Paramore
Encyclopedia
Paramore is an American rock
band from Franklin, Tennessee
, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams
, bassist Jeremy Davis
, and guitarist Taylor York
. The group released its debut album All We Know Is Falling
in 2005, and its second album Riot!
in 2007, which was certified Platinum
in the US and The Republic of Ireland and Gold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Brand New Eyes
, Paramore's third album, was released in 2009 and is the band's highest charting album to date, going platinum in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and gold in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
moved from her hometown Meridian, Mississippi
to Franklin, Tennessee
where she met brothers Josh Farro and Zac Farro while she was attending a private school. Shortly after arriving, she began taking vocal lessons with Brett Manning
. Prior to forming Paramore, Williams and bassist Jeremy Davis, along with friend Kimee Read, took part in a funk
cover band called The Factory, while Josh and Zac Farro had practiced together after school. The other members of what was soon to be Paramore had been "edgy about the whole female thing" of having Williams as vocalist, but, because they were really good friends, she started writing for them. Williams said of the guys when she first met them, "They were the first people I met who were as passionate about music as I was." The band was officially formed by Josh Farro
(lead guitar
/backing vocals), Zac Farro
(drums), Jeremy Davis (bass guitar
) and Hayley Williams (lead vocals) in 2004, with the later addition of Williams' neighbor Jason Bynum (rhythm guitar
). When Davis showed up, he was stunned to find out the drummer was only twelve years old. He admitted "I had very, very, very, little faith in everyone in the band because of their age. I remember thinking, 'This is not going to work because this kid is way too young,' but that first day of practice was amazing. I knew we were on to something." According to Williams, the name "Paramore" came from the maiden name of the mother of one of their first bass players. Once the group learned the meaning of the homophone "paramour" ("secret lover"), they decided to adopt the name, using the Paramore spelling.
Williams was originally signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist in 2003. She had been introduced to Atlantic A&R Tom Storms through Kent Marcus and Jim Zumwalt, lawyers of managers Dave Steunebrink and Richard Williams, and then eventually signed to Atlantic by Jason Flom
. Steunebrink and Richard Williams had originally discovered and signed her to a production deal that was later bought out by Atlantic. The original plan of the label was to turn her into a pop singer, but Williams resisted, saying that she wanted to play alternative rock music and wanted a band behind her. In an interview with HitQuarters
the band's A&R at Atlantic, Steve Robertson, said, "She wanted to make sure that we didn't look at her as some straight to Top 40 pop princess. She wanted to make sure that she and her band got the chance to show what they can do as a rock band writing their own songs." Label president Julie Greenwald and the label staff decided to go with her wishes. The original management team for the band was Dave Steunebrink, Creed
manager Jeff Hanson
, and Hanson's assistant Mark Mercado.
Paramore were originally supposed to come out on Atlantic Records but the label's marketing department decided it would be better for the image of the band to not have them attached to a major label. They instead released their music through a cooler niche label in Fueled by Ramen
. Head of Warner Music Group, Lyor Cohen
had already identified Fueled by Ramen as a label they should partner with and it was decided the rock label would make an ideal match for Paramore. According to Robertson, when the band were presented to Fueled by Ramen's CEO John Janick, "he got the vision of the band immediately." Janick went to a Taste of Chaos
performance in Orlando, Florida
to see the band perform live. In April 2005, after a smaller private performance at a warehouse, the band was signed to Atlantic Records and Fueled By Ramen.
The band's first song written together was "Conspiracy", which was later used on their debut album. In 2004, they were a featured band in Purple Door. At this time, they were touring the southeast, usually being driven by Williams' parents. She commented that "Back then, I guess we were all thinking, after school we'll go to the house and practice. 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."
" about his departure, and later deciding to base All We Know Is Falling
around the concept. The album artwork also reflected Paramore's grief as Hayley Williams explains, "The couch on the cover of All We Know is Falling with no one there and the shadow walking away; it's all about Jeremy leaving us and us feeling like there's an empty space." Recording took three weeks, and promotional material for the album only featured the four remaining members.
Before touring, the band added John Hembree (bass guitar
) to their line up to replace Jeremy Davis. During that summer, Paramore was featured on the Shira Girl stage of the 2005 Warped Tour. After being asked by the band, Jeremy Davis returned to Paramore after five months apart, replacing Hembree. All We Know Is Falling was released on July 24, 2005, and reached #30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. Paramore released "Pressure
" as its first single, with a video directed by Shane Drake
, but the song had failed to place in the charts. The video featured the band performing in a warehouse, eventually getting sprayed with water sprinklers as the storyline of a conflicted couple occurs. In July, "Emergency
" was released as the second single, the video again reuniting the band with director Shane Drake and featuring Hunter Lamb (rhythm guitar
), who replaced Jason Bynum. The video for "Emergency" showcased Paramore in another performance, this time fixing the members bloody costumes. The third single, "All We Know", was released with limited airtime, with the video consisting of a collection of live performances and backstage footage.
In January 2006, the band took part in the Winter Go West tour where they played alongside Seattle bands Amber Pacific
and The Lashes
. In February, Hayley Williams was featured on "Keep Dreaming Upside Down" by October Fall
. In spring of 2006, Paramore was an opening act on headlining tours for both Bayside
and soon afterwards, The Rocket Summer
. They toured the United Kingdom from October 5 to October 15, 2006, where they ended in London at The Mean Fiddler
. The band then covered Foo Fighters
' "My Hero
" for the Sound of Superman
soundtrack which was released on June 26, 2006.
During the summer of 2006, Paramore played a portion of Warped Tour, primarily on the Volcom
and Hurley
Stages, and their first night on the Main Stage was at a date in their hometown of Nashville. Paramore's first United States headlining tour began on August 2, 2006 to a sold-out audience with support from This Providence
, Cute Is What We Aim For, and Hit the Lights
with the final show in Nashville. That year they were voted "Best New Band", and Hayley Williams was voted as #2 "Sexiest Female", by readers of the British magazine Kerrang!
.
In 2007, Hunter Lamb left the group to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet. Paramore was then named by British magazine NME
as one of ten bands to watch out for in their "New Noise 2007" feature. In January, the band played an acoustic set for the grand opening of a Warped Tour exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
, and the dress Hayley Williams wore in the video for "Emergency" was also put on display in the exhibit.
Paramore was featured in Kerrang! magazine once more, however, Hayley Williams believed the article was an untrue portrayal of the band, particularly because it focused on her as the main component. Afterwards, Williams addressed the issue in the band's LiveJournal
, with a post saying, "we could’ve done without a cover piece. sorry, if it offends anyone at Kerrang! but i don’t think there was one bit of truth in that article." In April, Hayley Williams' vocals were featured in "Then Came To Kill" by The Chariot
. They headlined a tour in early 2007 with This Providence
, The Almost
and Love Arcade.
in January 2007, ending production in March without rhythm guitarist Hunter Lamb (who left the band early in 2007 after getting married); without Lamb, lead guitarist Josh Farro was required to play both guitar parts on the album. Taylor York, who had been in a band with the Farro brothers before the two met Hayley Williams, joined as a replacement for Lamb. After being courted by producers Neal Avron and Howard Benson
, Paramore opted to record Riot! with New Jersey
producer David Bendeth (Your Vegas
, Breaking Benjamin
), releasing the album on June 12, 2007. Riot! entered the Billboard 200 at number 20, the UK charts at number 24, and sold 44,000 its first week in the United States.
The name Riot! had been chosen because it meant "a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion", and it was a word that "summed it all up". The first single from the album, released June 21, 2007, "Misery Business
", is, according to Williams, "more honest than anything I've ever written, and the guys matched that emotion musically."
