“It is what it is. I’m the singer, get off my case.” Oasis’ Liam Gallagher isn’t terribly bothered that thousands of Oasis fans are heartbroken having had their dreams of seeing the band shattered by Ticketmaster cancelling their reunion tour tickets
(Image credit: Didier Messens/Redferns)
Liam Gallagher has responded to the news that thousands of genuine Oasis fans have had their tickets to see the band cancelled by mistake, as part of a crackdown on ‘bots’ and touts by ticket agency Ticketmaster. And it’s fair to say that it’s not the sort of sympathetic response that heartbroken fans were hoping to receive from their idol.
In the latest chapter in the on-going shambles involving ticketing for the band of the people’s return, Ticketmaster made good on their promise to cancel tickets for the Manchester band’s reunion that were acquired by bots, so that genuine fans would have the opportunity to buy them instead. However, this noble plan has resulted in thousands of fans who acquired their much-sought-after Oasis tickets by legitimate means have had their tickets cancelled too, and are understandably heartbroken. But if these fans were hoping that news of this injustice/fuck-up would cause Oasis frontman Gallagher to rally to their cause and offer his condolences, they were to be disappointed once again.
When a fan named Karen Kelly referenced the fiasco on X, asking Liam Gallagher “what do you think of the ticket situation? Thinking fans are bots and getting their money returned?”, the singer’s reply was blunt.
“I don’t make the rules,” he responded, in the manner of petty killjoy ‘jobsworths’ the world over. “were [we’re] trying to do the right thing it is what it is I’m the singer get of [off] my case.”
Not, perhaps, the response that enraged fans might have hoped for from their hero. Then again, to be fair, Oasis did warn fans 30 years ago that rock stars might not be the best people to pin your hopes and dreams upon.
“Please don’t put your life in the hands of a rock ‘n’ roll band who’ll throw it all away,’ Gallagher sang on Don’t Look Back in Anger,
The band’s return in 2025 was announced last summer.
“The guns have fallen silent,” the Gallagher brothers said on August 17, announcing their first shows since a characteristically acrimonious split in 2009. “The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”
I don’t make the rules were trying to do the right thing it is what it is I’m the singer get of my caseFebruary 10, 2025
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A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne’s private jet, played Angus Young’s Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.
This week, we congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles, who won the Super Bowl, and we congratulate The Wildhearts, who won rock’n’roll’s equivalent, our Tracks Of The Week contest. And while Ginger & Co.’s victory might not have been as comprehensive as that achieved by Nick Sirianni and his team of 53, it was no less deserved.
This week’s beaten foe included Fortune Teller Blues by Joe Bonamassa and Sammy Hagar and Master by The Last Internationale, as well as five other songs we’re not going to mention because we don’t like to dwell on such ignominy.
So here are the magnificent Wildhearts once more, and then it’s on with a new battle.
The Wildhearts – Troubadour Moon (Official Video) – YouTube
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Mother Vulture – Slow Down
Imploring these fiery Bristol rockers to ‘slow down’ is a bit like telling AC/DC to write a prog epic: it just won’t happen. And yet there is a sonorous, almost stoner weight to this new single, which finds them marrying white-hot rage with thunderous, bass-heavy beats and hypnotic guitar judders. “I wanted to use the lyrics to shine a light on the darker side of emotion,” singer Georgi says, “the way we sometimes want to flirt with self-destruction and that temptation to fall from grace. Because the world gets too much sometimes, and you think something has to break.”
Bob Mould – Neanderthal
A short but sweet ripper from Mould’s excellent new solo album, Here We Go Crazy – smart, spikily lustful and set to a barrelling blast of punkoid rock’n’roll fizz. Over in about two minutes and not wasting a second of it, Neanderthal packs the sort of moody, fast-paced intensity and eloquence that plenty of other songs don’t manage in twice (or even thrice) the airtime. One veteran clearly not content to rest on his laurels, and all the more compelling for it.
Armed with upbeat, 70s-ified blues rock with a few enticing twists and a roughened Rory Gallagher-esque edge – inspired by days of menial, nocturnal graft in supermarket aisles – Zac Schulze and chums stick it to The Man with a spring in their step on I Won’t Do This Anymore. “I Won’t Do This Anymore is a song of rebellion against the big bad bosses of today’s world,” explains Zac. “The lyrics relate back to our old lives where we used to mop McDonald’s kitchens and stack shelves during the night shift at Iceland.”
