We have waited five years for Paramore’s highly anticipated sixth album and our wait is almost over. Paramore just released their debut single “This is Why” from their upcoming album with the same title. In celebration of their comeback, “Let’s take it from the top” with a timeline of some of my favorite Paramore songs.
Pressure (2005)
Growing up can be difficult with people telling you what to do. That is exactly what Paramore communicates in their very first single, “Pressure”. Coming from a teenage perspective, the band writes about the hardships of being at a stage of life where you feel caught between making your own decisions and succumbing to society’s pressures. The music video conveys exactly that with two teens who feel pressured to work, ultimately deciding that they would rather enjoy their youth than continue being scolded during work.
Misery Business (2007)
A list of top Paramore songs could not be complete without “Misery Business”, the lead single off Paramore’s second album, Riot!, and the band’s first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. While frontwoman Hayley Williams addressed that she no longer relates the lyrics, “Misery Business” remains Paramore’s most listened to song on Spotify. The song inspired Olivia’s Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U”, which Hayley Williams and Paramore’s guitarist, Josh Farro, received songwriting credits on.
Brick by Boring Brick (2009)
Lyrically, I would say that “Brick by Boring Brick” is one of Paramore’s best songs. The song tells the story of a girl who builds this fictional image of herself in efforts to hide her harsh reality. Hayley Williams explained that she wrote this song because “…Some people are so scared of being boring – so insecure with who they might be – that they build up this huge lie, it’s all one big distraction…I’ve been guilty of living this way.” In addition to the relatable lyrics, I also think “Brick by Boring Brick” is one of Paramore’s best videos. It has a fairy tale-like theme of a girl’s journey and realization that she cannot run from reality forever.
Turn It Off (2009)
Whether you lost a family member during the pandemic, had a devastating break up, or moved away from your beloved hometown, I think we have all experienced hardships. For Hayley Williams, writing “Turn It Off” was a way to better understand her feelings at a time she felt faithless. She stated “I’ve felt it would be easier to not have faith in anything and see myself as alone and work at it that way”. However, doing so led her to hit “rock bottom”. Reaching an all-time low provided her with hope that things could not get any worse.
Hello Cold World (2011)
For me, “Hello Cold World” has recently been one of the most relatable Paramore songs. Paramore wrote this song after two of their band members left, but the lyrics can apply to anyone who feels like the world is harsh. In the first verse, Hayley Williams sings “Twenty-two was like, the worst idea that I have ever had/It’s too much, it’s too much freedom/What should I do with this”. As a college student, those lines sum up my life right now, feeling the freedom of moving away from home, but also the inevitable pains of stress and loneliness.
Ain’t It Fun (2013)
“Ain’t It Fun” is Paramore’s highest charting song. The song is about growing up and having to face the real world and not always rely on others. As a bonus, “Ain’t It Fun” has a light-hearted and entertaining music video, as the members of Paramore combine to break ten world records with the final record being “most records set in a music video.” With relatable lyrics and a memorable music video, it is no wonder why “Ain’t It Fun” won Paramore their first Grammy award.
Anklebiters (2013)
People are going to try to break you down. The choice is up to you for how you respond to criticism. In “Anklebiters”, Paramore encourages listeners to not care what others think because “Someday you’re gonna be the only one you’ve got”. In addition to inspirational lyrics, this song has a catchy pop-punk song to it, reminiscent of Paramore’s earlier albums. A fun animated music video and Pac-Man-like video game were released for this song.
Fake Happy (2017)
For anyone looking for a positive and catchy song about mental health, I recommend “Fake Happy”. The song is about people putting on a display of being emotionally okay, encouraging honesty about one’s feelings with the hope that stigmas will be broken. “Fake Happy” is off of Paramore’s most recent album, After Laughter, which has a positive theme about mental health and a more retro sound in contrast to Paramore’s previous pop-punk albums.
Whether this is your first time hearing about these songs or grew up listening to Paramore, I hope you take a listen and count down the days to Paramore’s upcoming album.