Paramore have claimed an historic victory at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards.
The emo/alternative hitmakers won the awards for 'Best Rock Album' for their sixth studio album This Is Why and 'Best Alternative Music Performance' for that record's titular track. The 'Best Rock Album' salute makes them the first act fronted by a female to win in the category.
Vocalist Hayley Williams is only the third female singer to win in the category, awarded since 1995, following Alanis Morrisette (1996) and Sheryl Crow (1999).
The Nashville band beat out records by Foo Fighters (But Here We Are), Greta Van Fleet (Starcatcher), Metallica (72 Seasons) and Queens Of The Stone Age (In Times New Roman…).
The band’s most critically lauded release to date, This Is Why has further entrenched Paramore as one of the biggest groups in modern alternative music, scoring numerous top 10 positions around the world including #1 in both Australia and the UK and debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200.
The alternative crossover power of the album was shown respect by the industry as well with the titular track This Is Why besting tracks by genre giants Alvvays (Belinda Says), Arctic Monkeys (Body Paint), Boygenius (Cool About It) and Lana Del Rey (A&W). Boygenius did however salute three tomes at the ceremony, with the emo supergroup claiming 'Best Alternative Music Album' (The Record) 'Best Rock Performance' (Not Strong Enough) and 'Best Rock Song' (Not Strong Enough), seeing off competition from most of the biggest rock and alternative acts in the world.
Paramore did not appear at the ceremony to claim their awards, they did however post to Instagram celebrating the victories with cupcakes.
Paramore released a cover of Talking Heads timeless anthem Burning Down The House last week.
The lead single from the freshly announced Talking Heads tribute record Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute To Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense, Paramore's rendition maintains much of what made the original so magical, while allowing a little room for some trademark Paramore spark.
As ever, Hayley Williams voice is at the forefront, with Williams exploring some grittier tones, while Taylor York and Zac Farro continue to display the impressive rhythmic chops that anchored their 2023 album This Is Why.
The Burning Down The House cover is the first music released by Paramore since they became a fully independent band, following the end of their 20-year contractual partnership with Atlantic Records. The band who played their final shows of 2023 in Australia in December, had previously stated that there was a "degree of uncertainty" about their future following the ending of that contract, inspiring many fans to fear the worst. With the band now working on this project, it seems those fears are unfounded and we could instead be about to see the beginning of a new era for Paramore.
The band dropped a surprise remix album titled Re: This Is Why just before that Australian tour run. The album features reimagined versions of tracks from their latest studio album, This Is Why, released earlier this year.
The album has contributions by indie darlings Bartees Strange, Claud and Wet Leg; Paramore touring partners Foals, The Linda Lindas and Remi Wolf; jazz geniuses DOMi & JD Beck and alternative electronic wizards Panda Bear, Romy & Zane Lowe. The album also includes Paramore’s demo of the album track Sanity. Speaking on what inspired the release, Paramore frontperson Hayley Williams shares"We’ve long wanted to recognize the connection we have with some of the artists who’ve influenced us as a band and/or who have cited our band as an influence. Some of the songs have been remixed sort of classically, while others were reworked or rewritten. It’s incredible to hear all our worlds colliding.”
“We sent This Is Why - the record - out into the world early this year, with all its messages of disdain, distrust, and sobering self-examination. This is the reply."
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