This Is Why

Paramore have mastered the art of maturing gracefully. Beginning with the band’s self-titled 2013 album, they have slowly peeled themselves away from the mainstream emo/pop-punk world they once dominated (all while dealing with constant lineup shake-ups). In the process, Paramore have found themselves attached to a different kind of musical nostalgia, zeroing in on the slick sounds of Eighties rock and New Wave without so much as a hint of corny pastiche. As omnivorous fans and champions of younger artists, they always remain steeped in pop’s ever-evolving present. Now, nearly two decades since the band released its debut album, All We Know Is Falling, the Tennessee-born group is exerting more of an indelible influence on current pop music than ever before (see the high-polished angst of Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish), even as they continue moving further and further from the emo-pop sound they helped reinvent. This Is Why is Paramore’s excellent foray into post-punk, riddled with a new set of anxieties — from witnessing global events to dealing with entering your thirties. — Rolling Stone