The Zac Schulze Gang – I Won’t Do This Anymore (Official Music Video) – YouTube
Perennially young and excitable at heart, the Mael brothers press on with their roaring latter-day renaissance (oldest brother Ron will be 80 this year, lest we forget) on this brilliantly head-swirling, singular maelstrom (sorry…) of acerbic art rock. By way of sombre commentary on the wittily surreal video, they had this to say: “We hope this video, even in a very small way, finally starts a meaningful dialogue about the dangers of pianos falling out of tall buildings.” Well, don’t we all?
Sparks – Do Things My Own Way (Official Video) – YouTube
Luke Spiller – Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine
The Struts’ debonair frontman marks the start of a new, deeply personal chapter with this grandiose but emotionally intimate debut solo statement – all lush theatre and old Hollywood vibes with a cabaret twist. If Jim Steinman and Lana Del Rey clubbed together to write a Bond theme, this would have been it. “I’ve never been this honest in my music before, and it’s definitely been a rollercoaster of emotions,” Spiller says. “I hope people will find their own stories they have experienced within my songs, and in some cases, even find peace in doing so.” More to come…
Luke Spiller – Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine – YouTube
Marrying thick, gnarly grunge swagger with a generous dash of contemporary hard rock/metal glamour (think The Pretty Reckless, if Taylor Momsen and co spent more time trading tones, smoking joints and growing beards with Zakk Wylde), Sludge Mother’s latest single is a plaid-shirted, black-eyelinered groover. Yes it’s all verrry familiar territory for anyone with anything even vaguely Chris Cornell-adjacent in their music collection, but slick, spirited and catchy enough to press a lot of the right buttons here.
The Dave Cobb-produced Sittin’ Pretty is one of those songs inevitably described using the words “high” and “octane”, and it’s little wonder, for this taste of Robert Jon & The Wreck’s upcoming album rattles along like a jet-powered armadillo, with a riff like a striking sidewinder and a solo that whips like a scorpion’s tail. And if you’re where we’re going with all this talk of desert critters, it’s prompted by the video, which finds RJ&TC performing a solar-powered show in California’s High Desert. Lovely.
Robert Jon & The Wreck “Sittin’ Pretty” – Official Music Video – YouTube
Lady On Fire is the third single to be plucked from Fandabidozi, the debut album by Siân Greenway, a.k.a. excellent West Midlands glam-prog siren Bobbie Dazzle. The glam bit covers the first two minutes and twenty seconds or thereabouts, with a thumping riff and a chorus that soars into the ziggy-o-sphere, before the prog bit arrives as the tempo slows and a fluttering flute whisks the unwary listener off towards transcendence. And then it goes glam again.
Bobbie Dazzle – Lady On Fire Official Music Video – YouTube
Talking to Birmingham Live, the wife and manager of singer Ozzy Osbourne says that The Prince Of Darkness led the effort to get himself, bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward together onstage for one last hurrah.
The swansong show will take place at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5, and is set to mark both Sabbath and Ozzy’s last-ever concert. All proceeds from the event will go to the charities Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital, Acorn Children’s Hospice and Cure Parkinson’s.
“I left that to Ozzy,” Sharon says of getting Sabbath back together. “He’s in constant contact with Tony and Geezer. And Bill, too. They talk all the time.
“Ozzy said, ‘I’m going to do my goodnight gig, my farewell, and would you come up and do Sabbath with me?’ He couldn’t do it on his own. And they all said yes. When they heard it was for charity, it was easy.”
In the same interview, Sharon also talks about the array of iconic metal bands set to support Ozzy and Sabbath. They include Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Gojira, Halestorm and Alice In Chains.
The day will also feature a “supergroup” including The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, Slash and Duff Mckagan of Guns N’ Roses, plus more.
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“I think it’s the best metal gig ever,” states Sharon. “It’s easy when you have such good friends and friends that support you. We’ve known these guys for years and years and many of them were passed the torch by Sabbath. It goes down the line. When you need them, they come.”
She adds: “For Ozzy, it’s goodnight to his fans. The other guys in Sabbath will go on to their various projects but for Ozzy, it’s definitely farewell. Our friends want to come, and they know it’s for charity, so it’s brilliant. It’s a win-win for everybody… But especially the fans.”
