Riot!

For other uses, see Riot (disambiguation).
Riot!
Studio album by Paramore
Released June 12, 2007
Recorded January–March 2007
Studio House of Loud, New Jersey
Genre
Length 38:58
Label Fueled by Ramen
Producer David Bendeth
Paramore chronology
The Summer Tic EP
(2006)		 Riot!
(2007)		 Live in the UK 2008
(2008)
Alternative cover
MVI+CD re-release
Singles from Riot!
  1. "Misery Business"
    Released: July 15, 2007
  2. "Hallelujah"
    Released: September 10, 2007
  3. "Crushcrushcrush"
    Released: November 26, 2007
  4. "That's What You Get"
    Released: March 24, 2008

Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore. It was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 through Fueled by Ramen as a follow-up to their debut album, All We Know Is Falling (2005). The album was produced by David Bendeth and written by band members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro, with Bendeth, and fellow members Zac Farro and Taylor York co-writing on select tracks. The album is said to explore a "diverse range of styles," while not straying far from the "signature sound" of their debut album,[1] with several critics comparing it to likes of Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne. The cover of the album also resembles the cover artwork of No Doubt's Rock Steady.

Riot! received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its sound, and noted its "crossover potential". The album was successful in the United States, reaching number fifteen on the Billboard 200 and achieving double-platinum status on March 22, 2016 by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also certified platinum in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry, and gold in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The lead single, "Misery Business", reached top-thirty and forty positions in the US and is considered the band's "breakthrough" hit; credited with introducing the band to a mainstream audience.[2][3][4] The third and fourth singles, "crushcrushcrush", and "That's What You Get", were also successful with both achieving a platinum certification by the RIAA.

Recording

The album was produced and mixed by David Bendeth. Lead vocalist Hayley Williams, explained the album was titled Riot! because, "For us, the title ‘Riot!’ literally means an unbridled outburst of emotions. When we were writing, it seemed like our thoughts and emotions were coming out so fast that we couldn't control them. It felt like there was a riot within us. So the album takes our passion to a new level; it’s just all raw energy."[5] Williams also commented on the band's evolution with the album, stating "I think our intention for the first record would have been for it to be everything that Riot! is, but there wasn’t any time to make that record back then."[6]

During production, Paramore held an online contest, titled "The Last Song You'll Ever Sing", where fans submitted videos on YouTube for the opportunity to sing back-up vocals on the track "Born for This". The winner was Mary Bonney of McLean, Virginia.[7]

Music and style

The first track "For a Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic" comes from what lead guitarist Josh Farro reflects as "putting your faith in someone and they blow it." Farro composed the song and gave the demo to Williams. Farro stated "I wrote the music specifically to be awesome live and to be extremely energetic. It all came out at once. I showed it to Hayley and she just nailed it lyrically. She completely got the feeling I wanted the song to have."[5] The origins of "Misery Business" came from a message Williams posted on the band's LiveJournal, asking fans to post what they're ashamed of. "I found that people really were reaching out to someone to spill their guts to," she recalls, "so I did the same thing lyrically in the song and let everything out. It's more honest than anything I've ever written, and the guys matched that emotion musically."[5]

Discussing "Hallelujah", Williams recounts, "It's one of the oldest songs we've got, but we wanted to save it for this record, and it's the perfect home for it. It's a claim of victory for both ourselves and our fans."[5] The eleventh track "Born for This" contains the line "we want the airwaves back", from the song "Liberation Frequency" in the album The Shape of Punk to Come by the influential Swedish hardcore band Refused. Williams has explained that this song was written "about the fans" and "that the whole pre-chorus is actually inspired by that one line of the song."[8]

Ian Cohan of MTV Hive described the album as "classic alt-rock with a distinctly Fueled By Ramen edge."[9] Cam Lindsay at Exclaim! characterized it as "high-energy/high-emotion pop punk,"[10] while AllMusic's Jason Lymangrover states "[Williams] fills the majority of her punk-pop tales with emo angst and declarations of boy woes."[11] Johnathan Bradley at Stylus Magazine labeled it as "irrepressible power pop".[12]

Release

On March 13, 2007, it was announced that guitarist Hunter Lamb left the group to focus on family.[13] On April 13, "Misery Business" was made available for streaming.[14] A week later, the album's cover art and track listing was revealed.[15] In April and May, the band went on headlining tour of the U.S. They were supported by The Almost, This Providence, Love Arcade and Quietdrive.[16] Riot! was released through Fueled by Ramen on June 12,[15] following the debut of "Misery Business" on the radio. From late June to late August, the band went on the 2007 edition of Warped Tour.[17] The album was re-released in late 2007 as a U-MYX MVI CD/DVD. The album has yielded four singles, with "Misery Business" being the first. The album's second single was "Hallelujah". The album's third single was "Crushcrushcrush", released on January 15, 2008 in the US and January 23 in the UK.

The album's fourth single, "That's What You Get", was released just over a week after Paramore cancelled their European tour to work on "personal issues",[18] amidst media speculation of the band breaking up. Williams explained that, given the fragile state of the band, they all thought it best if they kept the shoot low-key, surrounding themselves with their friends and family, keeping it simple. Williams added, "We had tons of friends there, and it really just felt like a hangout session. And Marcos [Siega, the director] was so cool about it. He said, 'Bring your friends.' We shot it in some of our friends' houses, and it just felt so real... and I think it's the first time in a video you're gonna get to see who we really are."[19]

Williams had stated "We're hoping to do one more tour across the States before we really get started with all the (European summer) festivals. Of course, I want to do more Warped Tour dates, 'cause it's, like, my favorite tour ever. We'll see what works out and hopefully just have another great year."[20]

After the album release the band went on an American tour, following it up with a world tour. After their fourth single from Riot! was released the band canceled their European tour to work on "personal issues."

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic67/100[21]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk71%[22]
AllMusic[11]
Alternative Press3/5[23]
Drowned in Sound4/10[24]
IGN7/10[25]
Jesus Freak Hideout[26]
NME5/10[27]
Spin7/10[28]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[29]
Stylus MagazineB+[30]

Riot! received generally positive reviews from music critics. According to Metacritic, the album holds a score of 67 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews" based on 8 reviews.[21] Jason Lymangrover of AllMusic stated "Filled with crossover potential, the songs are consistent and zippy with catchy hooks in the vein of Boys Like Girls fronted by a young Shirley Manson."[11] At Stylus Magazine, Jonathan Bradley opined that "Riot! is immediately appealing because it focuses on sounds that have been neglected by the genre's front-runners. This is an uncomplicated album of strikingly uncomplicated music, entirely lacking in 15 word song titles." Bradley also compared it to the "better songs" from Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne.[30] Gareth Dobson at Drowned in Sound observed "At 38 minutes long, it's mercifully brief, but still manages to feel like a double album for those who endure it. That is, those who don't manage to forget that it's on the stereo at all. People, get your pop-punk thrills somewhere else. At least somewhere where there are actual thrills to be had."[24]

IGN's Ed Thompson stated "This is by no means a must have album and is not going to be remembered as the band's defining moment by any stretch of the imagination. But what Riot! will do is serve as a foundation from which the kids can continue to learn, grow and improve." Thompson also commented that it shows more maturity compared to similar bands.[25] Lewis P. at Sputnikmusic described it as the best pop punk album of 2007, commenting "Paramore might not be tapping into anything new, but it has finally hit its stride, making pop-punk anthems that match the praise."[29] Alternative Press writer Scott Heisel commented "considering the median age of the band, the musicianship shown on Riot! is mightily impressive...while the record as a whole may not be a home run, it’s solid stand-up double that keeps Fueled By Ramen’s inning alive for their next clean-up hitter."[23] Justin Mabee at Jesus Freak Hideout declared "While this new album may lack some of the spiritual depth that rocked their debut, the whole record retains a very positive feeling to it" Mabee commented that the band "has come a long way" with the album since they have formed.[26]

Commercial performance

Riot! entered the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart at 20 in late 2007. Riot! sold 42,000 albums in the U.S. in its first week and three months later the album hit its peak at 15 on the Billboard 200. The album was certified double-Platinum on March 22, 2016.[31] The album achieved some success in the UK reaching #24 on the albums chart sales and selling 250,094 copies to date. In New Zealand, the album peaked at number 15, and was certified Gold on February 1, 2009, shipping over 15,000 copies.[32][33] "Misery Business" became a hit, spending 22 weeks at #3 on Alternative Songs chart.[34] The song has been certified triple-Platinum by the RIAA.[31]

Accolades

The album was included in Rock Sound's 101 Modern Classics list at number 10.[35] The album was included at number 16 on Rock Sound's "The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time" list.[36]

Track listing

All tracks written by Hayley Williams and Josh Farro, except where noted[37]. 

