(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot!)

Background 

Riot! is the second album by Paramore, a band who first gained prominence in the mid-to-late 2000s with their emo, pop punk sound that was popular at the time. Upon its release in June 2007, it peaked at 15 on the Billboard 200 and garnered double platinum (which means 2,000,000+ copies sold) in the United States.  

In my opinion, Riot! laid the most groundwork for shaping Paramore’s distinct sound. It was released during the same time period as many other alternative rock albums such as My Chemical Romance’s Black Parade (2006), Fall Out Boy’s Infinity on High (2007), and Panic! at the Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (2005); however, there’s something distinctively Paramore about Hayley Williams’ (the lead singer’s) belting vocals overlaid with jarring power chords and beating drums.  

The Breakdown 

Arguably Paramore’s most famous song, “Misery Business” is the fourth track off the album, and it’s peak angsty teenager. The lyrics are comedically melodramatic and the music can only be described as aggressive and angry: 

Second chances, they don’t ever matter, people never change
Once a wh*re you’re nothing more
I’m sorry, that’ll never change 

Yet, this is what makes the song so memorable and the perfect listen if you’re going through it. I can still sing the song word-for-word even though I haven’t listened to this song consistently for YEARS.  

Taking the angst from “Misery Business” in a different route, “Crushcrushcrush” describes this internal conflict – that is, this oscillation between hope and dread – that arises from having a crush on someone. Moreover, it also describes how one’s friends can influence another friend’s romantic decisions: 

They taped over your mouth
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
Your little spies 

In these lines, Hayley is lamenting the fact that her crush’s friends are blocking any potential for a relationship by espousing lies and negativity about her. While it doesn’t pack as much punch compared “Misery Business”, in my opinion, I love the guitar riff that punctuates the pre-chorus and the interesting premise of the song.  

A departure from the anger and frustration that drive the previous two songs I discussed, “Hallelujah” is upbeat and hopeful. Hayley sings about perseverance and self-growth, even through difficult times: 

This time we’re not giving up
Let’s make it last forever
Screaming, “Hallelujah”! 

The best part of this song is definitely the part where she sings the word hallelujah because she goes into this chilling falsetto for the “lu” part of it, which not only evokes a sense of joy in the listener, but it also showcases her vocal versatility because it juxtaposes the belting she does in the rest of the song. 

Overall, Riot! is a great album filled with iconic guitar riffs, unforgettable angsty lyrics, and aggressive drumming. For me, it has a lot of 2000s nostalgia in its similarity to the aforementioned emo/alternative rock albums I liked throughout middle and high school.  

Rating: 8/10