Paramore Returns with New Single “This Is Why,” Sixth Album Release Date Announced

Five years after the release of their fifth album After Laughter, the genre-neutral band is back with yet another funky tune that took Paramore fans by storm.

Paramore’s fifth album After Laughter was a musical masterpiece in terms of writing, and without a doubt, one of the band’s best eras in music. In 2018, they closed the AL era down with a special show called Art + Friends in Nashville – which meant it was time to wind down and work on some new stuff. From 2018 to now, members have been working extensively on their solo projects – lead singer Hayley Williams released two solo albums within a year (Petals for Armor in May 2020 and Flowers for Vases in February 2021 while drummer Zac Farro put out yet another HalfNoise album called Motif. Now, the band is back with a new era and heading in a new direction once again.

Paramore began their cryptic rollout for new music earlier in September. The band launched a discord community on September 1st that had a clip of a song they were working on with Williams belting the lyrics “Far, I’m Far, So Far, From the Frontlines…” On September 12th and 19th, Paramore announced more shows in high-demand cities of Los Angeles and New York. On September 16th, the band announced “This Is Why,” the song, which lead fans to believe “This Is Why” was also the name of their upcoming sixth album. The single was released on September 28th, along with a music video and the official announcement that their sixth studio album This Is Why will be out on February 10th, 2023. Oh, what a hectic month for hardcore Paramore fans.

The leading title track “This Is Why” made its first appearance on BBC Radio 1. The song introduces a new funky sound and jaunty bass lines (provided by the wonderful Brian Robert Jones) – and fans know that the band isn’t afraid to change things up. The chorus screams the very words we’ve been feeling for the past two years:

“This is why I don’t leave house | You say the coast is clear but you won’t catch me out”

Williams has stated in her Everything is Emo podcast that 6more’s main influences came from earlier indie-rock bands like Bloc Party and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which is definitely prominent in the single. A catchy chorus with strong vocals by Williams, a groovy guitar riff by guitarist Taylor York, energetic beats by Farro – a true musical blend.

The official music video also serves as a great contrast to the track, as it is loaded with symbolism based on the band’s past experience. Williams is sporting her iconic red locks, the cinematography reflects the band’s nostalgic views, and the subtle storytelling is astonishing. In one scene, a blonde Williams draws her lipstick wider than her mouth (pun intended) and attempts to fall out of the window. Farro and York catch her as she reverts back to her red hair – symbolically noting that the band has always saved her before she could go down.

According to the band, “This Is Why” was the last song they wrote for the album, which eventually turned in to the album’s title. The upcoming album consists of 10 tracks and was produced by longtime collaborator Carlos de la Garza, who has worked with other well-known acts like Chvrches and Young the Giant. Paramore certainly gave us a taste of what’s yet to come, and we know based on a few quotes from interviews that it has been a rollercoaster and that they gave it their all.

In promotion of the upcoming album This is Why, Paramore is heading on tour this October/November to play a set of shows at smaller capacity venues in North America, starting off in Bakersfield. The Nashville band is also set to make festival appearances at Austin City Limits, Corona Capital in Mexico and the infamous When We Were Young Fest. This is Why is set for release on February 10th, 2023 – so pre-order/pre-save the album on your streaming channel of choice or shop for some exclusive merch here.