called THE CARTERS, which was incredible, it was so insanely good. So, we released our album and we’re like, “Oh, ok, we’re fucked, better luck next time”, and then, as we keep going down the week, we’re like, “Holy shit, we might actually be able to do this”, and then come that moment, sitting on the tarmac, waiting to take off, our manager walks over to us and says, “Guys, congratulations, you got a number one album”, and I remember it was very emotional.

Ashton:

We d-boarded the plane and I went to McDonald’s, got a 20-pack of nugs, and I said, “Number one? Let’s get crazy.” 2018 was really telling about how our career was going in Australia and we’d really wanted our home country to accept and love us, and it really turned the page, it felt like, and it was beautiful for us.

Luke:

Definitely. Maybe it wasn’t the case, but I feel like, for our whole career, because we started so young, we felt out of place in Australia, like the public didn’t really understand us, didn’t like us or were indifferent to us, and Youngblood really made it all make sense for them, it felt like. 3 years later and it’s still in the charts, it’s number 12 today.

Calum:

I think 2018 was the year that I started to become friends with you guys, started to really get to know you.

— The band via the “5 Seconds of Summer Talk 10 Years – 2018” podcast.

Luke Hemmings:

I always thought it was really cool how Fall Out Boy came back with Save Rock and Roll — a very bold album title. I always thought that was really cool how a band can come back after a certain amount of time and reinvent themselves better than ever.

Calum Hood:

The third album has a lot of new wave. I love the energy. [Some influential artists were] Depeche Mode, the Nine Inch Nails, especially the live themes and live shows that they play, as well.

— Via Apple Music.

Youngblood peaked at #37 in Japan.