5 Seconds of Summer stay ‘CALM’ as new album chases chart glory in U.K., Australia

5 Seconds of Summer are chasing chart glory with their latest album, CALM.

The Sydney lads are close to a lock for the U.K. albums chart crown with CALM blasting to a lead of almost 7,000 chart sales over its nearest rival, Dua Lipa’s Future Nostaglia. It’ll take something special for the British pop star to close the gap before the weekly chart is published this Friday.

5SOS have ruled the U.K. albums chart just once, with 2015’s Sounds Good Feels Good.

In the United States, their record-setting streak is about to come to an end. The pop-punk outfit became the first band (not vocal group) in history to see their first three albums hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and the first Aussie group to land three leaders on the national survey.

Almost certainly, The Weeknd’s After Hours will log a second week atop the Billboard 200, ending that hot run.

Still, CALM should make a “splash,” Billboard reports, boosted by a concert/ticket redemption offer, in addition to more than a dozen merch/album bundles on sale on the group’s webstore.

The album’s U.S. chart trajectory had an unusual kink. Thanks to a clerical error, the set arrived early on the Billboard 200 chart at a lowly No. 62, after posting 11,000 in CD sales tied to redemptions from a ticket bundle.

In Australia, the foursome have a fight on their hands with some Hall of Famers, Pearl Jam.

5 Seconds of Summer are a strong chance at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, sources say, but they face stiff competition from the Seattle rockers’ comeback album Gigaton and Dua Lipa’s latest.

Like the rest of us, 5SOS are facing lockdown for the foreseeable future. And with touring off the cards, they’re using technology to connect with their fans.

Last week, Luke Hemmings give the new album a push when he appeared on the U.S. Tonight Show’s latest “At Home” edition, for an acoustic version of “Old Me.”

Released through Interscope Records/EMI Music Australia, CALM should get a big nudge this November when the group set out on their scheduled No Shame 2020 Tour of Australia, assuming the Coronavirus is then buried like a bad story.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.