5SOS Is A Rock Band, Dangit!

Thursday morning, BBC Radio 1 show "Live Lounge" welcomed a very special guest to the studio: 5 Seconds Of Summer! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH [faints]. Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Michael Clifford, and Luke Hemmings, aka the cuties that make up 5SOS, played a pared-down version of Blink-182's “I Miss You" during their "Live Lounge" visit. (Side note: "I Miss You" is over a decade old. I'll wait while you allow that to digest.) And yes, fellow late '90s/early '00s pop-punk fans, there is video evidence.

If you've planted your feet firmly in the “5SOS is a boy band, not a band band” camp, I implore you to watch their BBC Radio 1 performance. It's very band band.

Now, there isn't anything wrong with boy bands (hi, major boy band fan right here), but 5SOS is not one. They are a pop/punk/rock band. A band band. (To those of you who say their image is contrived and they're nothing more than a boy band pretending to be a pop/punk/rock band: A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES.)

(OK, that was dramatic. I don't wish a plague on both your houses.)

The combo of the following nine elements prove—yes, PROVE—their band bandy-ness:

The rock ’n’ roll song choice

It's pop-punk. It's NOT boy band.

The rock ’n’ roll instruments

Let's see here.... We have two acoustic guitars, a bass guitar, and a block that's used as a drum. So rock, so band.

The rock ’n’ roll makeshift percussion

This is a resourceful rocker move for a rocker who does not have a drum handy.

The rock 'n' roll BulletBoys t-shirt

Representing the '80s hair metal scene.

The rock ’n’ roll Metallica t-shirt

Representing the heavy metal scene.

The rock ’n’ roll Rolling Stones t-shirt

Representing the classic rock scene.

The rock ’n’ roll chunky highlights

So rock, so chill.

The rock ’n’ roll pinkish-red hair

Serving the judges Green Day/Sum 41 realness.

The rock 'n' roll pirate t-shirt

Here's my foolproof logic: Captain Jack Sparrow's dad is Pirate Keith Richards. Keith Richards is in the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones are one of the most rock 'n' roll bands to ever rock 'n' roll. Therefore, pirates are definitely rock 'n' roll.

Just giiive innnnnn:

Images: BBC Radio 1/YouTube (8)