Summer of 2007 saw Paramore participating on their third Warped Tour and posting journals of their experiences on yourhereblog for MTV. In June they were declared by Rolling Stone
as "Ones to Watch". Paramore made their live television debut on Fuse Networks daily show, The Sauce
. The second single from Riot!, "Hallelujah
", was released on July 30, 2007, and is only available online and on UK television. The video, much like "All We Know", features backstage footage and live performances.
In August 2007, Paramore had been featured in television spots on MTV
, performing acoustic versions of their songs or acting in short accompaniments to MTV program commercials. As "MTV Artists of the Week", the band filmed the faux camping themed spots in Queens, New York, all written and directed by Evan Silver and Gina Fortunato. MTV.com also has a collection of short videos with the band to promote Riot! as well. For weeks in August 2007, the "Misery Business" video was the number one streamed video at MTV.com
. On October 8, Paramore played "Misery Business" live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, a booking made possible due to the friendship struck between the band and Max Weinberg
during the 2007 Warped Tour. In August, Paramore participated in New Found Glory
's music video for their cover of Sixpence None the Richer
's song "Kiss Me
".
On October 11, 2007, the music video for "Crushcrushcrush
" debuted on the United States television as the next single from Riot!. The video for "Crushcrushcrush" featured the band playing a performance in a barren desert, being spied upon, and later destroying their equipment. The single was released in the United States on November 19 and made available in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2007. Hayley Williams recorded guest vocals for the tracks "The Church Channel" and "Plea" for the Say Anything
concept album In Defense of the Genre
released on October 23, 2007. The group performed live, acoustic style in Boston
on November 29, 2007 for FNX radio. On December 31, 2007, Paramore performed on the MTV
New Year's Eve
program which ran from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Paramore was featured on the cover of February 2008 issue of Alternative Press magazine and voted "Best Band Of 2007" by the readers. The band was nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards presented on February 10, 2008 but lost to Amy Winehouse
. Early 2008 saw Paramore touring the United Kingdom, supporting their album Riot!, along with New Found Glory
, Kids in Glass Houses
and Conditions. In early February 2008, the band began a tour in Europe, however on February 21, 2008, the band announced that they had canceled six shows due to personal issues. Williams wrote on the band's web site that "the break will give that band 'a chance to get away and work out our personal issues'". MTV.com reported that fans of Paramore were speculating about the future of the band and reported rumors of trouble had begun earlier in the month when Josh Farro expressed his anger against the media's focus on Hayley Williams. The band, however, returned to their hometown to record the music video for the fourth single "That's What You Get
", which was then released on March 24, 2008.
The band toured with Jimmy Eat World
in the United States in April and May 2008. The band headlined the Give It A Name
festival in the United Kingdom on May 10 and May 11, 2008. Also the band performed on the In New Music We Trust Stage at Radio 1's One Big Weekend in Mote Park
, Kent
on May 10, 2008. Paramore played their first Ireland show at the RDS
in Dublin on June 2, 2008, followed by the 2008 Vans Warped Tour from July 1–6.
On MTV's TRL
, May 7, 2008, lead singer Hayley Williams said that the band was working on a new album and that it would hopefully be released by next summer. Hayley Williams says she and the band have been practicing the new songs during the sound checks on tour. In an Alternative Press
cover story, Zac Farro speculated on a forthcoming album, saying that it would sound like bands Mew
, Thrice, and Arcade Fire.
On May 19, 2008, Paramore announced on their website that they will be going on tour again, the tour being named "The Final Riot!", starting July 25 and ending September 1. On this tour, the band performed part of Leonard Cohen
's "Hallelujah". On September 2, 2008, Paramore released a collaboration hoodie along with Hurley Clothing
based on the album Riot!. All proceeds went to the Love146 foundation.
Paramore's song "Decode
" was the lead single for the novel-based Twilight
film. Another song called "I Caught Myself" is also featured on the film's soundtrack. "Decode" was released on October 1, 2008 on the Paramore Fan Club site as well as Stephenie Meyer
's website. The band began shooting the video October 13 and it premiered on November 3. Hot Topic
hosted listening parties for the soundtrack on October 24, 2008, and the album was released on November 4, 2008. Borders
released an exclusive version of the soundtrack that features an acoustic version of "Decode."
The band released a live album named The Final Riot!
on November 25, 2008. The album includes a bonus DVD with a full concert recorded in Chicago
, as well as a behind the scenes documentary. As of the 9 of April 2009, The Final Riot! is certified gold in the United States.
, which was a good experience, but we're looking around and don't want to make any decisions until we have a lot of songs and we know what we're looking for. We really enjoy our live sound and we want a producer who can really capture that."
On January 21, 2009, it was announced that Paramore will be the special guest with Bedouin Soundclash
, The Sounds
and Janelle Monae
at the No Doubt Summer Tour 2009, starting in May 2009 in outdoor amphitheaters and arenas across the US and Canada.
Paramore wrote and completed their newest record Brand New Eyes
in early 2009. The first single off of the album was "Ignorance"
and was released July 7, 2009. The official music video for "Ignorance" aired on all MTV platforms, networks, and websites on August 13, 2009. Paramore, along with Paper Route
and The Swellers
, toured in support of Brand New Eyes in the fall of 2009. Some tour dates were postponed due to Hayley Williams becoming infected with laryngitis
. "Brick By Boring Brick
", "The Only Exception
", "Careful
" and "Playing God
" followed as the album's next singles. To promote the album, the band recorded a performance for MTV Unplugged
.
Paramore then played a sold out 15-date European tour with You Me At Six
, Paper Route
and Now Now Every Children. Their stadium tour culminated at London's Wembley Arena
, to an audience of 12,500. The band performed in 2010 in the Australian Soundwave Festival along with bands such as Faith No More
, Placebo
, You Me at Six
, All Time Low
, Jimmy Eat World
and Taking Back Sunday
. Shortly before the tour, lead guitarist Josh Farro announced via the band's LiveJournal that he is engaged and stayed behind to plan his wedding. Justin York, brother of Taylor York, filled in for him on the tour. The band, with Farro returned, embarked on a spring tour of the U.S. in late April. Paramore supported Green Day
on selected dates of their Stadium tour, in Dublin and Paris.
In April 2010, the band announced that they would be headlining the 2010 Honda Civic Tour
. The tour began on July 23 in Raleigh, NC and closed on September 19 in Anaheim, CA. After a short United Kingdom tour in November 2010, the band announced, on December 2, 2010, the official dates for a South American tour to take place during February and March 2011.
During an interview with MTV at the Z100 Jingle Ball on December 11, 2010, Hayley and Taylor announced that the band would be taking a break after their South American Tour in 2011 to write for their forthcoming fourth studio album.
On December 18, 2010 a message from Hayley, Jeremy, and Taylor was released through Paramore.net stating that Josh and Zac were leaving the band. In the message they stated, "A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday. None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn't seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore. We want Josh and Zac to do something that makes them happy and if that isn't here with us, then we support them finding happiness elsewhere. But we never for a second thought about leaving any of this behind." The post also stated that the remaining members had no intention of disbanding. They also added "As we look back, and now as we look with excitement to the future, in all of this what truly matters are the good times. The pictures of us with our arms around each other, the long van rides, your faces while you sing along as we play. Thank you for getting us right here to this very moment. We look forward to our best times. And we hope you will go there with us." The band also confirmed the scheduled South American tour is still going to happen.
