Imagine this scenario: You find yourself at Harry Styles’ Together, Together tour, enjoying the music from your seats, when suddenly, the crowd erupts into singing a different song by a different artist altogether.
Harry Styles is currently headlining a 30-show residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of his ongoing tour. While it’s common for fans to sing along to his songs, a new trend has emerged where fans are passionately chanting the lyrics to 5 Seconds of Summer’s “Telephone Busy” during the instrumental break of Styles’ track “Ready, Steady, Go.” This trend is gaining momentum, with fans getting louder each night.
This phenomenon originated from a fan remix on TikTok by user @millsberry75, who mashed up the two songs, integrating 5 Seconds of Summer’s drummer Ashton Irwin’s talk-singing from “Telephone Busy” into “Ready, Steady, Go.” The band acknowledged the remix in August by incorporating it into a DJ set at Salt Shed Chicago during Lollapalooza.
Videos circulating on social media capture fans joining in on the trend during Styles’ performances. Initially barely audible in September at Madison Square Garden, the chants of 5 Seconds of Summer lyrics have now grown into a thunderous roar in recent videos from this week’s shows.
The history between One Direction, where Harry Styles first gained fame, and 5 Seconds of Summer (often referred to as 5SOS by fans) contributes to the excitement surrounding this trend. The bands’ collaboration dates back to 2012 when One Direction member Louis Tomlinson shared 5SOS’s music online, leading to their joint tours and a shared fan base.
Amidst manufactured trends, the organic growth of this fan chant showcases the power of the internet in translating online phenomena into real-life trends, particularly within fandoms.
5 Seconds of Summer has embraced the enthusiasm for the two songs, with drummer Ashton Irwin expressing appreciation for the fan support. While Styles has yet to address the trend directly, the increasing volume suggests he may acknowledge it soon.
With numerous upcoming shows, including more performances at Madison Square Garden and Rogers Stadium, the possibility of the chant becoming even louder is promising. Fans are eagerly anticipating the continuation of this trend, hoping to witness the bleachers shake with excitement.