While Paramore are still maddeningly young and good looking, they have in fact been doing the rounds for some time. Their punky brand of pop-rock has seen them become darlings of the alternative set since their bow back in 2005, with Hayley Williams a genuine combination of megastar/trendsetter/role model that doesn’t come around all that often.
The band will wrap up a UK tour this weekend with a brace of shows at London’s Wembley Arena, and here we take a look at just a few of the singles that helped them plot a path to arena greatness in just a few careful moves.
Pressure
The ingredients are all here: chunky guitars, massive chorus, half-time bits. Taken from Paramore’s debut, ‘All We Know Is Falling’, Pressure is a pretty good distillation of how it all fell into place for the band. Its parent album made a minor dent upon release and took on new popularity once its successor, ‘Riot!’, blew up. The video was helmed by Shane Drake, who would become a regular collaborator with the band.
Misery Business
Earworm (Urban Dictionary): “A song that sticks in your mind, and will not leave no matter how much you try.” Yep, that just about covers this one. Released in 2007 and the lead single from ‘Riot!’, Misery Business landed Paramore a slot in the UK singles chart for the first time, while its video again found them paired with Drake.
The Only Exception
The third single from ‘Brand New Eyes’, the band’s third album, The Only Exception remains Paramore’s most successful single in the States and represented something of a shift stylistically. A ballad in the classic sense, this was a particularly strong moment for Williams, who stole the show with a lilting vocal. The video, directed by Brandon Chesbro, features Valentine’s Day cards sent to the band by fans.
Monster
When five became three. The first new music premiered by the band following the departure of Josh and Zac Farro in controversial circumstances, Monster was lifted from the Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon soundtrack. While its cinematic partner was irretrievably terrible, this was actually a pretty strong statement from a band that had taken a few licks. Heavy and catchy as hell, it featured another belting effort from Williams, while its video found Drake behind the lens again.
Still Into You
After all the mystery and flapping that accompanied the band’s return on ‘Paramore’, and its off-kilter lead single, Now, Still Into You was something of a slap in the face. A poppy, comforting slap in the face. This is the band at their most flagrantly accessible, with bouncy, DayGlo melodies and a maddeningly catchy guitar/chorus combo. The video was looked after by Isaac Rentz, who, judging by this and the promo for Tegan and Sara’s Closer, has a thing for balloons.
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