Josh Farro wrote a personal response on the departure on his Blogger
account, entirely different from the band's response, claiming that the band was "a manufactured product of a major-label." He further accused Hayley Williams of being manipulated by her management, treating the rest of the group as her solo project, and claimed she was the only member of the band who was signed to Atlantic Records, while her bandmates were simply "riding on the coattails of her dream".
On December 30, 2010, MTV News
interviewed Williams, York and Davis in Franklin, Tennessee
regarding their reactions to Farro's response. The interview aired on MTV.com on January 7, 2011 as Paramore: The Last Word. While the band confirmed many of Farro's statements, notably that Williams was indeed the only member of the band actually signed to Atlantic, they said they felt the statement was irrelevant, adding that they had addressed many of the claims made already throughout the course of their career.
said that despite the band losing two of its founding members, they will be releasing new music in 2011, although it is not known yet if they will manage to record a full album for release this year, or just release some songs. The singer also admitted that Paramore's style was likely to change with the new lineup, but clarified that the band would still retain their signature sound.*
On February 2, 2011, Josh Farro confirmed the name of his new band, Novel American
.
Zac has also confirmed his new band, Half Noise
.
On February 17, 2011, Hayley Williams has confirmed that the band will be hitting the studio upon returning from their South American tour, to record a batch of songs to be released over the summer, prior to a new full-length album that might follow late this year or in 2012. One of the new songs to be released include "In the Mourning", which Williams debuted on her Tumblr
page.
On March 21, 2011, Paramore stated on their various social networking accounts that they were entering a studio in Los Angeles with producer Rob Cavallo
to record their next album.
On June 3, 2011, Paramore released the single "Monster
", featured on the Transformers: Dark of the Moon soundtrack, on YouTube
. This is the first song that the band released without the Farro brothers.
On June 9, 2011, Hayley Williams announced that the band are starting to write their fourth album, which they hope to start recording at the end of the year, hoping for a release in early 2012. On September 5, 2011, Hayley Williams has confirmed that the band is getting ready to release another new song, entitled "Renegade", which was recorded in the same sessions as the band's latest single "Monster
", that took place last March with producer Rob Cavallo
. The song is the first of three songs that are left to be released from these sessions, except "Monster".
On October 11, 2011, Paramore announced that they will be releasing three new singles over the next three months until the end of 2011, with a single per month. The band has set up the "Singles Club" on their website which gives fans the chance to purchase the new singles when they're released, as they're released exclusively through the Singles Club and will not be sold on iTunes
or in stores. A song called "Renegade", premiered the day of the announcement, with "Hello Cold World" to follow on November 7 and "In the Mourning" on December 5.
" and "pop punk
". Joshua Martin had written after an interview with Hayley Williams, "The band isn't just a short pop-punk girl with red hair and a spunky attitude. Their music is like them, it's aged differently. It's sped up, and slowed down. It's emo without being whiny, or bratty. Almost a very literal anti-Avril Lavigne
." Alternative Press
magazine had commented that the band was "young sounding", while consistently being "honest." Paramore's first album All We Know is Falling had an arguably more "formulaic pop-punk" sound that was "delivered particularly well" and the combination of the two had created a "refined rock infused pop/punk album." The band's second release, Riot! was said to explore a 'diverse range of styles," however, not straying far from "their signature sound."
Alternative Press and various other reviewers have noted that the band's stage performances have helped boost them to larger fame. Alternative Press states that Williams "has more charisma than singers twice her age, and her band aren't far behind in their chops, either." Singer-songwriter John Mayer
had praised Williams
' voice in a blog in October 2007, calling her "The great orange hope"; "orange" in reference to her hair color. Due to the female fronted aspect of the band, Paramore has gained comparisons to Kelly Clarkson
and the aforementioned Avril Lavigne, to which one reviewer said was "sorely unfounded." Reviewer Jonathan Bradley noted that "Paramore attacks its music with infectious enthusiasm." However, he also explained that "there isn't a whole lot of difference between Riot! and the songs from Kelly Clarkson
or Avril Lavigne." A reviewer at NME had likened Paramore's sound to that of "No Doubt
(stripped of all the ska
bollocks)" and "Kelly Clarkson
's wildest dreams." Hayley Williams has gone on to comment about the female aspect of the band saying that Paramore is not "this girl-fronted band" and it makes "music for people to enjoy music, not so people can talk about my sexuality."
Paramore has expressed appreciation for Fall Out Boy
, Panic! at the Disco
, Blink-182
, Death Cab for Cutie
, Jimmy Eat World
, MewithoutYou
, and Sunny Day Real Estate
, as well as Thrice
and New Found Glory
; Hayley Williams citing her personal influences as Robert Smith
of The Cure
and Etta James
. Williams also explained that bands such as U2
, "who are massive, and do whatever they want, write whatever they want and they stand for something," Jimmy Eat World
, "who I don’t think ever disappoint their fans," and No Doubt
, who "have done amazing things," act as a pattern for the path in which Paramore would like to take their career.
The band members are Christians and in an interview with the BBC, Josh Farro stated "Our faith is very important to us. It's obviously going to come out in our music because if someone believes something, then their world view is going to come out in anything they do. But we're not out here to preach to kids, we're out here because we love music."
Current touring members
Former members
" being featured in the console versions of the video game The Sims 2.
In March 2008, Paramore made its first rhythm game appearance with "Crushcrushcrush
" as a downloadable track in the Rock Band
games and later being a playable song in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. Later that year, Rock Band 2
was released with the song "That's What You Get
" included as a playable track. The video game Guitar Hero World Tour
featured the song "Misery Business
" along with Hayley Williams
participating in motion capture sessions for the game. She is featured as an unlockable character in the game as well.
"Misery Business" is also featured in Saint's Row 2, and the soundtrack for EA Sports
NHL 08
.
The music video for "Decode
", along with the Twilight film trailer, was shown in the North American Home Theater of PlayStation Home
from December 11, 2008 to December 18, 2008.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams
Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
, bassist Jeremy Davis
Jeremy Davis
Jeremy Clayton Davis is an American bassist for the band Paramore.Jeremy Clayton Davis was born on February 8, 1984 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He has been playing bass for almost 14 years...
, and guitarist Taylor York
Taylor York
Taylor Benjamin York , is an American rock guitarist and is currently a member of the alternative rock band Paramore. He also plays the keyboard and glockenspiel occasionally during their live set...
. The group released its debut album All We Know Is Falling
All We Know Is Falling
All We Know Is Falling is the debut studio album by American rock band Paramore, released on July 26, 2005. The album reached #8 on the UK Rock Chart...
in 2005, and its second album Riot!
Riot!
Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore, succeeding their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2007...
in 2007, which was certified Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in the US and The Republic of Ireland and Gold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. Brand New Eyes
Brand New Eyes
Brand New Eyes is the third album by North American rock band Paramore, released September 29, 2009 through Fueled by Ramen in the United States and Canada. It debuted at number two on Billboard 200....
, Paramore's third album, was released in 2009 and is the band's highest charting album to date, going platinum in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and gold in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
2002–2004: Formation
In 2002, at age 13, vocalist Hayley WilliamsHayley Williams
Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
moved from her hometown Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
to Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
where she met brothers Josh Farro and Zac Farro while she was attending a private school. Shortly after arriving, she began taking vocal lessons with Brett Manning
Brett Manning
Brett Manning is an American singer and vocal coach. Over the course of his career Manning has trained many well-known music artists including Taylor Swift, Hayley Williams, Keith Urban, and Wes Hampton...
