(Image via uproxx.com)

Photography Manager: Rena Danho

Email: rdanho@umassd.edu

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past nineteen years, then you have probably heard of one of the best rock bands of our generation: Paramore.

Made up of the talented Hayley Williams as lead singer, Taylor York as guitarist, and Zac Farro on drums, Paramore has dominated the music scene for years.

You may have heard their songs “Ain’t it Fun” or “Still Into You” on the radio growing up. However, if you went through an “emo phase,” then you may even know “crushcrushcrush” and, most famously, “Misery Business.”  You may have even heard “Decode,” which was part of the Twilight movie soundtrack.

Like many bands that have been around for a long time, Paramore has changed their music style over the years. And unlike most popular bands who rose to fame in the emo scene, Paramore has succeeded in keeping the majority of their fans and even pulling in new ones by dipping into new genres.

This is Why, Paramore’s sixth studio album, came out in early February of 2023. Fans were ecstatic because this was their first album since 2017, with the release of After Laughter. 

This is Why seemed to follow in the footsteps of After Laughter by keeping the indie vibe but still maintaining an alternative, rock-ish feel. This is Why ended up placing #1 on US Top Alternative Album and US Top Rock Album on Billboard, along with #2 on US Billboard 200. 

Following the success of this album, on October 6th, 2023, Paramore released something new, almost like a deluxe version of This is Why: Re: This is Why.

In an Instagram post on the band’s social media merely four days before the album’s release, the band announced Re: This is Why.

“We’ve long wanted to recognize the connection we have with some of the artists who’ve influenced us as a band and/or who have cited our band as an influence. 

Re: This is Why is almost a remix album. Some of the songs have been remixed sort of classically, and others were reworked or rewritten. It’s incredible to hear all our worlds colliding. Out 10/6.”

Two days after this post on Instagram, the band again took to social media to announce the track list of songs and who would be featured on the songs. 

Fans slowly became more excited about this album, seeing names like Remi Wolf, Julien Baker, and Wet Leg being featured. Other artists such as Foals, The Linda Lindas, Panda Bear, Zane Lowe, DOMI & JD BECK, Bartees Strange, Romy, and Claud were also seen to be featured on this album. 

Most notably, “You First” ft. Remi Wolf was a hit. Fans of both artists loved the song and collectively agreed that Remi’s spin on the original made it one of the best songs on the album. 

Many of the songs with featured artists strongly represented their identities; they heavily influenced their development, making the songs their own. Not to mention the addition of artists to the old tracks and the remixing of songs gave a whole new feel and vibe, giving listeners two different points of view on the song.

Julien Baker, a solo artist and a member of the band Boygenius, was also a notable feature on this album. Many fans loved her part in “Thick Skull.” Her vocals on the song do not disappoint and left some fans liking this version more than the original. 

Looking at the track list, Re: This is Why has twelve songs on the album, while This is Why only has ten. In Re: This is Why, we got two versions of “Running Out Of Time;” however, that only covers eleven songs. Taking spot number twelve, Paramore was kind enough to give their fans a demo song.

“Sanity” is the only song on Re: This is Why with no feature, allowing Hayley Williams to display her vocals – and fans were anything but upset. Many fans took this song and related it to their previous album, After Laughter, leaving them to wonder how it didn’t make the cut for the past two albums.

Despite only having one new song, Paramore did not disappoint, and neither did the features on the album. It brought a fresh vibe to This is Why and a new outlook on each song. Despite being a huge band, Paramore doesn’t have many songs with featured artists, so this surprised fans – a surprise that everyone seems to love. 

Sometimes, after being a fan of a band for so long, it’s nerve-racking when they release new music because you want to like it, and the band themselves want you to like it. However, Paramore is a band that never disappoints and continues to make songs that old and new fans love. 

Re: This is Why is the perfect example of how versatile and talented Paramore is.