Originating from Franklin, Tennessee, USA, this pop punk outfit formed when Hayley Williams (b. 27 December 1988, Meridian, Mississippi, USA; vocals) became friends with brothers Josh Farro (b. 29 September 1987, Franklin, Tennessee, USA; guitar/vocals) and Zac Farro (b. 4 June 1990, Franklin, Tennessee, USA; drums), having moved to Franklin with her family from Mississippi. Williams, at the time just 13 years old, was invited to join the brothers' band, having shown obvious singing talent sand a strong desire to perform. Joined by friends Jeremy Davis (b. 8 February 1985, Franklin, Tennessee, USA; bass) and Jason Bynum (guitar), the band started writing and performing as Paramore, to begin with, in school talent contests, and then at local venues. Their youthful energy and enthusiasm, along with accomplished musical ability for their age, and Williams' infectious charisma and powerful vocals, quickly attracted interest from several record companies.
They signed to the independent rock label Fueled By Ramen in April 2005, and in July the same year they released their debut, All We Know Is Falling. The album and subsequent singles failed to make any impact, but this was to change dramatically over the next two years. Bynum left the band after the first album, and was replaced by William "Hunter' Lamb (guitar). Lamb then departed in March 2007 to get married, but the band continued as a quartet. Having played in increasingly large venues while touring with several high-profile bands, the hype surrounding Paramore had steadily increased, and by the time they released their second album RIOT! in June 2007, the media attention the band was receiving had reached an astonishing climax, particularly from the partisan UK magazine Kerrang!, with much of the attention focusing on lead singer Williams. RIOT! shot into the Top 20 in the USA, and the Top 30 in the UK, with both fans and critics appreciating their catchy and melodic blend of pop, rock, and punk, driven by Williams" powerful yet tuneful vocals. Stand-out tracks included "Hallelujah" and the international hit single "Misery Business".