. Prior to forming Paramore, Williams and bassist Jeremy Davis, along with friend Kimee Read, took part in a funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
cover band called The Factory, while Josh and Zac Farro had practiced together after school. The other members of what was soon to be Paramore had been "edgy about the whole female thing" of having Williams as vocalist, but, because they were really good friends, she started writing for them. Williams said of the guys when she first met them, "They were the first people I met who were as passionate about music as I was." The band was officially formed by Josh Farro
Josh Farro
Joshua Neil Farro is an American rock guitarist and songwriter, and the lead guitarist of the band Novel American. He is best known as the former lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band Paramore...
(lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
/backing vocals), Zac Farro
Zac Farro
Zachary Wayne Farro is an American musician and drummer of the bands Novel American and Half Noise. He is best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Paramore from its inception until 2010...
(drums), Jeremy Davis (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Hayley Williams (lead vocals) in 2004, with the later addition of Williams' neighbor Jason Bynum (rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
). When Davis showed up, he was stunned to find out the drummer was only twelve years old. He admitted "I had very, very, very, little faith in everyone in the band because of their age. I remember thinking, 'This is not going to work because this kid is way too young,' but that first day of practice was amazing. I knew we were on to something." According to Williams, the name "Paramore" came from the maiden name of the mother of one of their first bass players. Once the group learned the meaning of the homophone "paramour" ("secret lover"), they decided to adopt the name, using the Paramore spelling.
Williams was originally signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist in 2003. She had been introduced to Atlantic A&R Tom Storms through Kent Marcus and Jim Zumwalt, lawyers of managers Dave Steunebrink and Richard Williams, and then eventually signed to Atlantic by Jason Flom
Jason Flom
Jason Flom is an American music industry executive. He has served as the Chairman and CEO of music labels including Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and the Capitol Music Group. In 1995, he founded Lava Records...
. Steunebrink and Richard Williams had originally discovered and signed her to a production deal that was later bought out by Atlantic. The original plan of the label was to turn her into a pop singer, but Williams resisted, saying that she wanted to play alternative rock music and wanted a band behind her. In an interview with HitQuarters
HitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
the band's A&R at Atlantic, Steve Robertson, said, "She wanted to make sure that we didn't look at her as some straight to Top 40 pop princess. She wanted to make sure that she and her band got the chance to show what they can do as a rock band writing their own songs." Label president Julie Greenwald and the label staff decided to go with her wishes. The original management team for the band was Dave Steunebrink, Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
manager Jeff Hanson
Jeff Hanson
Jeff Hanson was a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist whose voice was described in a 2005 Paste review as an "angelic falsetto, a cross between Alison Krauss and Art Garfunkel that is often mistaken for a female contralto."-Biography:Hanson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, and Hanson's assistant Mark Mercado.
Paramore were originally supposed to come out on Atlantic Records but the label's marketing department decided it would be better for the image of the band to not have them attached to a major label. They instead released their music through a cooler niche label in Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
. Head of Warner Music Group, Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen is the North American Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group . He has been a pioneer in the development of hip hop music and influential in the development of hip hop music acts, including Beastie Boys, Foxy Brown, LL Cool J, Jam Master Jay, Nas, Run-D.M.C...
had already identified Fueled by Ramen as a label they should partner with and it was decided the rock label would make an ideal match for Paramore. According to Robertson, when the band were presented to Fueled by Ramen's CEO John Janick, "he got the vision of the band immediately." Janick went to a Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos is a hardcore tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour caters for fans of the post-hardcore, screamo, and metal genres, while offering the same...
performance in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
to see the band perform live. In April 2005, after a smaller private performance at a warehouse, the band was signed to Atlantic Records and Fueled By Ramen.
The band's first song written together was "Conspiracy", which was later used on their debut album. In 2004, they were a featured band in Purple Door. At this time, they were touring the southeast, usually being driven by Williams' parents. She commented that "Back then, I guess we were all thinking, after school we'll go to the house and practice. 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."
2005–2006: All We Know Is Falling
Paramore traveled back to Orlando, Florida, but shortly after arriving, Jeremy Davis left the band, citing personal reasons. The remaining four members of Paramore continued with the album, writing "All We KnowAll We Know
"All We Know" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on December 26, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and February 26, 2007 in the United States from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling...
" about his departure, and later deciding to base All We Know Is Falling
All We Know Is Falling
All We Know Is Falling is the debut studio album by American rock band Paramore, released on July 26, 2005. The album reached #8 on the UK Rock Chart...
around the concept. The album artwork also reflected Paramore's grief as Hayley Williams explains, "The couch on the cover of All We Know is Falling with no one there and the shadow walking away; it's all about Jeremy leaving us and us feeling like there's an empty space." Recording took three weeks, and promotional material for the album only featured the four remaining members.
Before touring, the band added John Hembree (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) to their line up to replace Jeremy Davis. During that summer, Paramore was featured on the Shira Girl stage of the 2005 Warped Tour. After being asked by the band, Jeremy Davis returned to Paramore after five months apart, replacing Hembree. All We Know Is Falling was released on July 24, 2005, and reached #30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. Paramore released "Pressure
Pressure (Paramore song)
"Pressure" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on June 31, 2005 as the first single from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling. It failed to chart the Billboard Hot 100, however, it managed to peak at #62 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart...
" as its first single, with a video directed by Shane Drake
Shane Drake
Shane C. Drake is an American music video director originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timbaland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights and...
, but the song had failed to place in the charts. The video featured the band performing in a warehouse, eventually getting sprayed with water sprinklers as the storyline of a conflicted couple occurs. In July, "Emergency
Emergency (song)
"Emergency" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on October 21, 2006 as the second single from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling. It was released on 7" vinyl in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2006 and contained the B-side "Oh, Star," and a poster of the band. The song...
" was released as the second single, the video again reuniting the band with director Shane Drake and featuring Hunter Lamb (rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
), who replaced Jason Bynum. The video for "Emergency" showcased Paramore in another performance, this time fixing the members bloody costumes. The third single, "All We Know", was released with limited airtime, with the video consisting of a collection of live performances and backstage footage.
In January 2006, the band took part in the Winter Go West tour where they played alongside Seattle bands Amber Pacific
Amber Pacific
Amber Pacific is an American band that formed in 2002 in Federal Way, Washington. The band has released three full length albums thus far, The Possibility and the Promise in 2005, Truth in Sincerity in 2007, and Virtues in 2010....
and The Lashes
The Lashes
The Lashes are a Seattle-based power pop band.The band formed in Seattle in 2000. Named by Ben Clark's ex-girlfriend. The band had gone through 10 previous drummers before finding Mike Loggins....
. In February, Hayley Williams was featured on "Keep Dreaming Upside Down" by October Fall
October Fall
-Trivia:*Guitarist Clark Harrison was a winning contestant on Fox Kids' Moolah Beach*Jack Marin, original bassist, played bass in Cute Is What We Aim For for a short time after parting ways with October Fall....
. In spring of 2006, Paramore was an opening act on headlining tours for both Bayside
Bayside (band)
Bayside is an American punk rock band from Queens which formed in the winter of 2000. The band has released five full length albums since signing to Victory Records...
and soon afterwards, The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer is the solo-project of Bryce Avary who is based in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Avary is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer. He writes and produces every song on his records, and plays every instrument on them....
. They toured the United Kingdom from October 5 to October 15, 2006, where they ended in London at The Mean Fiddler
Mean Fiddler
The Astoria 2, subsequently known as the LA2 then the Mean Fiddler, was a nightclub at 165 Charing Cross Road in London, England.The venue was connected to the London Astoria such that the two venues could function as a single venue where needed...
. The band then covered Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
' "My Hero
My Hero (song)
"My Hero" is the third single from the Foo Fighters' second album The Colour and the Shape. It was released as a single in 1998, though has been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports...
