Paramore – ‘This Is Why’ single review: Paramore are BACK!

Bursting onto the music scene in 2005 with the debut album All We Know Is Falling, pop-punk turned indie pop legends Paramore have seen many changes in their almost 20-year history however, their new single, This Is Why, provides us with a perfect example of how returning to your roots can be just as refreshing as exploring something new.

This Is Why is a comeback single following their four-year break. Although their roots were as a rock band, Paramore’s music during the 2010s experimented with pop, funk and new wave sounds. This was more popular in the mainstream with the band securing their first Billboard top 10 single with Ain’t It Fun and Grammy win. As with pretty much any change in sound, aesthetic and line-up, this was met with a mixed reception from die-hard fans. Personally, I love all of their albums and singles. It just depends on what mood I’m in. Having said that, their exploration of new wave sounds in After Laughter remains my absolute favourite regardless of how ‘Paramore’ it did or didn’t sound.

Therefore, I am glad to say that This Is Why feels like an evolution rather than a step back. Aesthetically, the music video and promotional images feel like a return to form for Paramore with lead singer Hayley Williams’ bright orange hair and a greater utilisation of dark colours, mainly reds and blacks. Sound-wise, This Is Why mixes the different facets together meaning that comparisons can be drawn from across the band’s two-decade history. Where some comebacks, remakes, and returns to form rely too heavily on what originally made them famous, ignoring what occurred in the interim, Paramore have blended the styles to create something new. Thus, This Is Why feels recognizable but not tired and recycled.

Just as noughties fashion has returned twenty years after its debut in a new form, noughties Paramore has returned to provide us with a fresh take on what made them great.