Six years after the release of “After Laughter”, Paramore has returned to the scene with their newest work of art, “This Is Why”. 

The newest album from Paramore shows that the band has returned at the perfect time with a freshly developed sound. The band, consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York, and Zac Farro, came together in 2004 with catchy rock and roll tunes that still carry to this day. With their newest addition to their discography, “This Is Why”, Paramore introduces outrageously new sounds to not only compliment their previous work but also to show a new generation that “This is Why” is here to stay.

After several years of pursuing individual journeys of creativity, Paramore entered the new year with an entirely new yet nostalgic view of themselves to uphold with their previous work. Readjusting to a new age of music, this band was prepared for to return as a musical unit. 

As someone only vaguely familiar with earlier works of Paramore, I was shocked to see new music released from the modern-age rock band with a slightly altered sound. 

Still evocative of their earlier work, Paramore’s “This Is Why” explores modern pop elements mingling with their rock music background to create a diversified piece of art without losing sight of their unique style.

Paramore’s first single, “This is Why”, rightfully matches the name of the album, indicating that this band has a strong reason to return to the music scene. Although met with curiosity and intrigue, the single also led to confusion with the vast change in sound. 

As someone who has not been exposed to earlier works of Paramore, I was interested in the reaction from avid fans of the band. I thoroughly enjoyed the single (to the point that I added it to a road trip playlist for friends who had never heard of it before), so I did not allow the letdown of reactions to persuade my hopes for the incoming album. 

Filled with solid rock melodies and mellow tunes, This Is Why is a journey for lovers of multiple genres to share with one another and enjoy. To dedicated fans of Paramore, however, is the new album a chance to explore the band’s new sound, or are they nostalgic for Paramore’s sounds from the early 2000s?

From familiar rock sounds throughout “The News” to distant melodies of pop punk with “Figure 8”, the album is sonically in a great place for Paramore, but I’m not sure that conclusion will be universal to previous fans, even though I believe that those who were recently introduced to the band may enjoy their newest body of work. 

Overall, while I’m not the biggest fan of This Is Why itself, several songs within still encapsulate the punk-rock sensations intended to come from this album. Although sonically flawless, some aspects of the album lost interest in continuing my journey through the music, as I had to return to the album back and forth to come full circle to the end. Paramore’s “This Is Why” is a scenario where I need to return to the album on a later date and listen through again with a newer perspective, as this is usually how I end up loving music after not being the biggest fan come first listen. 

“This is Why” is now available on Apple Music and Spotify.