" for the Sound of Superman
Sound of Superman
Sound of Superman is a companion album to the soundtrack of the Warner Bros. film, Superman Returns. It features performances both original and cover by various up and coming artists, as well as established ones, including the final track on the album performed by Sara Routh, the sister of the...
soundtrack which was released on June 26, 2006.
During the summer of 2006, Paramore played a portion of Warped Tour, primarily on the Volcom
Volcom
Volcom, Inc. is a designer, marketer and distributor of young men's and young women's clothing, footwear, accessories and related products sold under the Volcom brand name. Volcom is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, United States...
and Hurley
Hurley International
Hurley International is a clothing company located in Costa Mesa, California founded by Bob Hurley. The company puts emphasis on skateboarding, surfing, music, and "fun"...
Stages, and their first night on the Main Stage was at a date in their hometown of Nashville. Paramore's first United States headlining tour began on August 2, 2006 to a sold-out audience with support from This Providence
This Providence
This Providence is a four-piece Alternative Rock band from Seattle, Washington. The band consists of Dan Young , David Blaise , Gavin Phillips , and Andy Horst .-Formation and early history:...
, Cute Is What We Aim For, and Hit the Lights
Hit the Lights (band)
Hit the Lights is a pop punk/power pop band from Lima, Ohio, signed to Razor & Tie Records.-Early years:Hit the Lights formed in 2003, taking their name from an 80's skate flick called Gleaming the Cube according to their Warped Tour interview, not the previously believed Metallica song on the...
with the final show in Nashville. That year they were voted "Best New Band", and Hayley Williams was voted as #2 "Sexiest Female", by readers of the British magazine Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
.
In 2007, Hunter Lamb left the group to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet. Paramore was then named by British magazine NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
as one of ten bands to watch out for in their "New Noise 2007" feature. In January, the band played an acoustic set for the grand opening of a Warped Tour exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, and the dress Hayley Williams wore in the video for "Emergency" was also put on display in the exhibit.
Paramore was featured in Kerrang! magazine once more, however, Hayley Williams believed the article was an untrue portrayal of the band, particularly because it focused on her as the main component. Afterwards, Williams addressed the issue in the band's LiveJournal
LiveJournal
LiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
, with a post saying, "we could’ve done without a cover piece. sorry, if it offends anyone at Kerrang! but i don’t think there was one bit of truth in that article." In April, Hayley Williams' vocals were featured in "Then Came To Kill" by The Chariot
The Chariot (band)
The Chariot is an American mathcore band from Douglasville, Georgia, formed in 2003. The current lineup consists of drummer David Kennedy, bassist Jon "KC Wolf" Kindler, vocalist and bandleader Josh Scogin, and guitarists Brandon Henderson and Stephen Harrison. The band has experienced frequent...
. They headlined a tour in early 2007 with This Providence
This Providence
This Providence is a four-piece Alternative Rock band from Seattle, Washington. The band consists of Dan Young , David Blaise , Gavin Phillips , and Andy Horst .-Formation and early history:...
, The Almost
The Almost
The Almost is an American alternative rock band from Clearwater, Florida, formed in 2005, and is most notable for being the side project of former Underoath drummer, Aaron Gillespie.-History:...
and Love Arcade.
2007–2008: Riot! and other projects
Paramore began recording their second album, Riot!Riot!
Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore, succeeding their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2007...
in January 2007, ending production in March without rhythm guitarist Hunter Lamb (who left the band early in 2007 after getting married); without Lamb, lead guitarist Josh Farro was required to play both guitar parts on the album. Taylor York, who had been in a band with the Farro brothers before the two met Hayley Williams, joined as a replacement for Lamb. After being courted by producers Neal Avron and Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
, Paramore opted to record Riot! with New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
producer David Bendeth (Your Vegas
Your Vegas
Your Vegas are a British rock band from Leeds, England.-Background:The band started playing music together while attending Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley, West Yorkshire. Their first band was called Orka but they later changed their name to Salvadore...
, Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin
Breaking Benjamin is an American rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, currently consisting of Benjamin Burnley and Chad Szeliga. The band has released four studio albums to date and a greatest hits album that was released on August 16, 2011. The group initially went on indefinite hiatus due...
), releasing the album on June 12, 2007. Riot! entered the Billboard 200 at number 20, the UK charts at number 24, and sold 44,000 its first week in the United States.
The name Riot! had been chosen because it meant "a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion", and it was a word that "summed it all up". The first single from the album, released June 21, 2007, "Misery Business
Misery Business
"Misery Business" is a song by American rock band Paramore, and is the lead single from their second studio album, Riot!. "Misery Business" was the third Paramore video to be directed by Shane Drake, and was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the Kerrang! Awards 2007, but lost to Fall Out...
", is, according to Williams, "more honest than anything I've ever written, and the guys matched that emotion musically."
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
as "Ones to Watch". Paramore made their live television debut on Fuse Networks daily show, The Sauce
The Sauce
The Sauce is the first solo release of Eddie Spaghetti of the American rock and roll band The Supersuckers. It is a collection of country drinking songs released in 2003 on Mid-Fi Records.-Track listing:...
. The second single from Riot!, "Hallelujah
Hallelujah (Paramore song)
"Hallelujah" is the second single from rock band Paramore's second album Riot!. The single peaked at #139 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is not to be confused with the Leonard Cohen song of the same name, although on the Final Riot! summer 2008 tour, lead singer Hayley Williams performs an...
", was released on July 30, 2007, and is only available online and on UK television. The video, much like "All We Know", features backstage footage and live performances.
In August 2007, Paramore had been featured in television spots on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, performing acoustic versions of their songs or acting in short accompaniments to MTV program commercials. As "MTV Artists of the Week", the band filmed the faux camping themed spots in Queens, New York, all written and directed by Evan Silver and Gina Fortunato. MTV.com also has a collection of short videos with the band to promote Riot! as well. For weeks in August 2007, the "Misery Business" video was the number one streamed video at MTV.com
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. On October 8, Paramore played "Misery Business" live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, a booking made possible due to the friendship struck between the band and Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.Weinberg grew up in suburban New Jersey...
during the 2007 Warped Tour. In August, Paramore participated in New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
's music video for their cover of Sixpence None the Richer
Sixpence None the Richer
Sixpence None the Richer is an American rock/pop band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs "Kiss Me" and "Breathe Your Name" and their covers of "Don't Dream It's Over" and "There She Goes". The name of the band is...
's song "Kiss Me
Kiss Me
"Kiss Me" is a song recorded by Sixpence None the Richer and released on the 1997 album Sixpence None the Richer. It reached number two on the U.S...
".
On October 11, 2007, the music video for "Crushcrushcrush
Crushcrushcrush
"crushcrushcrush" is a song by American rock band Paramore, and is the third single from their second studio album, Riot!. The official music video premiered on TRL on October 16, 2007....
