What Really Are 5 Seconds of Summer’s Most Streamed Songs? (And Does It Even Matter?) [5SOS]

What are 5SOS’s top 10 Spotify streaming hits?

5 Seconds of Summer, better known as 5SOS, has skyrocketed in popularity after the success of their 2018 single “Youngblood,” which toppled the charts by hitting number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. They released subsequent hits, like their collaboration with The Chainsmokers “Who Do You Love” and the Charlie Puth co-written tune “Easier.” 5SOS recently unleashed their latest single “Teeth,” which is predicted to have another huge commercial impact. These days, it seems as though most artists’ success comes from not radio or hard-copy sales but rather online streaming through apps and services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more.

Focusing on Spotify in particular, the band has racked up some colossal digits on their discography, with their album Youngblood reaching over 1.2 billion streams and their self-titled debut following close behind. But today, I specifically want to look at which songs have reeled in the most streams in every aspect. We’re going to go over all the notable numbers, so stick around!

Concerning their studio albums, as of September 10th, 2019, their most recent record Youngblood has garnered a massive total of 1,249,837,149 streams. Their 2015 sophomore effort Sounds Good, Feels Good boasts 500,893,905 streams. And 5 Seconds of Summer, the band’s debut LP, has gained 930,321,685 streams (not including the acoustic version of “Don’t Stop,” which is on the album on Spotify). It’s no doubt Youngblood has been their most streamed record to date, and it’s quite impressive considering the album has only been out for a little over a year compared to the five years since their debut.

But what about individual songs? Well, it’s a more complicated answer than you might initially think. Based on individual tracks alone, the list looks like this:

  1. “Youngblood” – 758,919,690 streams
  2. “Who Do You Love (w/ The Chainsmokers)” – 232,217,438 streams
  3. “Amnesia” – 221,976,764 streams
  4. “She Looks So Perfect” – 221,406,279 streams
  5. “Want You Back” – 124,711,908 streams
  6. “Easier” – 123,346,506 streams
  7. “Lie to Me (ft. Julia Michaels)” – 100,023,683 streams
  8. “She’s Kinda Hot” – 99,496,435 streams
  9. “Don’t Stop” – 75,225,890 streams
  10. “Good Girls” – 66,834,901 streams

HOWEVER. (Period.) If we were to look at ALL versions of each song, including original studio versions, live versions, acoustic versions, remixes, features, vocal demos, and alternative versions, the list goes a little differently…

  1. “Youngblood” – 777,229,317 streams
  2. “Who Do You Love (w/ The Chainsmokers)” – 241,240,317 streams
  3. “She Looks So Perfect” – 235,260,671 streams
  4. “Amnesia” – 233,523,195 streams
  5. “Lie to Me” – 157,840,475 streams
  6. “Easier” – 137,726,159 streams
  7. “Want You Back” – 132,931,172 streams
  8. “She’s Kinda Hot” – 102,183,500 streams
  9. “Don’t Stop” – 98,311,964 streams
  10. “Good Girls” – 86,641,499 streams

Why is this? Well, for starters, 5SOS has released two live albums, so the streams from the live versions comes into play. Then the band released many EPs during the era of their first two albums, and these EPs would typically include acoustic versions, vocal demos, other live versions, and alternate versions. (Like the alternative version of “She’s Kinda Hot,” the demos of “She Looks So Perfect,” or the single version of “Good Girls,” for instance.)

In later years, the band rolled out more dance-oriented remixes for their newer singles, like “Want You Back,” “Youngblood,” and “Easier.” In 2018, 5SOS did something out of the ordinary for their career by releasing a version of “Lie to Me” featuring another artist, who happened to be one of pop’s biggest female stars Julia Michaels. 5SOS has been featured on other artists’ songs before (“Take What You Want” by One Ok Rock), but they never featured someone else on one of their own tunes. This, as well as the studio acoustic version and the Spotify-exclusive acoustic version, boosted “Lie to Me” greatly.

One discrepancy I will point out is that the Don’t Stop EP is not available on Spotify, so “Don’t Stop” did not earn bonus points for the Calum Hood vocal demo. (And that means there were no streaming numbers apparent for “Try Hard,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” “Rejects,” or “If You Don’t Know.”)

