Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings & Michael Clifford of 5SOS have joined APRA AMCOS’s 1,000,000,000 list for Youngblood
Youngblood spent 8 consecutive weeks at #1 on the ARIA singles chart, and reached #7 on the Billboard Top 100
5 Seconds of Summer has officially joined APRA AMCOS’ The 1,000,000,000 List with their worldwide hit single ‘Youngblood.’ Earlier today at the organisation’s headquarters, Chief Executive Dean Ormston honoured Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford for the achievement, which is given to songwriters in recognition of more than one billion streams for a song.
‘Youngblood’ was released in April 2018 ahead of the band’s album of the same name. The song raced up the charts, spending eight consecutive weeks at #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart and four weeks atop the NZ Singles Chart.
‘Youngblood’ reached the top 10 in eleven countries including #3 in Canada, #4 in the UK and #7 on the Billboard Top 100, becoming the band’s first top 10 and highest charting single in the US. The song was integral to 5 Seconds of Summer becoming the first and only Australian act to earn three number one albums on the Billboard charts.
The band collaborated on the songwriting of ‘Youngblood’ with top internationals Ali Tamposi, Louis Bell and Andrew Watt, bringing a rock sound back to the pop-dominated airwaves. ‘Youngblood’ became the band’s first Australian airplay #1 on TMN Hot 100, spent five weeks at #1 on the US Mainstream Top 40 Radio Chart and topped Canada’s Top 40 Airplay chart.
‘Youngblood’ capped off 2018 with #1 on the End of Year ARIA Singles Chart and came in at #37 on the ARIA End of Decade chart 2010-2019. It is now 10x Platinum in Australia and double platinum in the US.
At the 2018 ARIA Awards ‘Youngblood’ was named Song of the Year. And at last year’s APRA Music Awards the band collected an Outstanding International Achievement award.
“We've always taken risks and not really understood the seriousness that surrounds songs, they just explain our lives from our perspective, and we keep it close to our hearts and we keep hustling," Ashton said in a speech to APRA AMCOS staff, band management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia and guests from the band’s label EMI.
"We really respect this award and everyone who works on these songs and getting them heard."
“The billions list is a way to globally acknowledge songwriters who achieve this streaming milestone. This award is a way to shout to the world just how fantastic Australian songwriters are,” said Dean.
"'Youngblood' has been a massive song, and it's going to be the first of many more to come, and we're proud to represent and work with 5SOS,” said Damian Trotter, Managing Director of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia.
The band's catalogue has now reached 10 billion streams globally, just ahead of their upcoming album Calm and an extensive world tour.
5SOS joins an esteemed list of recipients: Nat Dunn (for MARSHMELLO’S ‘Friends’), Dean Lewis and Jon Hume (for ‘Be Alright’), Flume (for ‘Never Be Like You’), Jake Mason, Ivan Khatchoyan, and Lance Ferguson (for Cookin’ On 3 Burners ‘This Girl’), Starley and P-Money (for ‘Call On Me’), Troye Sivan and Alex Hope (for ‘Youth’), and Tones And I (for ‘Dance Monkey’) with more songwriters to be added.The 1,000,000,000 List takes into account streaming numbers from major services Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. It is the first award of its kind to recognise a songwriter’s achievement.
5 Seconds of Summer - Youngblood