The build-up to a Sabbath comeback publicly started last year, when Ozzy said on his podcast The Madhouse Chronicles that the band’s career felt “unfinished” because Ward didn’t take part in their 2016–2017 farewell tour The End. Iommi, Butler and Ward all declared their interest in one last show together over the following weeks.
Tickets to the Sabbath farewell, promoted as Back To The Beginning, will go on general sale on February 14 at 10am UK time.
General tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 14. A complete list of announced dates and cities is below. Special guests on all stops are the Coral Reefer Band, who performed with Jimmy Buffett until his death in 2023.
“We’re so looking forward to the 2025 summer tour!” Patrick Simmons said in an official statement. “We’ll be celebrating the release of our new album, Walk This Road, and we’re excited to be performing new songs from the record.”
The reunited Doobie Brothers also feature Tom Johnston and John McFee. Walk This Road, their first album of original material with McDonald since 1980’s One Step Closer, is set for release on June 6. Key stops on the subsequent tour include Boston, Chicago, New York and Toronto, with more dates to be announced.
Presales and VIP package sales begin at 10AM local time on Tuesday, Feb. 11. General sales also begin at 10 AM local time. The Doobie Brothers have already announced European dates that include supporting Jeff Lynne on ELO‘s sold-out final concert in London. The Doobies Brothers’ other U.K. and Ireland dates are also on sale now. For more ticketing information, visit the band’s official site.
Listen to the Doobie Brothers’ ‘Call Me’
When Will the Doobie Brothers Tour Again?
“We’ll warm up with shows in the U.K. and Ireland then hit the road back in the good old U.S.A.,” Simmons added. “Can’t wait to see you all and bring some new music to our fans. Having the Coral Reefer Band on board with us at these shows really makes this a special experience for the audience and all of us.”
John Shanks produced Walk This Road after serving in the same role on the Doobie Brothers’ most recent album, 2021’s Liberte. Since his early-’80s departure from the lineup, McDonald also contributed to 2014’s Southbound, which featured reimagined versions of the Doobie Brothers’ songs.
Doobie Brothers ‘Walk This Road’ 2025 North American Tour: 8/4 – Detroit, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre 8/6 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake 8/7 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center 8/9 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live 8/10 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach 8/12 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre 8/13 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 8/15 – Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center 8/17 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion 8/18 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC 9/4 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater 9/5 – Ridgedale, MO @ Thunder Ridge Nature Arena 9/9 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Insurance Amphitheatre 9/10 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheater 9/12 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center 9/13 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center 9/15 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank Amphitheatre 9/17 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center 9/18 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
The Most Awesome Live Album From Every Rock Legend
Some of these concert recordings sold millions of copies, while others received little fanfare. Still, they remain the best of the best.
David Johansen has revealed a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis that was discovered five years ago. The New York Dolls singer has kept his condition private but is now going public with his battle.
A statement notes that at the start of the pandemic in 2020, Johansen “discovered his aggressive cancer had progressed and he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, leading to complications ever since.”
The day after Thanksgiving, Johansen fell and broke his back in two places. While the surgery was successful, Johansen has been “completely bedridden and incapacitated, relying on around-the-clock care.” The statement says, “To continue his treatment and give him the best chance of recovery, [Johansen] will need full-time assistance.”
Sweet Relief, an organization that “provides services and financial assistance for career musicians and music industry professionals,” has set up the David Johansen Fund to help offset some of the financial burdens the recent medical issues have placed on the singer and his family.
The fund will assist Johansen with full-time nursing, physical therapy and “funding for day-to-day vital living expenses.” With “professional specialized care,” the statement notes, “the Johansen family remains hopeful that David can regain some mobility and independence.”
“We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation,” Johansen said. “This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help but this is an emergency. Thank you.”
“Sweet Relief is honored to help David and his family during this difficult time in their lives,” said Aric Steinberg, executive director at Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. “Our Directed Artist Funds can provide a meaningful solution when the community rallies around the recipient, and we anticipate that David’s community will be eager to help here.
“His influence on the musical landscape with the New York Dolls is indelible, and his career as an actor and an artist has touched many people around the world. He’s been knocked down but we’re here to help him back up with the help of his family, friends and wider community of supporters.”
What is New York Dolls’ History?
