Paramore

Paramore is a Franklin, Tennessee based rock band, formed in 2004 that has since recorded a platinum-selling album, garnered a Grammy nomination and achieved international recognition. At the tender age of 15, vocalist Hayley Williams began writing songs alongside friends and future bandmates Josh Farro (lead guitar), Zac Farro (drums) and Jeremy Davis (bass). After developing a few songs, the band began performing at venues around the greater Nashville area including one that was attended by Fueled By Ramen co-founder John Janick. Deeply impressed, he developed a relationship with the group and they were subsequently signed to Fueled By Ramen in April 2005. Shortly thereafter the band began working on their debut album, entitled All We Know Is Falling, which was released in July 2005. The album was released independently and it was clear from their #30 position on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart Debut that fans were receptive towards the band's unique blend of emo, punk and pop.

Hayley's vocal talent immediately earned her comparisons with among the top female vocalists, while the band's energy during their live performances was hailed as being reminiscent of No Doubt, one of the band's greatest influences. Following the addition of guitarist Taylor York and several months of successful touring, including a stage on the Warped Tour, they began recording their sophomore album, Riot!, which was released in June 2007. The visible evolution from their first album earned the group notable success in the form of a Grammy nomination for"Best New Artist," the coveted cover of Alternative Press magazine and the title: "The Best band of 2007" according to AP readers. In November 2008 they released "Decode," which became the hit single off the soundtrack for the novel-based blockbuster film series, Twilight. The single is now certified Gold and won them a Nickelodeon Teen Choice Award for "Best Rock Song" for the second consecutive year (they won in 2007 for their single "crushcrushcrush"). This past year, Paramore joined longtime influences, No Doubt, as special guests on the widely successful No Doubt 2009 Tour while finishing on their highly anticipated third album "brand new eyes".

While their spunky blend of emo-pop and anthemic rock would eventually make them stars on both sides of the Atlantic, Paramore began humbly enough in Franklin, TN, where lead singer Hayley Williams met brothers Josh and Zac Farro (guitar and drums, respectively) after moving to town from Mississippi. The two Farros had a young band that the burgeoning singer was asked to join. After the brothers opened Williams' 13-year-old eyes to the likes of U2, the Cure, Sparta, and Failure, the teenagers began performing together under the name Paramore following the addition of Jason Bynum on rhythm guitar and Jeremy Davis on bass. Local hangouts and a school talent show helped the young bandmembers hone their chops before graduating to higher-level gigs at area rock clubs.

The quintet's sweet melodies and earnest charisma -- not to mention Williams' powerhouse vocals -- eventually caught the attention of Florida's Fueled by Ramen label, which signed the band in April 2005. Working with James Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Underoath) and Mike Green (Yellowcard, the Black Maria), Paramore recorded their full-length debut, All We Know Is Falling. The album was issued in late July 2005, and Paramore jumped quickly into their van to support it. In addition to a spot on New Jersey's Bamboozle Festival and multiple Warped Tour dates, they also played shows with such bands as Simple Plan and Straylight Run. Hunter Lamb replaced Bynum on guitar in December 2005, and time was spent in the early part of the next year on tour dates with Halifax, So They Say, and Bayside. Similar to many of their musical peers, Paramore then spent the summer of 2006 on the annual Warped Tour circuit. Lamb parted ways with the group in early 2007 to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet.

The following summer saw the release of the band's sophomore album, Riot!, which was recorded alongside producer David Bendeth and issued by the band's new label, Atlantic Records. Buoyed by the popular singles "Misery Business," "crushcrushcrush," and "That's What You Get," Riot! turned Paramore into industry darlings, going platinum within its first 13 months of release and earning the band a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. The group toured exhaustively in support of the record, even landing a two-month jaunt across the continental U.S. with their idols Jimmy Eat World. Meanwhile, Paramore found time to contribute two songs to the Twilight soundtrack, including the Top 40 single "Decode." A live album entitled The Final Riot! was released several weeks after the Twilight soundtrack, capturing the band's energy as a live act and concluding its lengthy tour. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide