Paramore

Paramore emerged from Franklin, Tennessee in 2004 as teenagers wielding pop-punk's most weaponised asset: Hayley Williams' tangerine hair and incendiary vocal presence. The band, completed by guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro (after numerous lineup changes including the departure of founding guitarist Josh Farro), transmuted adolescent alienation into stadium-ready anthems that soundtracked millennial angst with precision.

Their 2007 breakthrough Riot! yielded "Misery Business", a song whose bratty vindication became both empowerment anthem and later cultural flashpoint. By 2013's self-titled album, they'd absorbed new wave's synthetic textures without sacrificing their serrated edge. After Laughter (2017) married existential dread to 1980s pop gloss, Williams' voice skating over funk guitars whilst dissecting depression with disarming candour.

Paramore's significance extends beyond multi-platinum sales and Grammy recognition. They survived the industry's tendency to devour young bands, particularly those fronted by women in male-dominated scenes. Williams became an icon of colourful defiance whilst the band's sonic evolution, from Warped Tour stalwarts to art-pop experimentalists, mapped a generation's maturation. Their 2023 return with This Is Why confirmed their durability, post-punk angles intact.