Johansen’s musical history started in 1971 when he cofounded the glammy, makeup-sporting New York Dolls in 1971. Two years later they made their self-titled debut album, produced by Todd Rundgren, which influenced the burgeoning punk rock scene.
After one more album – 1974’s Too Much, Too Soon – the Dolls split; Johansen then launched a solo career that yielded four albums through 1984. In 1987, he began performing as Buster Poindexter, a slick singer who played swing, jump blues and novelty songs from an earlier era.
The transformation led to Johansen’s greatest commercial success and a movie career that included appearances in Scrooged and Car 54, Where Are You?
In 2006, Johansen resurrected the New York Dolls’ name with original guitarist Sylvain Sylvain and released three more band albums: 2006’s One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This (2006), Cause I Sez So in 2009 and 2011’s Dancing Backward in High Heels. Following a tour supporting the latter album, the group broke up.
Diena Brengola, WireImage / Michel Linssen, Redferns / Jeff Kravitz, FilmMagic / Koh Hasebe, Getty Images
The conventional wisdom of the grunge revolution goes like this: Spandex-clad hair bands lived high on the hog until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 23, 1991. When the clock struck midnight and Nirvana‘s Nevermind hit shelves, they all turned to dust and ceased to exist.
That’s not exactly how it went, as demonstrated by our list of 10 Rock and Metal Artists Who Survived the Grunge Explosion — although it probably felt that way for many bands.
Indeed, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and several other bands under the “grunge” umbrella hastened a quick and drastic overhaul of the musical landscape. Most of the glam metal bands that had ruled the roost throughout the previous decade were considered passe; in reality, that scene had already become stale and oversaturated by late 1991. If Nirvana killed hair metal, then hair metal inflicted several of its stab wounds.
The other truth is that several rock and metal bands from the ’80s and earlier did survive the grunge explosion. Some of them, like Aerosmith and AC/DC, stuck to their guns and kept playing the same sleazy, hedonistic hard rock for which they had become known. Others, like U2 and Bon Jovi, observed the changing musical tides and tweaked their sound accordingly, allowing them to flourish in a new decade. Some of rock’s elder statesmen were so firmly entrenched in the public consciousness that they couldn’t be vanquished; they enjoyed additional visibility as grunge’s principals cited them as influences.
See these examples and others in UCR’s list of 10 Rock and Metal Artists Who Survived the Grunge Explosion.
10 Rock and Metal Artists Who Survived the Grunge Explosion
Some evolved to survive, while others stuck to their guns.
ABBA once sang about having wealth in their 1976 song “Money, Money, Money:” “All the things I could do if I had a little money / It’s a rich man’s world.”
In 2000, ABBA was offered a lot of money — $1 billion to be exact — in exchange for reuniting. It would have equated to roughly $250 million per member, but the group firmly turned it down.
ABBA had last performed live in 1982. At that point, it felt clear to the band’s members that it was the end of the road.
“We had a little company, the four of us together,” Benny Andersson recalled to The Guardian in 2021. “Everything ABBA earned went into that company and we split it four ways, no matter who did what. And then, when we said, ‘Well, this is it, guys, let’s do something else for a bit and then we can go back perhaps in a couple of years and see if we’re still alive,’ that was that: we sold the company. We did not expect ABBA to continue, I can promise you that.”
But that didn’t mean ABBA’s name was entirely removed from the public consciousness. Cover bands earned their success, movies incorporated their music and a compilation album called ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits became one of the best-selling albums of all time with some 30 million copies sold. People wanted ABBA.
It’s been widely reported that a $1 billion offer was made to the band in 2000 to reunite, but nothing ever came of it. For one thing, as Bjorn Ulvaeus pointed out to The Guardian, it wasn’t a real offer.
“Someone told us something about a sponsored tour, going on the road, doing a hundred gigs, but it was never put on paper,” he explained. “But then, everyone knew we wouldn’t do it.”
Watch ABBA’s Music Video for ‘Money, Money, Money’
That was likely because performing live had never been ABBA’s favorite part of the job. “No one who has experienced facing a hysterical audience can avoid feeling the shivers in their spine,” Agnetha Faltskog would tell her biographer. “It’s a thin line between celebration and menace.”
As far as ABBA was concerned, they had already checked relentlessly touring the world off their list of things to do.
