REVIEW: Paramore - This Is Why

After a six-year hiatus, Paramore have finally returned with This Is Why, an album that both honors their roots and pushes their sound forward in exciting ways.

Following After Laughter, which marked a bold shift toward new wave and synth-pop, This Is Why feels like a deliberate blending of the band’s earlier alternative rock and pop-punk energy with fresh, thoughtful experimentation. Clocking in at just over 36 minutes, the album wastes no time—every track feels purposeful, raw, and confident.

Despite the internal changes and challenges Paramore have faced over the years, this record sounds tight and polished. It’s arguably their most focused and mature work yet, with the chemistry between Hayley Williams, Taylor York, and Zac Farro shining through every note.

The album kicks off with the lead single and title track, “This Is Why" which sets the tone for the rest of the album. Driven by punchy guitar riffs and Hayley’s powerhouse vocals, it perfectly captures the tension and release of modern anxiety. The song sets the emotional and sonic tone for what’s to come: urgent, danceable, and deeply felt. 

Next up is “The News”, a socially conscious track where Hayley delivers a searing vocal performance. The lyric “all together our collective heart breaks” lands like a gut punch, exemplifying her ability to channel raw emotion into sharp commentary.

There are moments like “C’est Comme Ça,” where the spoken-word verses might feel a bit awkward at first compared to the rest of the album, yet lyrically it holds its place within the record’s broader themes.

“Big Man, Little Dignity” echoes the vibe of After Laughter, with Zac and Taylor crafting an atmospheric backdrop for Hayley’s vocals. Meanwhile, “Figure 8” highlights a softer, more tender side of her voice, and the album closes powerfully with “Thick Skull,” a poignant and reflective finale.

Other highlights include the high-energy “Running Out of Time” and “Liar,” a subtle, low-key ballad that deserves more attention.

As is often the case with any release, not every listener will be satisfied. It’s understandable why some core fans might feel this album lacks the raw oomph or grit of Riot!. However, a song like “You First,” where Hayley sings, “Thought I’d simmer down as I got older / Can’t shake the devil sitting on my shoulder” (a clear nod to “Simmer” from Petals for Armor), serves as a reminder that at its core, the band is still rooted in emo music threaded with angst. The difference now is the weight of real-life experience and hindsight shaping their perspective.

Considering many of the acts who rose alongside Paramore over a decade ago have fizzled out, this album represents a kind of rebirth for the band. While it’s common for artists at this stage to become nostalgia acts, leaning heavily on the sounds that initially made them popular, this can sometimes reflect a lack of creativity or complacency. Paramore, however, have never shied away from evolution and reinvention. This willingness to grow is largely why they remain one of the most relevant bands today, backed by a fiercely dedicated and passionate fanbase.

Vocally, Hayley Williams impresses throughout the album. With lyrics like, “I am attracted to broken pieces, I pick them up and now my fingers are bleeding, and it looks like my fault,” her songwriting is as sharp and poignant as ever. On the production side, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro are locked in tight, making it refreshing to have the trio reunited and creatively aligned.

The album features classic Paramore catchy and upbeat tracks that cleverly mask darker, more introspective lyrics dealing with mental health and social and political issues. It’s a masterclass in reinvention.

Overall, This Is Why is a cohesive and well-crafted album that not only showcases Paramore’s growth and evolution but also reminds us why the band remains arguably the best active pop-punk and alternative rock act today, and one of the most respected music groups of their generation.