Michael Clifford Scores Solo ARIA Top 10 Debut With ‘Sidequest’

Michael Clifford has officially joined his 5 Seconds of Summer bandmates in the ARIA Albums Chart history books.

The Aussie guitarist’s debut solo album Sidequest lands at No. 10 on the ARIA Albums Chart dated Aug. 1, marking his first chart entry as a solo artist. Clifford is the second 5SOS member to score a top 10 solo debut this year, following Calum Hood’s Order Chaos Order, which hit No. 1 in June.

Clifford’s milestone comes after more than a decade with 5SOS, the chart-conquering Australian band whose five studio albums — 5 Seconds of Summer (2014), Sounds Good Feels Good (2015), Youngblood (2018), Calm (2020), and 5SOS5 (2022) — all peaked at No. 1 in Australia. The band has also collected six ARIA Awards and countless global accolades.

Sidequest, which Clifford described as a “love letter to video games, fantasy, and finding your own path,” marks a stylistic shift from his 5SOS output. The album includes the previously released singles “Potion,” “Haunted Player,” and “Healing Light,” and was met with praise from fans who’ve followed Clifford’s creative evolution both within the band and beyond.

The album’s release week was bolstered by Clifford’s press run across Australian radio and Twitch gaming channels, where he discussed the album’s nostalgic influences and independent production. Clifford recorded most of Sidequest in his home studio in Los Angeles, collaborating with producers including Zakk Cervini (Bring Me the Horizon, Poppy) and Pete Wentz on select tracks.

Elsewhere on the ARIA Albums Chart, Tim Minchin’s Time Machine debuted at No. 4, his second solo project to chart after 2020’s Apart Together (No. 3). Fellow Aussie act Folk B***h Trio landed at No. 19 with their debut Now Would Be a Good Time, while The Dreggs entered at No. 63 with The Art Of Uncommon Practice.

Over on the Singles Chart, “Golden,” the lead track from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, climbs from No. 2 to No. 1 this week, becoming the fourth K-pop song to top the Australian charts. Three other songs from the album are also in the top 10: “Your Idol” (No. 4), “Soda Pop” (No. 5), and “How It’s Done” (No. 7).

Meanwhile, the recent triple j Hottest 100 countdown of all-time Australian songs sent several classics back into the charts — including Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (No. 22), INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart” (No. 28), and Hilltop Hoods’ “The Nosebleed Section,” which scored a new chart peak at No. 31.