Paramore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paramore
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Paramore performing in 2023. Left to right: Zac Farro (drummer), Taylor York (lead guitarist), and Hayley Williams (lead vocalist)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2004–present |
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Paramore is an American rock band that started in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2004. Since 2017, the band's members are lead singer Hayley Williams, lead guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro. Hayley Williams and Zac Farro were part of the band from the very beginning. Taylor York, who was friends with the original members in high school, joined in 2007. Hayley Williams is the only member who has been on all six of Paramore's studio albums.
The band signed with Fueled by Ramen, which is part of Atlantic Records. Hayley Williams was first signed to Atlantic by herself when she was a teenager. She wanted to be in a band, not a solo artist. Atlantic Records agreed, but said the rest of the band had to sign with Fueled by Ramen.
Paramore's first album, All We Know Is Falling (2005), became popular on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart in 2006. It also reached number four on the UK Rock Chart in 2009. Their second album, Riot! (2007), became a big hit with songs like "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush". This album was certified Platinum in the US, and the band was nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Their 2009 album, Brand New Eyes, reached number two on the Billboard 200. It featured the popular song "The Only Exception" and became platinum in Ireland and the UK.
After Zac and Josh Farro left the band in 2010, Paramore released their self-titled fourth album in 2013. This album was their first to reach number one on the US Billboard 200. It also topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and other countries. The album included hit songs like "Still Into You" and "Ain't It Fun". "Ain't It Fun" won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for Hayley Williams and Taylor York. This was Paramore's first Grammy win.
The band's lineup changed again when bassist Jeremy Davis left in 2015. Former drummer Zac Farro rejoined the band in 2017. Their fifth album, After Laughter, came out in 2017, and their sixth album, This Is Why, was released in 2023. Both albums were praised by critics.
Contents
- How Paramore Started and Grew
- Early Days: 2002–2004
- First Album: All We Know Is Falling (2005–2006)
- Breakthrough Success: Riot! (2007–2008)
- New Album and Member Changes: Brand New Eyes (2009–2011)
- Self-Titled Album and More Changes: Paramore (2012–2015)
- Zac Farro Returns and After Laughter (2016–2019)
- New Music and Awards: This Is Why (2020–present)
- Paramore's Music Style
- Live Performances
- Paramore in Films and Video Games
- Band Members
- Discography
- Tours
- See also
How Paramore Started and Grew
Early Days: 2002–2004
In 2002, when she was 13, Hayley Williams moved to Franklin, Tennessee. There, she met brothers Josh and Zac Farro. Before Paramore, Hayley and bassist Jeremy Davis played in a funk cover band. The Farro brothers also practiced music together. The other band members were unsure about having a female singer at first. But because they were good friends, Hayley started writing songs for them. Hayley said they were the first people she met who loved music as much as she did.
Hayley Williams was first signed by Atlantic Records as a solo artist in 2003. She wanted to play alternative rock music with a band, not be a pop singer. The record label agreed to her wishes.
The band officially formed in 2004. The first members were Josh Farro (guitar, backing vocals), Zac Farro (drums), Jeremy Davis (bass), and Hayley Williams (lead vocals). Later, Jason Bynum (rhythm guitar) joined. Jeremy Davis was surprised that Zac Farro was only 14 years old. He thought it wouldn't work because of their age. But their first practice was amazing, and he knew they had something special.
The name "Paramore" came from the maiden name of one of their first bass players' mothers. When they learned that "paramour" meant 'secret lover', they decided to keep the name, spelling it "Paramore".
Paramore was meant to release music through Atlantic Records. However, the label decided it would be better for the band's image to release music through a smaller, specialized label called Fueled by Ramen. This rock label was a perfect fit for Paramore. In April 2005, after a small private show, the band signed with both Atlantic Records and Fueled By Ramen.
The first song the band wrote together was "Conspiracy." This song later appeared on their first album. At this time, they toured the Southeast, often driven by Hayley's parents. Hayley said, "It was what we loved to do for fun, and still do! I don't think any of us really knew this would turn out to be what it's become."