" debuted on the United States television as the next single from Riot!. The video for "Crushcrushcrush" featured the band playing a performance in a barren desert, being spied upon, and later destroying their equipment. The single was released in the United States on November 19 and made available in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2007. Hayley Williams recorded guest vocals for the tracks "The Church Channel" and "Plea" for the Say Anything
Say Anything (band)
Say Anything is an American indie-punk band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Max Bemis. The band was formed in 2000 with Bemis and four of his friends. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, Junior Varsity and In Your Dreams, and the full-length Baseball: An Album by Sayanything.In...
concept album In Defense of the Genre
In Defense of the Genre
In Defense of The Genre is the third full-length studio album by American pop-punk band Say Anything, released on October 23, 2007 through J Records as a double disc album. It debuted at number 27 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 25,000 copies in its first week. The first single, "Baby...
released on October 23, 2007. The group performed live, acoustic style in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on November 29, 2007 for FNX radio. On December 31, 2007, Paramore performed on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
program which ran from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
. Early 2008 saw Paramore touring the United Kingdom, supporting their album Riot!, along with New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
, Kids in Glass Houses
Kids in Glass Houses
Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh rock band from Cardiff, and are considered a significant part of the Cardiff music scene. The band's name is inspired by the lyrics "not throwing stones at you anymore" from Glassjaw song "Tip Your Bartender". The band achieved success on the strength of the singles...
and Conditions. In early February 2008, the band began a tour in Europe, however on February 21, 2008, the band announced that they had canceled six shows due to personal issues. Williams wrote on the band's web site that "the break will give that band 'a chance to get away and work out our personal issues'". MTV.com reported that fans of Paramore were speculating about the future of the band and reported rumors of trouble had begun earlier in the month when Josh Farro expressed his anger against the media's focus on Hayley Williams. The band, however, returned to their hometown to record the music video for the fourth single "That's What You Get
That's What You Get
"That's What You Get" is a single by rock band Paramore. This is the second Australian single, third U.S. single and the fourth UK single from Riot!. The single has been confirmed by MTV and Fueled by Ramen. The song was released on radio on March 22 in Australia and on March 24 in the U.S.In the...
", which was then released on March 24, 2008.
The band toured with Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
in the United States in April and May 2008. The band headlined the Give It A Name
Give it a Name
Give it a Name, also known as GIAN, , named after an At the Drive-In song, was an annual British rock music festival, normally held on the weekend nearest to the end of April. The first festival took place on May 2, 2005 at Alexandra Palace, North London...
festival in the United Kingdom on May 10 and May 11, 2008. Also the band performed on the In New Music We Trust Stage at Radio 1's One Big Weekend in Mote Park
Mote Park
Mote Park is a 180 hectare multi-use public park in Maidstone, Kent. Previously a country estate it was converted to landscaped park land at the end of the 18th century before becoming a municipal park. It includes the former stately home Mote House together with a miniature railway, pitch and putt...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on May 10, 2008. Paramore played their first Ireland show at the RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
in Dublin on June 2, 2008, followed by the 2008 Vans Warped Tour from July 1–6.
On MTV's TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, May 7, 2008, lead singer Hayley Williams said that the band was working on a new album and that it would hopefully be released by next summer. Hayley Williams says she and the band have been practicing the new songs during the sound checks on tour. In an Alternative Press
Alternative Press (music magazine)
Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
cover story, Zac Farro speculated on a forthcoming album, saying that it would sound like bands Mew
Mew (band)
Mew is a Danish alternative music band consisting of Jonas Bjerre, Bo Madsen, and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen. Bassist Johan Wohlert was also a founding member of the band, but left in 2006...
, Thrice, and Arcade Fire.
On May 19, 2008, Paramore announced on their website that they will be going on tour again, the tour being named "The Final Riot!", starting July 25 and ending September 1. On this tour, the band performed part of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
's "Hallelujah". On September 2, 2008, Paramore released a collaboration hoodie along with Hurley Clothing
Hurley International
Hurley International is a clothing company located in Costa Mesa, California founded by Bob Hurley. The company puts emphasis on skateboarding, surfing, music, and "fun"...
based on the album Riot!. All proceeds went to the Love146 foundation.
Paramore's song "Decode
Decode (song)
"Decode" is a song by Paramore released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Twilight. It is also included as a bonus track on the international version of Paramore's third studio album, Brand New Eyes....
" was the lead single for the novel-based Twilight
Twilight (2008 film)
Twilight is a 2008 American romantic vampire film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel of the same name. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series...
film. Another song called "I Caught Myself" is also featured on the film's soundtrack. "Decode" was released on October 1, 2008 on the Paramore Fan Club site as well as Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer is an American author known for her vampire romance series Twilight. The Twilight novels have gained worldwide recognition and sold over 100 million copies globally, with translations into 37 different languages...
's website. The band began shooting the video October 13 and it premiered on November 3. Hot Topic
Hot Topic
Hot Topic is an American retail chain specializing in music and pop culture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music on CD. The majority of the stores are located in regional shopping malls. The first Hot Topic store was opened in 1988 by Orv Madden, who retired as CEO in 2000...
hosted listening parties for the soundtrack on October 24, 2008, and the album was released on November 4, 2008. Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
released an exclusive version of the soundtrack that features an acoustic version of "Decode."
The band released a live album named The Final Riot!
The Final Riot!
The Final Riot! is the second official live album by American rock band Paramore and was released on November 25, 2008 with a bonus DVD containing the full live concert plus behind-the-scenes footage....
on November 25, 2008. The album includes a bonus DVD with a full concert recorded in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, as well as a behind the scenes documentary. As of the 9 of April 2009, The Final Riot! is certified gold in the United States.
2009–2010: Brand New Eyes and touring
In January 2009, Josh Farro spoke about the band's upcoming third studio album. Talking to Kerrang!, Farro said: "We're gonna try to [record] it in Nashville. I think writing the album there will inspire us, and then if we record there too it'll be a lot easier since we can sleep in our beds at night rather than in hotels like the other 300 days out of the year! We're not sure who's going to produce the record yet. We did "Decode" with [producer] Rob CavalloRob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
, which was a good experience, but we're looking around and don't want to make any decisions until we have a lot of songs and we know what we're looking for. We really enjoy our live sound and we want a producer who can really capture that."
On January 21, 2009, it was announced that Paramore will be the special guest with Bedouin Soundclash
Bedouin Soundclash
Bedouin Soundclash is a Canadian band currently based in Toronto. Their sound can be described as reggae and ska.-History:The band's current lineup consists of vocalist and guitarist Jay Malinowski, and bassist Eon Sinclair with Sekou Lumumba on drums. Their debut album, Root Fire, released in 2001...
, The Sounds
The Sounds
The Sounds are a Swedish Indie Rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1999, the group's musical style has been compared to New Wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons....
and Janelle Monae
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe is an American R&B/soul musician signed to Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records.Monáe debuted with a conceptual EP, Metropolis: Suite I ...
at the No Doubt Summer Tour 2009, starting in May 2009 in outdoor amphitheaters and arenas across the US and Canada.
Paramore wrote and completed their newest record Brand New Eyes
Brand New Eyes
Brand New Eyes is the third album by North American rock band Paramore, released September 29, 2009 through Fueled by Ramen in the United States and Canada. It debuted at number two on Billboard 200....
in early 2009. The first single off of the album was "Ignorance"
Ignorance (song)
"Ignorance" is a song by the American rock band Paramore. "Ignorance" was released by Fueled by Ramen in July 2009, as the lead single from the bands 2009 studio album entitled, Brand New Eyes. The single was written by Paramore band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro; Paramore is also credited...
and was released July 7, 2009. The official music video for "Ignorance" aired on all MTV platforms, networks, and websites on August 13, 2009. Paramore, along with Paper Route
Paper Route (band)
Paper Route is an American Indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee formed in 2004. The band's self-titled debut EP was released on August 29, 2006.-History:...
and The Swellers
The Swellers
The Swellers are an American punk rock band from Flint, Michigan. Their music draws influence from melodic punk rock bands as well as alternative and indie rock from the 90s.-Band history:...
