Paramore

Paramore formed in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2004, with singer Hayley Williams becoming the band's unmistakable voice. Its early lineup included brothers Josh Farro on guitar and Zac Farro on drums, alongside bassist Jeremy Davis. Released by Fueled by Ramen in 2005, the debut album All We Know Is Falling introduced songs including “Pressure” and “Emergency,” establishing the group's place within the emerging emo and pop-punk mainstream.

The commercial breakthrough came with Riot! in 2007. “Misery Business,” “crushcrushcrush,” and “That's What You Get” helped turn Paramore into an international touring act. Williams's sharply delivered vocals and the band's forceful guitar arrangements became central to its appeal. In 2008, Paramore contributed “Decode” and “I Caught Myself” to the soundtrack of Twilight, connecting its music with another major phenomenon of teenage popular culture.

Brand New Eyes followed in 2009, featuring “Ignorance,” “Brick by Boring Brick,” and the acoustic-led ballad “The Only Exception.” The record reached number two on the Billboard 200. Josh and Zac Farro left in 2010, but Williams, Davis, and guitarist Taylor York continued. Their self-titled 2013 album became Paramore's first number-one album in the United States, expanding its sound through gospel, funk, and pop influences.

That album produced “Still Into You” and “Ain't It Fun.” The latter, featuring a gospel choir, won Best Rock Song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. Davis departed in 2015, and Zac Farro returned before the release of After Laughter in 2017. Now operating as Williams, York, and Farro, Paramore embraced bright new-wave textures on songs such as “Hard Times,” “Told You So,” and “Rose-Colored Boy,” while retaining emotionally troubled lyrics.

Released in February 2023, This Is Why shifted toward wiry post-punk rhythms and tightly interlocking instrumental parts. Its title track addressed withdrawal and social unease, while “The News” confronted the exhausting cycle of media consumption. At the 2024 Grammys, This Is Why won Best Rock Album, and its title song won Best Alternative Music Performance, adding two major awards to the band's already substantial career.

In October 2023, Paramore released Re: This Is Why, a companion project featuring reinterpretations by artists including Wet Leg, Remi Wolf, and Romy. The group also joined Taylor Swift's Eras Tour for its European dates in 2024. Across these distinct phases, Paramore's recorded history traces an audible progression from the urgent guitars of its debut toward the rhythmic experimentation and stylistic openness of its later albums over nearly two decades.