by Paramore
Released June 12, 2007 via Fueled by Ramen
Reviewed June 15, 2022
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Misery Business (64%), That’s What You Get (39%), When It Rains (33%)
This one is for the real elder emos. RIOT! catapulted Paramore into the world of stardom, producing several hits that will forever stand as key markers of the 2000s; between “Misery Business,” “That’s What You Get,” and “crushcrushcrush” alone, you’ve got three of their best songs to date. But this thing goes deeper than the hits. Hayley Williams and co. came out with a sense of urgency here, delivering anthem after anthem—alongside a couple curveballs, such as “We Are Broken,” as well. It’s catchy and loaded with energy, but noticeably punchier and denser than a lot of the radio-friendly pop punk that was around in 2007. Nonetheless, Hayley Williams’ vocal performances steal the show. For starters, one of the biggest bands in a male-dominated genre being female-fronted made Paramore unique and came with a different perspective than you’d get from the typical ’00s pop punk act. At 19 years old, Williams’ heartbreak, relationship woes, and the like resulted in a bubbling angst, with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. As she presents her experiences with these emotions, which are found extensively in the genres of pop punk and emo, Williams’ delivery and songwriting are as refreshing and authentic as any. RIOT! forever solidified Paramore’s legacy and paved a foundation for the group, and many others that would take influence from them. An underrated, yet essential, piece of pop punk history. – Dominick (9/10)
Victoria: 9.5/10 | Dominick: 9/10 | DeVán: 9/10 | Pax: 8.3/10
Pablo: 8/10 | Hadley: 7.5/10 | Jared: 7.5/10 | Cam: 7/10
Community Reviews:
This is the perfect pop punk record. It is both heavy and light, aggressive and sentimental, serious and fun. All the songs have something special in them that makes it incredibly difficult to pick a favourite. I don’t think there is or ever will be a better pop punk album than this one. Absolutely incredible, can’t wait for new work from Paramore. – @matt_blair171 (9/10)