First Album: All We Know Is Falling (2005–2006)
Paramore went to Orlando, Florida, to record their first album. Soon after arriving, Jeremy Davis left the band for personal reasons. The remaining four members wrote the song "All We Know" about his departure. They decided to make All We Know Is Falling about this feeling of loss. The album cover shows a couch with no one there and a shadow walking away. Hayley Williams explained it was about Jeremy leaving and feeling an empty space.
Before touring, John Hembree joined as the new bassist. That summer, Paramore played on the 2005 Warped Tour. After being asked by the band, Jeremy Davis returned to Paramore after five months, replacing John Hembree.
All We Know Is Falling was released on July 26, 2005. It reached number 30 on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. "Pressure" was their first single, but it did not make it onto the charts. The music video showed the band playing in a warehouse. "Emergency" was the second single, and its video featured Hunter Lamb, who replaced Jason Bynum. The third single, "All We Know," had a video with live performances and backstage footage. Later, All We Know Is Falling and "Pressure" were certified Gold.
In January 2006, the band went on the Winter Go West tour. In February, Hayley Williams sang on a song for October Fall. In spring 2006, Paramore opened for other bands like Bayside. The band also covered "My Hero" by Foo Fighters for the Sound of Superman movie soundtrack.
In summer 2006, Paramore played more dates on the Warped Tour. They released The Summer Tic EP during the tour. Paramore's first US tour as the main act started on August 2, 2006, and sold out.
In 2007, Hunter Lamb left the band to get married. Paramore continued as a four-person band. British magazine NME named Paramore as one of ten bands to watch in 2007. Hayley Williams' vocals were featured in a song by the Chariot in April. They headlined a tour in April and May 2007.
Breakthrough Success: Riot! (2007–2008)
Before working on their next album, Jeremy Davis was briefly out of the band again. After an agreement, he returned as bassist. Taylor York became the band's new guitarist. Taylor had played in a band with the Farro brothers before they met Hayley.
Paramore recorded their album Riot! with producer David Bendeth in New Jersey. The album was released on June 12, 2007. It entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 20 and the UK charts at number 24. The album sold 44,000 copies in its first week in the United States. The name Riot! was chosen because it means "a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion." "Misery Business" was the first single from the album. In summer 2007, Paramore played their third Warped Tour.
On October 11, 2007, the music video for "Crushcrushcrush" was shown on TV. The video showed the band playing in a desert. Hayley Williams also sang guest vocals on two songs for the Say Anything album In Defense of the Genre. On December 31, 2007, Paramore performed on the MTV New Year's Eve program.
Paramore was on the cover of Alternative Press magazine in February 2008. Readers voted them "Best Band Of 2007." The band was nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. In early 2008, Paramore toured the United Kingdom. In February 2008, the band canceled some shows due to personal issues. Hayley Williams wrote that the break would help the band "work out our personal issues." The band returned to record the music video for their fourth single, "That's What You Get", which was released on March 24, 2008.
The band toured with Jimmy Eat World in the United States in April and May 2008. Paramore also played at the Give it a Name festival in the United Kingdom. They played their first show in Ireland on June 2, 2008. Paramore then joined the 2008 Vans Warped Tour. Starting July 28, Paramore began a tour called "The Final Riot!". They released a live album with the same name on November 25, 2008. The album included a DVD of a concert in Chicago.
New Album and Member Changes: Brand New Eyes (2009–2011)
In September 2008, Hayley Williams announced that the band planned to release their third album in summer 2009. By November 2008, they were writing new songs.
Paramore spent six weeks preparing for the album in their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. This was the first time they worked without a producer's guidance. Record producer Rob Cavallo visited them and said they were doing great. The band felt their new songs could be even more successful than their previous work. They recorded the album in Calabasas, California, with Cavallo in March 2009.
The first single from the album was "Ignorance", released on July 7, 2009. Paramore was a special guest on the No Doubt Summer Tour 2009. The music video for "Ignorance" aired on MTV on August 13, 2009. Paramore toured in support of Brand New Eyes in fall 2009. Some tour dates were postponed because Hayley Williams had laryngitis. Other singles from the album included "Brick By Boring Brick" and "The Only Exception".
Paramore then played a sold-out 15-date European tour. Their stadium tour ended at London's Wembley Arena for 12,500 fans. In 2010, the band performed at the Soundwave Festival in Australia. Before the tour, lead guitarist Josh Farro announced he was getting married and stayed behind. Justin York, Taylor York's brother, filled in for him. The band, with Josh Farro back, toured the U.S. in late April. They also headlined the 2010 Honda Civic Tour.
On December 18, 2010, Paramore announced that Josh and Zac Farro were leaving the band. The band confirmed their planned South American tour would still happen. Josh Farro later wrote a statement about their departure. On January 10, 2011, Hayley Williams said that Paramore would release new music in 2011, even without the Farro brothers. She said the band's style might change but would keep its main sound.
Paramore later confirmed they were recording new songs in Los Angeles. On June 3, 2011, Paramore released the song "Monster" for the Transformers: Dark of the Moon movie soundtrack. This was their first song without the Farro brothers. On June 9, 2011, Hayley Williams announced that the band had started writing their fourth album. On October 11, 2011, Paramore said they would release a new song each month for the rest of 2011. These songs were part of their Singles Club.
Self-Titled Album and More Changes: Paramore (2012–2015)
On April 18, 2012, Hayley Williams announced that Justin Meldal-Johnsen would produce their fourth album. Ilan Rubin played drums for the album's recording. The album, titled Paramore, was officially released on April 5, 2013. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.
The first single, "Now", was released on January 22, 2013. The second single, "Still Into You", released on March 14, 2013, became very popular. The album's fourth single, "Ain't It Fun", released on February 4, 2014, became the band's highest-charting song in the United States. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
On November 24, 2014, Paramore: Self-Titled Deluxe was released. It included a new version of "Hate to See Your Heart Break" featuring Joy Williams. The band went on a special tour to celebrate the "Self-Titled" album era.
On December 14, 2015, bassist Jeremy Davis left the band.
Zac Farro Returns and After Laughter (2016–2019)
On January 19, 2016, Hayley Williams announced that the band was writing their fifth album. On June 8, 2016, the band shared a video of themselves in the studio. Former drummer Zac Farro was in many pictures, making fans wonder if he would rejoin. On June 17, a picture showed Zac Farro behind a drum set, confirming he would record drums for the album. He later clarified he was only recording drums, not fully rejoining. However, on February 2, 2017, the band announced that Zac Farro would officially return as the band's drummer.
On April 19, 2017, Paramore released "Hard Times" as the first song from their album After Laughter. The album was released on May 12, 2017. On May 3, a second single, "Told You So", was released. Music videos for "Fake Happy" and "Rose-Colored Boy" were also released. On June 26, 2018, the music video for "Caught in the Middle" was released.
New Music and Awards: This Is Why (2020–present)
In May 2020, Hayley Williams hinted that the band's sixth album might have more guitar-driven sounds. In January 2022, it was confirmed that the band was in the studio working on their new album. They described the album as more "guitar heavy." On January 18, the band was announced as a headliner for the When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas, which was one of their first live shows since 2018.
On September 28, 2022, the band released the song "This Is Why" as the first single from their album This Is Why, which came out on February 10, 2023. In November 2022, the band changed the album cover for their 2013 self-titled album. On December 8, 2022, they released the second single, "The News". On January 12, 2023, the band released the third single, "C'est Comme Ça". Paramore was nominated for Favorite Music Group at the 2023 Kids' Choice Awards.
On February 6, 2023, the band played the song "Running Out of Time" for the first time at their album release show in Nashville. A music video for "Running Out of Time" was released on February 16, 2023. The band's song, "This is Why", was nominated for "Best Alternative" at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
The band started hinting at a remix album, Re: This Is Why, in late September 2023. The album was officially announced on October 2 and released on October 6. It features new versions of songs from their 2023 album. For the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, This Is Why was nominated for Best Rock Album. The title track was nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance.
In late 2023, Paramore cleared their social media accounts. They also canceled a festival appearance in January 2024. On January 10, 2024, it was announced that Paramore would cover "Burning Down The House" for a tribute album. In January 2024, the band was nominated for Best International Group at the 2024 BRIT Awards. On February 4, 2024, the band won two Grammy awards for their album This Is Why. It won Best Rock Album, and the title track won Best Alternative Music Performance. On February 10, 2024, Paramore announced they would continue as an independent band.
Paramore's Music Style
Paramore's music style is often described as pop-punk, emo, pop rock, and alternative rock. They also include sounds from power pop, new wave, and punk rock.
Their first album, All We Know is Falling, had a "pop-punk" sound. The band's second album, Riot!, explored different styles but kept their unique sound. Later albums, like Paramore and After Laughter, added more new wave and synth-pop sounds. Their sixth album, This Is Why, has a post-punk and dance-punk feel.
Many people have noted that Paramore's live shows are very energetic. Critics say Hayley Williams has a lot of stage presence. Singer-songwriter John Mayer praised Hayley's voice in 2007. Because Paramore has a female lead singer, they have been compared to artists like Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne. Reviewer Jonathan Bradley said Paramore plays with "infectious enthusiasm."
Paramore has said they are inspired by bands like Weezer, No Doubt, Jimmy Eat World, and New Found Glory. Hayley Williams has also mentioned her personal influences, including Elvis Presley, Blondie, and Etta James. She looks up to singers like Debbie Harry and Siouxsie Sioux. Hayley also said that bands like U2 and No Doubt inspire Paramore's career path.
The band members have spoken about their Christian faith in the past. Josh Farro once said their faith was important and would show in their music. However, he later mentioned that different views on Christianity were one reason for his departure. In 2022, Hayley Williams described herself, Taylor York, and Zac Farro as being "at different stages of unravelling their relationship to faith."
Live Performances
In 2007, Paramore played an acoustic show for the opening of a Warped Tour exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The dress Hayley Williams wore in the "Emergency" music video was also put on display.
In June 2007, Rolling Stone magazine named them "Ones to Watch."
In August 2007, Paramore was featured on MTV. They performed acoustic versions of their songs. As "MTV Artists of the Week," the band filmed fun camping-themed videos. For weeks in August 2007, the "Misery Business" video was the most watched video on MTV.com. On October 8, Paramore played "Misery Business" live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In August, Paramore appeared in New Found Glory's music video for their cover of "Kiss Me".
From September 29 to November 1, 2009, the band toured North America to support Brand New Eyes. The tour for their self-titled fourth album, called The Self-Titled Tour, took place in North America from October 15 to November 27, 2013. From June 19 through August 17, 2014, the band also supported the album with the Monumentour.
Paramore in Films and Video Games
In 2005, Paramore's song "Pressure" was featured in the console versions of the video game The Sims 2.
In March 2008, "Crushcrushcrush" became a downloadable song in the Rock Band games. It was later a playable song in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. Later that year, Rock Band 2 included "That's What You Get" as a playable track. The video game Guitar Hero World Tour featured "Misery Business". Hayley Williams also helped with the motion capture for the game and is an unlockable character. "Misery Business" was also a playable track on Rock Band 3. In 2015, "Still Into You" was included in Rock Band 4.
Paramore's song "Decode" was the main song for the movie Twilight. Another song, "I Caught Myself," was also on the film's soundtrack. "Decode" was released on October 1, 2008. The music video premiered on November 3. "Misery Business" is also in Saints Row 2 and the soundtrack for EA Sports NHL 08.
The music video for "Decode" was shown in the North American Home Theater of PlayStation Home in December 2008.
Paramore's song "Now" is featured in the game Rocksmith 2014. In March 2024, "Misery Business" was added as a playable song to Fortnite Festival.
Band Members
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Current members
Current touring musicians
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Former members
Former touring musicians
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Timeline
Discography
- All We Know Is Falling (2005)
- Riot! (2007)
- Brand New Eyes (2009)
- Paramore (2013)
- After Laughter (2017)
- This Is Why (2023)
Tours
Headlining tours
- The Final Riot! Tour (2008)
- Brand New Eyes World Tour (2009–2012)
- The Self-Titled Tour (2013–2015)
- After Laughter Tour (2017–2018)
- This Is Why Tour (2022–2023)
Co-headlining tours
- Honda Civic Tour (2010)
- Monumentour (2014)
Opening acts
- Summer Tour 2009 (2009)
- 21st Century Breakdown World Tour (2010)
- The Eras Tour (2023–2024)
See also
In Spanish: Paramore para niños
- List of awards and nominations received by Paramore
- List of songs recorded by Paramore
- List of alternative rock artists
