"Easier" is a song by Australian

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...

band 5 Seconds of Summer. The song was released on 23 May 2019 through

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...

, as the lead single from their fourth studio album '' Calm'' (2020). It is their first release through the label. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' magazine included the song on their 100 Best Songs of 2019 list at number 79. At the 2019 ARIA Music Awards, the song earned them a nomination for the ARIA Award for Best Group. Besides the original version, the band has also released an alternate version and two remixes of the song; on 5 July 2019, a version called "Easier – Live from the Vault" was released on YouTube with an accompanying music video. It was later made available on streaming services and for digital download as well. On 12 July 2019, a remix by Seeb was released, and on 13 August 2019, a remix with Charlie Puth was released.

Promotion

5 Seconds of Summer posted clips on social media leading up to the announcement, posting teasers from the song's upcoming music video along with its name and release date.

Composition

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' described the song as "dark" and noted the inspiration from "synth-heavy groups of the Eighties and Nineties like

Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting). Depeche ...

and

Tears for Fears Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath, England, in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the new wav ...

and, more specifically, Nine Inch Nails' " Closer". ''

'' noted that "the relatably heart-rending sentiment is elevated by lead singer Luke Hemmings' impassioned vocals, from the murmuring verses to the

falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...

on the chorus".

Music video

The music video was released the same day as the single, 23 May 2019. It was directed by

Grant Singer Grant Taylor Singer (born July 23, 1985) is an American music video and commercial director known for working with artists such as The Weeknd, Sky Ferreira, Lorde, Sam Smith, Ariel Pink and Skrillex. Filmography Films *''Mania'' (2016) *'' S ...

. In the video, "

Hemmings Hemmings is a surname, and may refer to: : Commerce * Trevor Hemmings (born 1935), British billionaire business person : Performing arts and entertainment * David Hemmings (1941–2003), British actor, director, producer * Myra Hemmings (1895–1 ...

, wearing a leather ensemble and glitter eyeshadow, sings chained by the wrists to the roof of a blue-lit cave while guitarist Michael Clifford, bassist

Calum Hood Calum Thomas Hood (born 25 January 1996) is an Australian musician, known for being the bassist and the backup vocalist of the pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over t ...

and drummer

Ashton Irwin Ashton Fletcher Irwin (born 7 July 1994) is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer of the pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over 2 million concert tickets ...

rock out in front of the candle-studded backdrop ..In addition to the cave setting, the video also features a striking seductress and haunting scenes of the bandmates submerged in on orange-lit pool and individually strolling down a long hallway in which their headshots are set ablaze." The blue lighting prominent throughout the video follows the aesthetic of the single's artwork. 4 symbols, representing each member, which were used in the teasers for the song, were also featured in the video as tattoos along the female dancer's spine as well as on a burning poster by the end. As of March 2021, the video has over 55 million views.

Track listing

Awards and nominations

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Charlie Puth remix

A remix, which features American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth (who also co-wrote and produced the original version), was released on 13 August 2019.

Charts

Release history

References

{{authority control 2019 songs 2019 singles Capitol Records singles 5 Seconds of Summer songs Songs written by Louis Bell Songs written by Charlie Puth Songs written by Ryan Tedder Songs written by Ali Tamposi Songs written by Andrew Watt (record producer) Song recordings produced by Louis Bell