“We said no because they wanted 250 shows or something, it was incredible,” Faltskog told Radio Timesin 2013. “No chance. No chance. We had done it.”
In many cases, Ulvaeus emphasized to The Sunday Telegraph in 2008, it’s simply best for a band to quit while they’re ahead, regardless of how much money is on the table.
“We will never appear on stage again,” he said. “There is simply no motivation to re-group. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were. Young, exuberant, full of energy and ambition. I remember Robert Plant saying Led Zeppelin were a cover band now because they cover all their own stuff. I think that hit the nail on the head.”
ABBA’s Eventual Reunification
ABBA did eventually reunite for a tour. Kind of. After many months of development, they debuted Voyage in 2022, a virtual recreation of themselves using avatars. The digital concert experience has been putting on shows ever since, grossing over $100 million in 2023 alone.
Not a billion, but worth all of the hard work.
“I dreamed of this for years,” Anni-Frid Lyngstad, aka Frida, said to the BBC at the premiere of the show. “We love our music, we love to sing.”
Watch a Promotional Clip for ABBA’s ‘Voyage’ Concert
If you plan to attend a Jethro Tull concert, Ian Anderson kindly requests you stay quiet during the performance.
“I wanna be free of feeling that I am in any way having to comply with other people’s wishes and other people’s demands,” the frontman explained during a recent conversation with Classic Album Review. “And the more demanding an audience [is], by the way, the less I enjoy it.”
Anderson went on to note that cultural differences can lend to concert behavior which he doesn’t enjoy.
“I could name Brazil, for example, where audiences think it’s okay to whistle and shout and boo and shout out the names of songs they wanna hear,” he noted. “I actually find it incredibly rude, and I really don’t enjoy that. It’s not every concert I’ve played in Brazil, but I encountered it a couple of times last year when I was on tour in Brazil, and that’s the way they are. There are other national stereotypes where people do behave that way. You will encounter it sometimes in the U.S.A., where people think it’s OK to shout and whistle. It’s not OK.
“I’m trying to concentrate on playing sometimes quite difficult music, and I don’t like to be interfered with. I like to have the flexibility to be able to do that. And so if the audience set out to somehow manipulate you or influence your way of playing, that’s not good. For me, it is absolutely sufficient, at the end of a song, to see smiles on faces and somebody applauding at the appropriate time. That means everything to me. I don’t wanna be interrupted while I’m performing.”
Though Anderson insisted he was “not complaining,” the rocker also suggested that his concerts should be approached similarly to ballet, opera or a “Shakespearean dramatic play.”
“I like a respectful, relative silence until we get to the end of a song,” he explained. “Then it’s time to applaud. And some people might find that difficult to understand or something they don’t particularly like, that I would feel that way, but it’s the way I’ve always been. And the way I am, on the rare occasions I go to a concert, I’m not gonna start whistling and shouting and calling out for songs that I wanna hear. Or booing. What’s the point in doing that? You might as well just leave the venue and get to the pub early.”
Ian Anderson Compares Cell Phones at Concerts to Nazi Rallies
Shouting isn’t the only action Anderson dismays during concerts. The singer also shared his hatred of fans who record the show on their cell phone.
“The first time I encountered that, I suddenly flashed back to playing in a concrete amphitheater in the middle of the woods somewhere in the former East Germany that was actually built for Nazi rallies, and I just thought that it must be like that,” Anderson remarked, comparing the way audiences thrust their cell phones upward to the Nazi salute. “There’s suddenly this sea of arms shooting into the air, and you suddenly notice they’ve got phones on the end of them.”
Anderson noted that he always makes “polite announcements” telling fans to put away their cell phones during his concerts and that audiences generally understand his reasoning.
“It usually gets a round of applause when they hear my voice saying that, because a lot of people feel the same way,” he noted. “They haven’t come to a concert and paid good money for a ticket, only to have to stare at the screen of the person in front who’s holding it up.”
Tommy Shaw has shared details on the complex relationship between Styx and one of their most famous songs.
The 1983 single “Mr. Roboto” will always mark a major turning point in Styx’s history. Despite its commercial success, the song’s theatrical nature reflected where original singer Dennis DeYoung wanted to take the band’s sound. Shaw and the rest of the group preferred a traditional rock style, and the creative differences eventually resulted in a schism within the band that led to DeYoung’s departure.
