Fan poll: 5 best Paramore albums of all time
Paramore’s story is one of growth and change. Each of their albums — eight in total if you count the 2008 live record and “almost remix” album Re: This Is Why — has added to their fierce legacy in myriad ways. From their 2000s Hot Topic days to embracing synth-pop and ’80s new wave in their later years, they’ve become a drastically different band who always own their past. Through it all, they’ve built a unique resume that includes Twilight bangers, Foo Fighters collabs, and nods from David Byrne.
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Naturally, we asked our readers to vote on the best Paramore albums, and they answered with a slew of different eras. See the top fan picks ranked below.
5. This Is Why
We named This Is Why one of the best records of 2023, so it makes sense that our readers love it, too. The project — named after “the roller coaster of being alive in 2022” — pulls together their affinity for post-punk, funk, and 2000s indie bands like Bloc Party, who Paramore brought on tour. The slinky title track sounds indebted to Talking Heads, whereas “C’est Comme Ça” channels the bouncy dance-punk of New York. It’s a top-tier album — one that shows Paramore continue to evole as they enter the next phase of their lives.
4. All We Know Is Falling
All We Know Is Falling introduced us to a group of earnest teenagers from Franklin, Tennessee who wrote dark songs fueled by adolescent rage. The album set the groundwork for an incredible career and cast a bright light on Hayley Williams’ scorching vocals. From the raucous angst of “Pressure” to the impossibly catchy hook of “Here We Go Again,” it’s a head trip to listen to AWKIF and This Is Why back to back, but these songs go just as hard as the day they were released.
3. After Laughter
After Laughter brought Paramore’s core band back together, as drummer Zac Farro rejoined after leaving the band between 2010 and early 2017. Rather than leaning further into pop punk, though, Paramore made a bold transition into the world of ’80s new wave, which yielded hits like “Hard Times,” “Rose-Colored Boy,” and “Caught In The Middle.” The album — indebted to Talking Heads, Blondie, and Fela Kuti — gave the band a brand-new life and plunged into greater lyrical depths like depression and PTSD.
2. Brand New Eyes
Paramore’s third album channeled tension and anger into a collection of spectacular songs. From the pointed “Playing God” and unimpeachable fury of “Ignorance” to the anguish of “Misguided Ghosts,” Brand New Eyes was an emotionally heavy record. Only a couple of songs, like “The Only Exception,” which our readers also named one of the best love songs, contrasted the darkness. Either way, it’s an album with no skips — especially if you consider that the special-edition version included the Twilight soundtrack banger “Decode,” which has been making it into the band’s setlists as of late.
1. Riot!
Of course our readers voted Riot! as the best Paramore album of all time. Building on what they started with All We Know Is Falling, it’s largely considered to be the band’s breakthrough and is, from start to end, stacked with songs that would define their mythos. There’s not only “Misery Business” — which the band originally retired but then revived, inviting guests like Steph Curry and Lil Uzi Vert to sing it with them — but tons of other cuts that showcase the band coming into their own, including “That’s What You Get,” “crushcrushcrush,” and “Born for This.”
