Riot! cover

Riot!

Released

Paramore were barely exiting their Christian-emo band phase and were still teens when they seriously leveled up with Riot! Singer Hayley Williams is the star here, a vastly needed female presence in a sea of sad boys. This album is stacked with singles and “Misery Business” is a killer – a swaggering high school fight song with unforgettable guitar hooks. It is electrifyingly confident the way every teen wishes they were in real life. Williams gives a star-making vocal performance and the other hits, “crushcrushcrush” and “That’s What You Get”, are nearly as good.

Joshua Levine

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