60 Songs That Explain the '90s Paramore — “Misery Business”
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Mar 11, 2026 
Rob Mahoney, senior staff writer for The Ringer and longtime music commentator, joins to unpack Paramore and the rise of “Misery Business.” He examines Riot!'s messy, thrilling lyrics and Hayley Williams’s powerhouse vocals. They trace Paramore’s jump from teen band to arena anthems and debate evolving performance choices and fandom culture.
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Riot Marked Paramore's Leap To Arena Pop Punk
- Paramore's breakthrough moment centers on Hayley Williams's voice and the band's jump from teenage punk to arena-ready pop punk.
- Riot! (2007) crystallized that shift with bigger hooks, tighter pre-choruses, and Hayley's dramatic vocal charisma.
Paramore Started As Teenagers In Franklin Tennessee
- Hayley Williams joined homeschooled teen musicians in Franklin, Tennessee and formed Paramore while still a teenager.
- The debut All We Know Is Falling opens with a song about their bassist leaving, a literal band-drama origin story captured on the album cover (an empty couch).
Pressure Showed Paramore's Arena Potential
- 'Pressure' revealed Paramore's gift for arena-sized pop punk despite coming from heavier influences like Deftones.
- The song's big chords and hooky riff made them a Warped Tour attraction and signaled their stylistic pivot.