5SOS setup tease

INTENSE HEAT IN THE FORECAST: We’re just hours from 5 Seconds of Summer—specifically, the release of the Aussie power-pop heartthrobs’ self-titled full-length debut. At 9pm PDT, the forward-thinking fans will begin turning their pre-orders into digital albums, while tens of thousands more will start snapping up hard-copy souvenirs at their neighborhood retailers. How did the excitement reach such a fever pitch? The answers can be found in our setup story, wherein we detail Capitol’s multifaceted marketing plan, whose precisely calibrated elements were put in place to maximize 5SOS’ undeniable appeal. Then, at some point tomorrow, we’ll hazard a guess as to whether the album will hit or surpass 200k in its first week, and if so, by how much. Watching hit records develop is so much fun. (7/21a)