Styx abandoned “Mr. Roboto” for decades, but the song returned to their set list in 2018. In a recent conversation with Sirius XM’s Eddie Trunk, Shaw insisted the narrative surrounding “Mr. Roboto” was all wrong.
“We didn’t hate ‘Mr. Roboto,’” the guitarist declared, “we just didn’t like the (recorded) version.”
As Shaw recalled, he found renewed interest in performing “Mr. Roboto” after hearing a band’s cover of the tune on Spotify.
“They did it the way we do it now. They played it as a rock song,” Shaw explained. “It was awesome! So I went back to the band and I said, ‘Here’s how we play Mr. Roboto. It’s a rock song.’ And man does it live up to its reputation.”
Adding ‘Mr. Roboto’ Back Into the Set List Was an ‘Absolute Necessity’
Lawrence Gowan, who joined Styx in 1999, wasn’t around for the initial discourse surrounding “Mr. Roboto.” Still, as he admitted to Trunk, he was happy the band decided to un-retire the song.
“When I came into the band, I never heard J.Y. (Young), Tommy, Chuck (Panozzo) say anything disparaging about ‘Mr. Roboto’ or that album,” Gowan noted. “But they, apparently, had a very bad time on that (Kilroy Was Here) tour.”
“But as that song kept gaining cultural reference,” Gowan continued, “and the prescient nature of that song – predicting that technology is going to do to us what it’s done – to my mind it made it an absolute necessity that we play the song.”
Feature Photo: Moses, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Paramore, the trailblazing pop-punk band from Franklin, Tennessee, emerged in the mid-2000s with a youthful energy and a distinctive sound that would go on to shape a generation. Founded in 2004, the original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Josh Farro, drummer Zac Farro, bassist Jeremy Davis, and rhythm guitarist Jason Bynum. The band formed when Williams, a gifted teenager with a commanding voice, was introduced to the Farro brothers through mutual friends. Williams’ early experiences singing in church and writing songs provided the backbone for Paramore’s initial efforts, and their chemistry quickly garnered attention.
The band’s first album, All We Know Is Falling, released in 2005, was an impressive debut that hinted at their potential, featuring tracks like “Pressure” and “Emergency.” While the album did not initially achieve massive commercial success, it built a loyal fan base and established Paramore as a rising force in the pop-punk scene. The album’s lyrics reflected themes of alienation and emotional struggle, resonating deeply with their audience. Produced by James Paul Wisner, the record showcased Williams’ powerful vocals and the band’s cohesive yet energetic instrumentation, laying the groundwork for their meteoric rise.
Paramore truly broke through with their sophomore album, Riot! (2007), which featured iconic singles like “Misery Business,” “That’s What You Get,” and “Crushcrushcrush.” Produced by David Bendeth, the album elevated the band to international stardom, earning Platinum certifications in multiple countries and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. With its infectious hooks and introspective lyrics, Riot! captured the zeitgeist of the late 2000s emo and alternative rock scene. By this time, the lineup had shifted slightly, with Taylor York replacing Bynum as rhythm guitarist.
The 2009 release of Brand New Eyes, a more mature and introspective album, solidified Paramore’s position as genre-defining artists. Singles like “Ignorance,” “The Only Exception,” and “Brick by Boring Brick” showcased their evolving sound and lyrical depth, exploring themes of relationships, faith, and self-discovery. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was a critical and commercial success. However, internal tensions led to the departure of Josh and Zac Farro in 2010, marking a turbulent period for the band.
Despite these challenges, Paramore forged ahead, releasing their self-titled album in 2013. The record was a turning point, reflecting the band’s resilience and willingness to experiment with new sounds. Featuring hit singles like “Ain’t It Fun,” which won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, and “Still Into You,” the album blended elements of pop, funk, and new wave. The success of Paramore cemented their status as mainstream rock icons and demonstrated their ability to adapt and innovate.
In 2017, Paramore released After Laughter, a bold departure from their earlier work. The album incorporated a vibrant, 1980s-inspired synth-pop sound while maintaining the introspective lyrics that had always been their hallmark. Singles like “Hard Times” and “Fake Happy” addressed themes of mental health and personal resilience, resonating deeply with fans. Produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen and Taylor York, the album marked Zac Farro’s return to the band after a seven-year absence.