No.TitleLength
1."For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic"  3:48
2."That's What You Get" (Williams, Farro, Taylor York)3:40
3."Hallelujah"  3:23
4."Misery Business"  3:31
5."When It Rains" (Williams, Farro, Zac Farro)3:35
6."Let the Flames Begin"  3:18
7."Miracle"  3:29
8."Crushcrushcrush"  3:09
9."We Are Broken" (Williams, Farro, David Bendeth)3:38
10."Fences" (Williams, Farro, Bendeth)3:18
11."Born for This"  3:58

Charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[39] 47
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[40] 66
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[41] 61
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[42] 26
Irish Albums (IRMA)[43] 53
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)[44] 31
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[45] 15
UK Albums (OCC)[46] 24
UK Rock Albums (OCC)[47] 2
US Billboard 200[48] 15
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[49] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[50] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[52] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[53] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[54] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[55] 2x Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Personnel

Paramore
Additional musicians
Production

References

Citations
  1. ↑ "Paramore – Riot!". Archived from the original on November 3, 2007.
  2. ↑ Haruch, Steve. "Paramore broke the Nashville Curse and never looked back". Nashville Scene. SouthComm Communications. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Maura. "Paramore Hold On To Their Smarts". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Cantor, Brian. "Chart Story: Paramore's "Ain't It Fun", MKTO's "Classic" Enter Top 50". Headline Planet. Cantortainment. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Paramore band info". paramore.net.
  6. ↑ "Interview: Paramore". musicOMH. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Sophomore rocker lands back-up gig". theflathatnews.com. Retrieved 2007-04-20.
  8. ↑ "Organised-Sound interview with Paramore". Organised-sound.com. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  9. ↑ "Fueled By Ramen: Celebrating Today for 15 Years - MTV Hive". MTV Hive. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Paramore". Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 Lymangrover, Jason (2007-06-12). "Riot! - Paramore". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  12. ↑ "Paramore - Riot! - Review - Stylus Magazine". Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Paramore part ways with guitarist". Alternative Press. March 13, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Paramore release first audio from Riot!". Alternative Press. April 13, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  15. 1 2 "AP Exclusive: Tracklisting, cover for new Paramore LP revealed". Alternative Press. April 20, 2007. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Paramore announce spring dates". Alternative Press. March 1, 2007. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Throwdown added to Warped 07; Madina Lake drop off". Alternative Press. April 26, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Paramore Cancel European Tour". mtv.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  19. ↑ "Paramore Explain Why 'That's What You Get' Video Shoot Was Top Secret". mtv.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  20. ↑ "Paramore, Gym Class Heroes Lead Warped Lineup". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  21. 1 2 "Riot! Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  22. ↑ Tate, Jason. "Paramore - Riot!". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  23. 1 2 Heisel, Scott. "Paramore - Riot!". Alternative Press. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  24. 1 2 Dobson, Gareth. "Review / Paramore: Riot!". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  25. 1 2 "Paramore - Riot! Review". IGN. 2007-07-20. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
  26. 1 2 "Paramore, "Riot!" Review". Jesusfreakhideout.com. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  27. ↑ Elan, Priya. "Paramore: RIOT!". NME. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  28. ↑ Kelley, Trevor. "Paramore, 'Riot!' (Fueled by Ramen)". Spin. Archived from the original on June 18, 2014. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  29. 1 2 "Review: Paramore - Riot! - Sputnikmusic". Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  30. 1 2 Bradley, Jonathan. "Paramore - Riot!". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  31. 1 2 "Paramore RIAA Certifications". Riaa.com. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  32. ↑ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums - RadioScope New Zealand". Radioscope.net.nz. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  33. ↑ "RIANZ". RIANZ. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  34. ↑ "Paramore". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Rock Sound's 101 Modern Classics: The Final Instalment!". Rock Sound Magazine. July 11, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  36. ↑ Bird, ed. 2014, p. 72
  37. ↑ Riot! (CD). Paramore. Fueled by Ramen Records. 2009.
  38. ↑ ["iTunes - Music - Riot! (Deluxe Version) -by Paramore]". iTunes. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Paramore – Riot!". Hung Medien.
  40. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Paramore – Riot!" (in German). Hung Medien.
  41. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paramore – Riot!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  42. ↑ "Paramore: Riot!" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  43. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week {{{week}}}, {{{year}}}". Chart-Track. IRMA.
  44. ↑ "Mexicancharts.com – Paramore – Riot!". Hung Medien.
  45. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Paramore – Riot!". Hung Medien.
  46. ↑ "Paramore | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  47. ↑ UK Rock Chart BBC. Archived on 2009-02-11.
  48. ↑ "Billboard chart search / title = Riot! / chart = The Billboard 200 / dist. = Fueled By Ramen". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  49. ↑ "Billboard chart search / title = Riot! / chart = Alternative Albums / dist. = Fueled By Ramen". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  50. ↑ "Billboard chart search / title = Riot! / chart = Top Rock Albums / dist. = Fueled By Ramen". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  51. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  52. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Paramore – Riot!". Music Canada.
  53. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Paramore – Riot!". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  54. ↑ "British album certifications – Paramore – Riot!". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 October 2013. Enter Riot! in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  55. ↑ "American album certifications – Paramore – Riot!". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 1 April 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Sources
  • Bird, Ryan, ed. (September 2014). "The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (191). ISSN 1465-0185. 
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