, toured in support of Brand New Eyes in the fall of 2009. Some tour dates were postponed due to Hayley Williams becoming infected with laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
. "Brick By Boring Brick
Brick by Boring Brick
"Brick by Boring Brick" is a song by American rock band Paramore, and the second single from their third album Brand New Eyes."Brick by Boring Brick" was also featured in The Vampire Diaries episode "Under Control" that aired on April 15, 2010...
", "The Only Exception
The Only Exception
"The Only Exception" is a song by the American rock band Paramore. It was released by Fueled by Ramen in February 2010 as the third single from the band's 2009 studio album Brand New Eyes. The song was written by Paramore band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro; Paramore is also credited as...
", "Careful
Careful (Paramore song)
"Careful" is a song by the American rock band Paramore, and is the fourth single from their third studio album, Brand New Eyes. The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 the week Brand New Eyes was released before it was announced as a single. It charted due to digital downloads...
" and "Playing God
Playing God (song)
"Playing God" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on November 15, 2010 as the fifth and last single from the band's third studio album, Brand New Eyes...
" followed as the album's next singles. To promote the album, the band recorded a performance for MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
.
Paramore then played a sold out 15-date European tour with You Me At Six
You Me At Six
You Me at Six is a British rock band from Weybridge, Surrey. Formed in 2004, the group rose to fame in 2008 with the success of their debut album, Take Off Your Colours, which included the singles "Save It for the Bedroom", "Finders Keepers" and "Kiss and Tell", with the latter two peaking at #33...
, Paper Route
Paper Route (band)
Paper Route is an American Indie rock band from Nashville, Tennessee formed in 2004. The band's self-titled debut EP was released on August 29, 2006.-History:...
and Now Now Every Children. Their stadium tour culminated at London's Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
, to an audience of 12,500. The band performed in 2010 in the Australian Soundwave Festival along with bands such as Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
, You Me at Six
You Me At Six
You Me at Six is a British rock band from Weybridge, Surrey. Formed in 2004, the group rose to fame in 2008 with the success of their debut album, Take Off Your Colours, which included the singles "Save It for the Bedroom", "Finders Keepers" and "Kiss and Tell", with the latter two peaking at #33...
, All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
, Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
and Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
. Shortly before the tour, lead guitarist Josh Farro announced via the band's LiveJournal that he is engaged and stayed behind to plan his wedding. Justin York, brother of Taylor York, filled in for him on the tour. The band, with Farro returned, embarked on a spring tour of the U.S. in late April. Paramore supported Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
on selected dates of their Stadium tour, in Dublin and Paris.
In April 2010, the band announced that they would be headlining the 2010 Honda Civic Tour
Honda Civic Tour
The Honda Civic Tour is an annual concert tour, sponsored by Honda Motor Company which began in 2001. Each year, the headlining band or bands customize a Honda Civic for concert patrons to win in a raffle.-First Half:*Headliner: blink-182...
. The tour began on July 23 in Raleigh, NC and closed on September 19 in Anaheim, CA. After a short United Kingdom tour in November 2010, the band announced, on December 2, 2010, the official dates for a South American tour to take place during February and March 2011.
During an interview with MTV at the Z100 Jingle Ball on December 11, 2010, Hayley and Taylor announced that the band would be taking a break after their South American Tour in 2011 to write for their forthcoming fourth studio album.
Josh and Zac Farro's departure
On December 18, 2010 a message from Hayley, Jeremy, and Taylor was released through Paramore.net stating that Josh and Zac were leaving the band. In the message they stated, "A couple of months ago, Josh and Zac let us know they would be leaving the band after our show in Orlando last Sunday. None of us were really shocked. For the last year it hasn't seemed as if they wanted to be around anymore. We want Josh and Zac to do something that makes them happy and if that isn't here with us, then we support them finding happiness elsewhere. But we never for a second thought about leaving any of this behind." The post also stated that the remaining members had no intention of disbanding. They also added "As we look back, and now as we look with excitement to the future, in all of this what truly matters are the good times. The pictures of us with our arms around each other, the long van rides, your faces while you sing along as we play. Thank you for getting us right here to this very moment. We look forward to our best times. And we hope you will go there with us." The band also confirmed the scheduled South American tour is still going to happen.
Josh Farro wrote a personal response on the departure on his Blogger
Blogger (service)
Blogger is a blog-publishing service that allows private or multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries. It was created by Pyra Labs, which was bought by Google in 2003. Generally, the blogs are hosted by Google at a subdomain of blogspot.com. Up until May 1, 2010 Blogger allowed users to publish...
account, entirely different from the band's response, claiming that the band was "a manufactured product of a major-label." He further accused Hayley Williams of being manipulated by her management, treating the rest of the group as her solo project, and claimed she was the only member of the band who was signed to Atlantic Records, while her bandmates were simply "riding on the coattails of her dream".
On December 30, 2010, MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
interviewed Williams, York and Davis in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
regarding their reactions to Farro's response. The interview aired on MTV.com on January 7, 2011 as Paramore: The Last Word. While the band confirmed many of Farro's statements, notably that Williams was indeed the only member of the band actually signed to Atlantic, they said they felt the statement was irrelevant, adding that they had addressed many of the claims made already throughout the course of their career.
2011–present: Paramore without the Farro brothers and Singles Club
On January 10, 2011, in an interview with MTV, Hayley WilliamsHayley Williams
Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
said that despite the band losing two of its founding members, they will be releasing new music in 2011, although it is not known yet if they will manage to record a full album for release this year, or just release some songs. The singer also admitted that Paramore's style was likely to change with the new lineup, but clarified that the band would still retain their signature sound.*
On February 2, 2011, Josh Farro confirmed the name of his new band, Novel American
Novel American
Novel American is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2011. They were formed following guitarist Josh Farro's departure from Paramore and consists of Farro, Ryan Clark formerly of Cecil Adora, and Zac Farro .Tyler Ward was the band's drummer before being replaced by Farro's...
.
Zac has also confirmed his new band, Half Noise
Half Noise
Half Noise is an American alternative/indie band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2010. The project was formed as a result of the departure of Zac Farro of Paramore.-History:...
.
On February 17, 2011, Hayley Williams has confirmed that the band will be hitting the studio upon returning from their South American tour, to record a batch of songs to be released over the summer, prior to a new full-length album that might follow late this year or in 2012. One of the new songs to be released include "In the Mourning", which Williams debuted on her Tumblr
Tumblr
Tumblr is a website and microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th...
page.
On March 21, 2011, Paramore stated on their various social networking accounts that they were entering a studio in Los Angeles with producer Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
to record their next album.
On June 3, 2011, Paramore released the single "Monster
Monster (Paramore song)
"Monster" is a song by American alternative rock band Paramore. It was released on June 7, 2011 for digital download. It is also the second single from the Transformers: Dark of the Moon OST, which was released on June 14, 2011...
", featured on the Transformers: Dark of the Moon soundtrack, on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. This is the first song that the band released without the Farro brothers.
On June 9, 2011, Hayley Williams announced that the band are starting to write their fourth album, which they hope to start recording at the end of the year, hoping for a release in early 2012. On September 5, 2011, Hayley Williams has confirmed that the band is getting ready to release another new song, entitled "Renegade", which was recorded in the same sessions as the band's latest single "Monster
Monster (Paramore song)
"Monster" is a song by American alternative rock band Paramore. It was released on June 7, 2011 for digital download. It is also the second single from the Transformers: Dark of the Moon OST, which was released on June 14, 2011...
", that took place last March with producer Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo
Rob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
. The song is the first of three songs that are left to be released from these sessions, except "Monster".