Paramore’s influence extends beyond their discography, with their music often lauded for its relatability and emotional honesty. Over the years, the band has won numerous awards, including MTV Video Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and Kerrang! Awards. Williams, in particular, has been recognized as a trailblazer for women in rock, inspiring countless young artists with her unapologetic presence and vocal prowess.
Outside of music, Paramore has contributed to various philanthropic efforts, supporting causes like LGBTQ+ rights, mental health awareness, and disaster relief. Williams launched her hair dye company, Good Dye Young, promoting self-expression and creativity, while the band’s activism continues to reflect their commitment to fostering a sense of community among their fans.
Complete List Of Paramore Songs From A to Z
(A-G)
“26” – After Laughter (2017) “Ain’t It Fun” – Paramore (2013) “All I Wanted” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “All We Know” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “Anklebiters” – Paramore (2013) “Be Alone” – Paramore (2013) “Big Man, Little Dignity” – This Is Why (2023) “Born For This” – Riot! (2007) “Brick by Boring Brick” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Brighter” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “Burning Down the House” – Stop Making Sense: A Tribute Album (2024) “Careful” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Caught in the Middle” – After Laughter (2017) “C’est Comme Ça” – This Is Why (2023) “Conspiracy” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “(One of Those) Crazy Girls” – Paramore (2013) “Crave” – This Is Why (2023) “crushcrushcrush” – Riot! (2007) “Daydreaming” – Paramore (2013) “Decode” – Twilight (soundtrack) (2008) “Decoy” – Riot! (2007) “Emergency” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “Escape Route” – Paramore (2013) “Fake Happy” – After Laughter (2017) “Fast in My Car” – Paramore (2013) “Feeling Sorry” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Fences” – Riot! (2007) “Figure 8” – This Is Why (2023) “For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic” – Riot! (2007) “Forgiveness” – After Laughter (2017) “Franklin” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “Future” – Paramore (2013) “Grow Up” – Paramore (2013) “Grudges” – After Laughter (2017)
(H-N)
“Hallelujah” – Riot! (2007) “Hard Times” – After Laughter (2017) “Hate to See Your Heart Break” – Paramore (2013) “Hello Cold World” – Singles Club (2011) “Here We Go Again” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “I Caught Myself” – Twilight (soundtrack) (2008) “Idle Worship” – After Laughter (2017) “Ignorance” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Interlude: Holiday” – Paramore (2013) “Interlude: I’m Not Angry Anymore” – Paramore (2013) “Interlude: Moving On” – Paramore (2013) “In the Mourning” – Singles Club (2011) “Last Hope” – Paramore (2013) “Let the Flames Begin” – Riot! (2007) “Liar” – This Is Why (2023) “Looking Up” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Miracle” – Riot! (2007) “Misery Business” – Riot! (2007) “Misguided Ghosts” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Monster” – Transformers: Dark of the Moon (soundtrack) (2011) “My Heart” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “My Hero” – Sound of Superman (2006) “Native Tongue” – Paramore (2013) “Never Let This Go” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “The News” – This Is Why (2023) “No Friend” – After Laughter (2017) “Now” – Paramore (2013)
(O-Z)
“Oh Star” – The Summer Tic EP (2005) “The Only Exception” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Part II” – Paramore (2013) “Playing God” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Pool” – After Laughter (2017) “Pressure” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “Proof” – Paramore (2013) “Renegade” – Singles Club (2011) “Rewind” – Riot! (2007) “Rose-Colored Boy” – After Laughter (2017) “Running Out of Time” – This Is Why (2023) “Still into You” – Paramore (2013) “Stop This Song (Lovesick Melody)” – Riot! (2007) “Stuck on You” – The Summer Tic EP (2005) “Tell Me How” – After Laughter (2017) “Tell Me It’s Okay” – Paramore (Deluxe) (2013) “Temporary” – Riot! (2007) “That’s What You Get” – Riot! (2007) “Thick Skull” – This Is Why (2023) “This Circle” – The Summer Tic EP (2005) “This Is Why” – This Is Why (2023) “Told You So” – After Laughter (2017) “Turn It Off” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “We Are Broken” – Riot! (2007) “When It Rains” – Riot! (2007) “Where the Lines Overlap” – Brand New Eyes (2009) “Whoa” – All We Know Is Falling (2005) “You First” – This Is Why (2023)
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