New Paramore Album “This Is Why” Sparks Controversy From Fanbase – Here’s What I think

Photo shows lead singer Hayley Williams at Rock im Park music festival in 2013. Photo Credit: Sven-Sebastian Sajak on Wikimedia Commons

Paramore is an American punk rock band that was formed in 2004, consisting of lead singer Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro. They are most famous for their hit songs “All I Wanted,” “Still Into You,” “Misery Business,” and “Decode.” On February 10, they released a new album titled “This Is Why,” which has sparked much controversy from their fans. Here are my definitive ratings of every song on the album.

“This is Why” – The beat/tone of this song reminds me of something that would be in a murder mystery movie, like when the detective is looking for clues. It’s not terrible, but I would not voluntarily listen to this song again. The last 10 seconds of the song sound more like the vocals from previous albums though. Overall Rating: 5/10

“The News” – Williams sounds very nasally in the beginning when she repeatedly sings “a war.” The vibe of this also reminds me of previous albums, which I like, but I don’t really care for the repetition of some of the lyrics. Overall Rating: 6.5/10

“Running Out Of Time” – This song has a calmer vibe than the others, but it’s also something you could dance to. My favorite lyric from this song is, “Intentions only get you so far.” Williams’ voice sounds much more mature in this song compared to previous songs. Overall Rating: 7/10

“C’est Comme Ça” – The title translates to “it’s like that.” I did not enjoy the song mainly because most of it is a repetition of the titular phrase. Parts of it had a monologue kind of vibe which I typically don’t enjoy when it comes to music. The whole song reminded me of something more in the area of dance pop, or something you would hear in a kids movie. Overall Rating: 2/10

“Big Man, Little Dignity” – The vocals in this song are amazing, in my opinion. I think that the “big man” Williams refers to in the song is someone who thinks too highly of himself and makes everyone around him think that he’s perfect. It’s almost like the singer is mad that no one sees him for who “he” actually is – a narcissist. I enjoyed this song and would definitely listen to it again. Overall Rating: 8.5/10

“You First” – I liked this song. The singer talks about how “everyone is a bad guy,” which I believe to mean that everyone has their faults. She also mentions that “karma’s gonna come for all of us,” and I think this song’s message is to say don’t judge other people for their mistakes because everyone makes them. Overall Rating: 7.5/10

“Figure 8” – It sounds like Williams has an accent in the background vocals. I have no strong opinion on this song, but I do like the last 45 seconds. Overall Rating: 6.5/10

“Liar” – This song is very calm and reminds me of Lana Del Rey’s music. I assume the lyrics are about her partner/bandmate, Taylor York, and the denial she had about having feelings for him, as she says “Oh my love, I lied to you, but I never needed to.” Although this song is very different from previous albums and many songs in the “This Is Why” album, I like the soft, calming nature of it. Overall Rating: 9/10

“Crave” – I like the upbeat vibe of this song. The lyrics contradicts the beat as the song represents going back to a certain moment in time and reliving everything, which is kind of bittersweet. I think that the song is relatable for many and it’s catchy. Overall Rating: 8.5/10

“Thick Skull” – I have no strong feelings toward this one, but I like the drums in the background. Hayley talks about how having a thick skull never did anything for her, but then proceeds to sing “give it to me.” The song starts off slow, then picks up a little in the middle. It doesn’t stick out to me in any way, but I like the vocals during the last two minutes. Overall Rating: 6/10

Overall Ranking:

  • 1. Liar
  • 2. Crave
  • 3. Big Man, Little Dignity
  • 4. You First
  • 5. Running Out of Time
  • 6. Thick Skull
  • 7. Figure 8
  • 8. The News
  • 9. This Is Why
  • 10. C’est Comme Ça
Mila Morgan, '24
Mila is a junior at J-DHS. She is the Communications Director and RamPage Assistant and this is her second year writing for the RamPage. In her free time, she enjoys reading, drawing, and listening to music.