On October 11, 2011, Paramore announced that they will be releasing three new singles over the next three months until the end of 2011, with a single per month. The band has set up the "Singles Club" on their website which gives fans the chance to purchase the new singles when they're released, as they're released exclusively through the Singles Club and will not be sold on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
or in stores. A song called "Renegade", premiered the day of the announcement, with "Hello Cold World" to follow on November 7 and "In the Mourning" on December 5.
Musical style and influences
Paramore's music has generally been regarded as "emoEmo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
" and "pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
". Joshua Martin had written after an interview with Hayley Williams, "The band isn't just a short pop-punk girl with red hair and a spunky attitude. Their music is like them, it's aged differently. It's sped up, and slowed down. It's emo without being whiny, or bratty. Almost a very literal anti-Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
." Alternative Press
Alternative Press (music magazine)
Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
magazine had commented that the band was "young sounding", while consistently being "honest." Paramore's first album All We Know is Falling had an arguably more "formulaic pop-punk" sound that was "delivered particularly well" and the combination of the two had created a "refined rock infused pop/punk album." The band's second release, Riot! was said to explore a 'diverse range of styles," however, not straying far from "their signature sound."
Alternative Press and various other reviewers have noted that the band's stage performances have helped boost them to larger fame. Alternative Press states that Williams "has more charisma than singers twice her age, and her band aren't far behind in their chops, either." Singer-songwriter John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
had praised Williams
Hayley Williams
Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
' voice in a blog in October 2007, calling her "The great orange hope"; "orange" in reference to her hair color. Due to the female fronted aspect of the band, Paramore has gained comparisons to Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
and the aforementioned Avril Lavigne, to which one reviewer said was "sorely unfounded." Reviewer Jonathan Bradley noted that "Paramore attacks its music with infectious enthusiasm." However, he also explained that "there isn't a whole lot of difference between Riot! and the songs from Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
or Avril Lavigne." A reviewer at NME had likened Paramore's sound to that of "No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
(stripped of all the ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
bollocks)" and "Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
's wildest dreams." Hayley Williams has gone on to comment about the female aspect of the band saying that Paramore is not "this girl-fronted band" and it makes "music for people to enjoy music, not so people can talk about my sexuality."
Paramore has expressed appreciation for Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
, Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
, MewithoutYou
MewithoutYou
Me Without You, stylized as mewithoutYou and abbreviated as mwY, is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band consists of vocalist Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, bassist Greg Jehanian and drummer Rickie Mazzotta. MewithoutYou's music is generally dominated by...
, and Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In...
, as well as Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
and New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
; Hayley Williams citing her personal influences as Robert Smith
Robert Smith (musician)
Robert James Smith is an English musician. He is the lead singer, guitar player and principal songwriter of the rock band The Cure, and its only constant member since its founding in 1976...
of The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
and Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
. Williams also explained that bands such as U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, "who are massive, and do whatever they want, write whatever they want and they stand for something," Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
, "who I don’t think ever disappoint their fans," and No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, who "have done amazing things," act as a pattern for the path in which Paramore would like to take their career.
The band members are Christians and in an interview with the BBC, Josh Farro stated "Our faith is very important to us. It's obviously going to come out in our music because if someone believes something, then their world view is going to come out in anything they do. But we're not out here to preach to kids, we're out here because we love music."
Band members
Current members- Hayley WilliamsHayley WilliamsHayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(since 2004) - Jeremy DavisJeremy DavisJeremy Clayton Davis is an American bassist for the band Paramore.Jeremy Clayton Davis was born on February 8, 1984 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He has been playing bass for almost 14 years...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2004, since 2005) - Taylor YorkTaylor YorkTaylor Benjamin York , is an American rock guitarist and is currently a member of the alternative rock band Paramore. He also plays the keyboard and glockenspiel occasionally during their live set...
– lead and rhythm guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(since 2007)
Current touring members
- Josh FreeseJosh FreeseJosh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(since 2010) - Jon HowardJon HowardJonathan Michael Howard is a songwriter, producer, and touring guitarist for Paramore.In 2004, shortly after graduating high-school, Jon moved to Lancaster, California to join Forefront Records band, Dizmas. After hundreds of shows and three records, members of Dizmas moved on. Jon moved to...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, keyboards, piano backing vocals (since 2010) - Justin YorkJustin YorkJustin Daniel York is the brother of guitarist Taylor York of Paramore and was the guitarist of Christian rock band Tait. He joined the band in 2001 when he was barely 19 years old, replacing Pete Stewart. He subsequently left the band in 2006...
– guitars, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(since 2010)
Former members
- Josh FarroJosh FarroJoshua Neil Farro is an American rock guitarist and songwriter, and the lead guitarist of the band Novel American. He is best known as the former lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band Paramore...
– lead guitar, backing vocals (2004–2010) - Zac FarroZac FarroZachary Wayne Farro is an American musician and drummer of the bands Novel American and Half Noise. He is best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Paramore from its inception until 2010...
– drums, percussion (2004–2010) - Hunter Lamb – rhythm guitar (2005–2007)
- Jason Bynum – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2004–2005)
- John Hembree – bass guitar (2005)
Discography
Studio albums- All We Know Is FallingAll We Know Is FallingAll We Know Is Falling is the debut studio album by American rock band Paramore, released on July 26, 2005. The album reached #8 on the UK Rock Chart...
(2005) - Riot!Riot!Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore, succeeding their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2007...
(2007) - Brand New EyesBrand New EyesBrand New Eyes is the third album by North American rock band Paramore, released September 29, 2009 through Fueled by Ramen in the United States and Canada. It debuted at number two on Billboard 200....
(2009)
Awards
Among other awards, Paramore has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.Appearances in video games
In 2005, Paramore made its first video game appearance with the song "PressurePressure (Paramore song)
"Pressure" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on June 31, 2005 as the first single from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling. It failed to chart the Billboard Hot 100, however, it managed to peak at #62 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart...
" being featured in the console versions of the video game The Sims 2.
In March 2008, Paramore made its first rhythm game appearance with "Crushcrushcrush
Crushcrushcrush
"crushcrushcrush" is a song by American rock band Paramore, and is the third single from their second studio album, Riot!. The official music video premiered on TRL on October 16, 2007....
" as a downloadable track in the Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
games and later being a playable song in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. Later that year, Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
was released with the song "That's What You Get
That's What You Get
"That's What You Get" is a single by rock band Paramore. This is the second Australian single, third U.S. single and the fourth UK single from Riot!. The single has been confirmed by MTV and Fueled by Ramen. The song was released on radio on March 22 in Australia and on March 24 in the U.S.In the...
" included as a playable track. The video game Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
featured the song "Misery Business
Misery Business
"Misery Business" is a song by American rock band Paramore, and is the lead single from their second studio album, Riot!. "Misery Business" was the third Paramore video to be directed by Shane Drake, and was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the Kerrang! Awards 2007, but lost to Fall Out...
" along with Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams
Hayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
participating in motion capture sessions for the game. She is featured as an unlockable character in the game as well.
"Misery Business" is also featured in Saint's Row 2, and the soundtrack for EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
NHL 08
NHL 08
-Soundtrack:-Easter Eggs:* Wells Greeno-McNeil is the name of a child for the Make-A-Wish Foundation whose wish was to have his name and likeness in a videogame.* The default created player names are of the game's developers....
.
The music video for "Decode
Decode (song)
"Decode" is a song by Paramore released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Twilight. It is also included as a bonus track on the international version of Paramore's third studio album, Brand New Eyes....
", along with the Twilight film trailer, was shown in the North American Home Theater of PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home is a virtual 3D social gaming network developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network . It is available directly from the PlayStation 3 XrossMediaBar under PlayStation Network. Membership is free, and only requires a PSN...
from December 11, 2008 to December 18, 2008.