In my opinion, the definitive list for 5SOS’s most streamed songs is the latter, the one that includes all versions. This gives you a more holistic picture of 5SOS’s top hits. I personally prefer the acoustic version of “Don’t Stop” over the original, so why shouldn’t those streams matter when evaluating the song’s overall popularity? Or the millions of listeners who boosted “Lie to Me” through the acoustic version and the Julia Michaels edition? Not to mention the four different iterations of “Easier” or “Youngblood,” or the six different iterations of “She Looks So Perfect,” better yet! Official charts count remixes and such, yet many mainstream listeners unfortunately may only look to Spotify streaming performance to gauge a song’s acclaim.

But do numbers really even matter? Popularity does not always equate to artistic achievement. Some of 5SOS’s best songs (in my opinion) are some of their most underrated, like Target-exclusive bonus tracks or tunes that were only released on certain EPs, most of which are not even on Spotify. (By the way, click here to see our list of 5SOS’s most underrated songs!) What truly matters at the end of the day is the artist’s expression and creative endeavors, not the amount of plays or the highest peak on the charts.

So there you have it, the top 10 most streamed songs on Spotify by 5 Seconds of Summer. 5SOS is my absolute favorite band and I am beyond proud of all the accomplishments they’ve scored over the years. It’s been amazing seeing them grow from a small cover band on YouTube to the enormous worldwide household name they are now. Give their new single “Teeth” a listen here:

Be sure to let us know down in the comments below what you think of this list and what your personal favorite 5SOS songs are!

Also, in case you were wondering, if my math is correct, I believe their next top overall songs are “Jet Black Heart” (63,933,387 streams), “Valentine” (61,122,921 streams), “Beside You” (49,758,398 streams), “Heartbreak Girl” (47,759,078 streams), and “Ghost of You” (41,722,245 streams).

10 Most Underrated Imagine Dragons Songs

Imagine Dragons burst onto the mainstream scene in 2012 with their smash hit “Radioactive” and other big singles like “It’s Time,” “Demons,” and “On Top of the World.” Since then, the alt-pop band has consistently been releasing records and scoring more chart-toppers, garnering billions of streams and sales with tunes such as “Believer,” “Natural,” and “Whatever It Takes.” Underneath all these platinum-earning successes, Imagine Dragons has a plethora of pieces in their discography that unfortunately go overlooked. Today we’ll be covering our top 10 most underrated songs by Imagine Dragons, including 10 honorable mentions, spanning the entirety of their career. (If you know me, you know that I haven’t been the biggest fan of the band in recent years, but I certainly enjoyed their debut album and earlier material, so this list might be a bit biased, haha.)

Stick around for honorable mentions at the end!

10. “Tokyo” from It’s Time – EP  (2011)

Before Imagine Dragons signed to a record label, they self-released a few EPs with some songs that never quite made it on their debut album. “Tokyo” happened to fall into this category, and thus it went largely unrecognized by the band’s wider audience. But though it was never placed on an LP, “Tokyo” is still a fun little tune; it’s got a catchy chorus, a fun, danceable beat, and eclectic guitar refrains. “Tokyo” is bound to get stuck in your head, and it’s certainly an underrated track in the band’s catalog.

9. “Destination” from iTunes Session  (2013)

“Destination” is a tune that was released independently by the band, but was only officially released on their iTunes Session EP—no studio recording, just a live acoustic performance. The studio version of this song is fantastic and many fans hoped it would be included on the band’s debut record, but it never was. The fans were blessed with the acoustic version, however, which is just as good as the studio version in my opinion. The down-to-earth, stripped-back attitude really facilitates the sincere lyricism, and the lovely, raw vocal harmonies give the track a campfire sort of vibe. Since it was only officially released on this EP, “Destination” did not receive enough attention in my book.

8. “I Don’t Know Why” from Evolve  (2017)

I’m just going to come out and say it: I genuinely believe “I Don’t Know Why” heavily influenced 5 Seconds of Summer in the making of their hit single “Youngblood.” The hazy ambience, plucky guitar melodies, pounding bass lines, bombastic percussion, and sweeping synthesizers—it’s hard to not agree that the two songs are at least very similar in structure and instrumentation. Unfortunately, “I Don’t Know Why” didn’t climb the charts like “Youngblood” did, and I really don’t know why because it’s probably the best tune on Evolve. Before you take to the comments with your torches and pitchforks, keep in mind that 5SOS is my favorite band and I don’t blame them for taking inspiration from this song.

7. “Only” from Origins  (2018)

Origins was released practically out of nowhere, just a little over a year after Evolve. The band pushed the record by labeling it a “sister album” to Evolve, which makes sense considering their musical similarities, and I can tell that Imagine Dragons probably wanted to milk their 15 minutes of success a little longer. While Origins was indeed a step up from Evolve, it was still relatively underwhelming, but “Only” was definitely a track that stood out to me. The tinny synths are a bit annoying without the proper headphones/speakers, but the vocal melody of the chorus is catchy and memorable, and the interesting percussion timbres give the song some oomph.

6. “Amsterdam” from Night Visions  (2012)

Look, I know what you’re thinking. “This song isn’t underrated because it was released as a promotional single for Night Visions!!” Okay, yeah, but here’s my reasoning for including it on this list. “Amsterdam” was initially released on the It’s Time EP in 2011 and luckily made the cut for the band’s debut. It’s introspective and emotional, filled with apologies and impassioned vocal delivery, as well as some dreamy guitars, backing vocals, and a boisterous “breakdown” of sorts in the bridge. Personally, I think “Amsterdam” should’ve been a bigger hit; it’s quite possibly my favorite tune on Night Visions and has definitely held up over the years. It eclipses the band’s more grandiose anthems like “Radioactive” or “On Top of the World” in terms of lyrical and musical quality, but since it wasn’t as easily marketable for radio and commercials, it didn’t receive its due spotlight.

5. “I Was Me”  (2015)

“I Was Me” was unleashed as a one-off single for the One4 project with all proceeds going to the UN Refugee Agency to support fleeing refugees. The sparse instrumentation coupled with Dan Reynolds’ exposed vocals and emotive lyrics gives this tune a tinge of rawness and sincerity, detailing the struggles of losing your sense of self. However, despite its admirable cause and reflective songwriting, this tender tune is one of the more overlooked singles in the band’s discography.

4. “The River” from It’s Time – EP  (2011)

“The River” was first released on the It’s Time EP in 2011 and then re-released on The Archive EP in 2013… and then re-released again as a bonus track on a reissue of Night Visions. Yet after all these releases, “The River” still hasn’t gained its due recognition. The glistening guitars, misty cymbals, and whimsical vocals coat this track in a daydreamy feel. The lyrics offer a sense of yearning and escapism, and the layered vocal lines in the final chorus complete the song with a dazed feeling. “The River” is one of my personal favorites from Imagine Dragons, definitely deserving of more popularity.

3. “Leave Me” from It’s Time – EP  (2011)

Despite the rather questionable line “You’ve got to get a gun to make a woman run,” “Leave Me” is a stellar guitar-driven rock tune found on the It’s Time EP. The raucous distortion and granular vocal delivery make for a pulse-racing tune that is pure evidence of Imagine Dragons’ roots in the indie rock genre. It’s a shame this song flew under the radar, I would love to hear more like this from the band.

2. “Selene” from Hell and Silence – EP  (2010)

Like “The River,” “Selene” was released on one of the band’s earlier EPs, then released on The Archive EP, and finally released on a reissue of Night Visions. “Selene” first made its appearance on the Hell and Silence EP, published in 2010, and it now holds its place as a bonus track on Imagine Dragons’ debut, so it did garner some publicity. However, in my opinion, it warrants more. “Selene” is another passionate indie rock track with ardent vocals, fervent lyricism, rugged guitar melodies, and soaring synths; something about it conveys such emotion and feeling, you almost feel as though you’re intertwined within the track. It’s compelling and immersive and yet sorely underrated.

1. “Emma” from Hell and Silence – EP  (2010)

Finally, at our top spot is “Emma” taken from the Hell and Silence EP. Other than the fact that both of their titles are the names of women, “Emma” and “Selene” are fairly similar tunes: indie rock with some electronic flair thrown into the mix and poignant lyrics that are destined to suck you in. “Emma” is a scorching slow burn, and the blistering vocal performances in the bridge are suddenly contrasted when the band lightly glides right back into the dreamy chorus. The sense of longing in the lyrics is bolstered by the prolonged synth melody and enchanted guitars, a delectable composition that will have you hitting replay over and over. The simplicity of the lyrics offers even more contrast when paired with Dan Reynolds’ at times soft, at times intense choral delivery. Unfortunately, “Emma” was only featured on Hell and Silence (giving the EP its title, by the way) and never amassed its due attention. Nevertheless, I’ll keep spinning it and vouching for it until my ears get worn out.

Well, there you have it, the most underrated songs by Imagine Dragons! Tweet at us or let us know in the comments below what songs you think are overlooked!


Honorable Mentions: