10 Songs That Prove Paramore Changed Pop-Punk For The Better

From the moment they burst onto the music scene, Paramore has been changing pop-punk for the better with a vast catalog of important songs. While bands such as the hit-making Blink-182 are seen as the legends of the genre, Paramore has now been around for over 20 years and is headed toward that distinction. Throughout their career, they have taken many different avenues, proving they have no problem going outside their comfort zone.

In the early stages, they went from trying to make music to quickly having a slew of beloved songs. Their immediate success even led to an appearance on the soundtrack of the first Twilight movie in 2008. Later in their career, they proved to be fearless by experimenting with their tunes, just as bands had changed their sounds before. They have shown that pop-punk can be more than just what’s on the surface and that there is room for tremendous growth within the confines of the genre.

10

Pressure

Album: All We Know Is Falling (2005)

After forming in 2004, Paramore was able to determine the right path that allowed them to be the band they had aspired to become. Since she was highly regarded as a vocalist from a young age, it may have been easy for Hayley Williams to start a solo career, but she wouldn’t do so without her band. By 2005, they were prepared to release their debut record, All We Know Is Falling.

It was decided that their first single would be “Pressure.” The band immediately stood out with Williams at the helm, as the pop-punk genre didn’t feature many female vocalists. Coupled with their raw talent was the fact that the song told a compelling story. This quickly demonstrated the maturity of the young band and made them a sought-after act to watch. Over the years, it has gained more attention by being featured in the video games The Sims 2 and Rock Band 3.

9

Misery Business

Album: Riot! (2007)

Coming off their successful debut album, Paramore were back with their sophomore record in 2007, ready to build on their momentum. The biggest song from the album was “Misery Business,” which reached the 26th spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it placed on five more of their charts, becoming a commercial hit.

Although the band stopped playing the song live for a period, its numbers have continued to grow. It has almost one billion streams on Spotify and continues to be bolstered by its use in pop culture. Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) covered the song on his 2020 album, Tickets to My Downfall, and it received credit as Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U” draws inspiration from it. It has also been featured in shows such as Degrassi: The Next Generation and was recently included in Fortnite.

8

That What You Get

Album: Riot! (2007)

While “Misery Business” has been a significant factor, it is not the only reason that Riot! has become the band’s best-selling album at 3x platinum. The song “That’s What You Get” was a key contributor, as it was yet another track that landed the band on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was praised for its relatable lyrics and catchy melody.

The backstory surrounding this tune runs deeper than just the song itself. The music video for it ended up being shot with the band in their natural environment, while hanging out with family and friends. They were going through personal issues at the time and this video was one of the things that helped them get through it.

7

Decode

Album: Twilight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2008)

After having started only four years prior, the band received an opportunity in 2008 that further propelled them into the forefront of the mainstream. Along with bands such as Muse and Linkin Park, they had a song appear in the first Twilight movie. The band would become synonymous with the film, which grew to be one of the biggest franchises of all time.

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Their song “Decode” helped solidify just how great the band could be, delivering yet another powerful performance. A huge bonus was that not only did they have a song, but it also got an accompanying music video that featured members of the cast. Overall, the tune received a tremendous amount of praise, winning a Teen Choice Award and even being nominated for a Grammy Award.

6

All I Wanted

Album: Brand New Eyes (2009)

Although it was not released as a single, “All I Wanted” would become one of the band’s best-known songs. It features a very strong vocal performance by Hayley Williams, with the lyrics eliciting one of the biggest emotional responses among their tunes. There is something about the way Williams gently delivers the verses before driving home the words “All I wanted was you” in the chorus.

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Since her vocals on the tune were so unique, the band actually refused to play it live for a very long time. Williams feared that if she performed this song, it could damage her vocal cords. It wasn’t until the When We Were Young festival in 2022 that the band finally played it. Williams received a lot of praise, and the tune remains one of their most powerful.

5

Playing God

Album: Brand New Eyes (2009)

The fifth and final single released from their 2009 record, Brand New Eyes, was “Playing God.” Although the song did not receive much attention on the charts, there was significant meaning surrounding this track. This was a song that the band felt they had waited a long time to write. Williams has noted that this was one of her favorite bridges on the entire record.

Additionally, this was the last single released that featured co-founder Josh Farro. Following this album, Farro would go on to pursue a solo career. Along with the history of Farro, the music video held great importance for Williams. In it, her favorite car, which she called “Miss Anne,” was featured in what was the car’s final appearance.

4

Ain’t It Fun

Album: Paramore (2013)

In 2013, Paramore released their self-titled fourth studio album. One of the top songs from the record was “Ain’t It Fun,” which achieved the band’s best finish on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching as high as number 10. Additionally, it placed in the Top 50 of the charts’ year-end rankings. This tune received a lot of praise for the musical elements that the band explored.

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Along with their usual rock sound, the band demonstrated how it was possible for them to blend into other genres with their style. This song featured some soul, funk, new wave, and new jack swing elements. The love for the track has only grown over time, and now it is an impressive 3x platinum, making it one of the band’s greatest achievements.

3

Still Into You

Album: Paramore (2013)

Arriving as the second single from their 2013 record, “Still Into You” was praised for being light and sweet. With this song providing some of their most iconic lyrics, there wasn’t much pizzazz needed. It was yet another instance of the band demonstrating what they could create with changing elements, and it would serve as a close example of how their sound would evolve further after this album.

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The tune ended up being yet another hit for the band to place on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking into the Top 25. Much like “Ain’t It Fun,” it also landed on the charts’ year-end rankings. The 2x platinum song has remained one of their biggest hits and is now in a race with “Misery Business” to become the band’s first song to reach one billion streams on Spotify.

2

Forgiveness

Album: After Laughter (2017)

In 2017, with their album After Laughter, Paramore demonstrated how it was possible to take elements from a formerly popular genre and make them feel modern. Throughout the record, there are plenty of uses of new wave and other 1980s sounds. Although it was a departure from their typical instrumentation, they still made it work. This also marked the return of drummer Zac Farro for the first time since 2010.

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The song “Forgiveness” was a strong example of how they were able to take the emotional lyrics they were known for and enhance them while exploring this new style. This track became one of the driving forces that helped the album reach the sixth spot on the Billboard 200, along with the top spot on two of their other charts.

1

This Is Why

Album: This Is Why (2023)

Ahead of their seventh studio album, Paramore released their lead single “This Is Why.” The song perfectly showcased how the band would incorporate various punk elements into this record, including post-punk and dance-punk. The tune received a warm reception, landing the band on multiple Billboard charts, including a third-place finish on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart.

The music video, directed by Brendan Yates of Turnstile, featured another intriguing concept the band implemented. It served as the beginning of a story that would continue with the “Thick Skull” music video, also from this record. Perhaps the best accolade the song received was a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance.