Editor’s Note: This was a fun chat with Minority 905! Minority 905 started to get some shine with their medley of the Paramore discography via YouTube, and now Minority 905 shares their favorite Paramore jams exclusively with Madness To Creation. Fans can find Minority 905 at the following locations:
Spasimir:
10 Rose-Colored Boy – It was a tough choice between this and Hard Times but I think I like Rose-Colored Boy a bit more. Such a good beat, melody and the hook in the intro is so sweet.
9 Ain’t It Fun – I only got into the Self-Titled album recently and I remember when this song came out it was everywhere. At that time I was a punk-only fan of Paramore and I refused to check it out. Eventually when I stopped caring about what’s punk and what’s not and I listened to it and was blown away. It’s such a groovy song and the beat is so good.
8 Misery Business – This is definitely one of Paramore’s best and most popular songs. The energy in it is amazing. However, due to it being so overplayed it kinda went lower on the list for me. Still love it tho.
7 That’s What You Get – This was the first Paramore song I ever heard. When I was younger it took me a bit longer to get into it and I didn’t listen to Paramore for real until a few years later, but it was always stuck in my head and when I became a fan it became one of my favorite songs. I love how the drums in the chorus seem to be playing 1/16 notes and ⅛ notes on the hi-hat at the same time. Always thought that was super clever. Just an all around fun song.
6 Pressure – It took me a while to check out the songs from Paramore’s first album and I don’t know why. All We Know Is Falling is a great album and this song is just sick. Everything just sounds so big, the guitars, drums, Hayley’s voice. The guitar lead in the chorus is also just amazing.
5 Ignorance – Probably the second Paramore song I heard. This song is the reason why I started to love this band. The guitar riff is fire, the drums are sick, the “Ignorance is your best friend” hook is so good and let’s not forget the sweet solo. Just a classic
4 Playing God – The guitars in this song sound so good. The melody that plays in the verses and choruses are just so sweet. Love that it’s at a slower tempo but still feels like a Punk song.
3 Careful – I love how big and heavy this song sounds. Hayley’s voice again is outstanding and just super powerful. The guitar riff and drums in the intro are fire. Love how the first verse just starts with vocals and drums. The chorus is also just sick
2. Looking Up – Another song where I love the energy. Been a favorite of mine ever since I heard it. Everything is sweet and then you get to the breakdown part (“Whoa oh oh oh”) and the song just explodes. I also love the surprise ending where they hold the note for a long time but then they jump in to the breakdown again.
1. For A Pessimist I’m Pretty Optimistic – The energy in this song is amazing. The main riff is fire. It just sounds so big. Hayley’s voice was just so strong in this era too. And let’s not forget the sweet dueling guitar breakdown. I was so surprised when I first heard it. I didn’t know Paramore can play like that. Became my favorite song from the moment I heard it.
Chris’s Top 10:
10: Decode
This was the first song I ever heard by Paramore, of course it had to be because of Twilight (which I still think is a pretty averagely okay movie compared to the rest of the movies). If there is one good thing to salvage from that film franchise however, it is definitely this song.
9: Brick By Boring Brick
I remember when a friend first showed me this song, and at the time I hated it. I look back on that day, and I sort of wish I had a way of going back in time and slapping the back of past-me’s head and telling him to listen again, because this is now one of my favorite tracks off of Brand New Eyes.
8: Hard Times
I have to admit, I didn’t want to like this song at first. It’s too catchy though. With the video, I thought it was trying a little bit too hard to play to some pop-aesthetics, but, after chilling out for a minute, it’s a very good song, and the beginning of something completely different for Paramore altogether.
7: Playing God
I really like the subject matter of this song, calling out the hypocrisy of someone who judges you harshly when they don’t even have the self-awareness to judge themselves first.
6: All I Wanted
Melancholy Paramore at its best, this song is emotional and powerful in all the right ways. A very powerful ending track.
5: Fake Happy
When Hayley introduces this song live, she has a little speech about hoping that everyone is “real happy”, and based on her performance of this song and some other songs off After Laughter, I hope that Hayley is “real happy” too, not just “fake happy” as the song and speech seems to hint at.
4: Fences
There’s something about catchy bass-lines and marching feels that always gets me. Any song that features these two things immediately hooks me. Whether it’s this song, Green Day’s Hitchin’ A Ride, or Hatsune Miku’s Hold, Release (Rakshasa and Carcasses). It’s a guaranteed favorite track of mine.
3: For A Pessimist I’m Pretty Optimistic
This might be the strongest opening song to any album ever. This song perfectly represents what 2000s Paramore was all about, it gives you a perfect picture of what you’re about to hear for the rest of Riot, it’s a fantastic track that strongly paves the way for everything else that’s yet to come.
2: Anklebiters
Just when I thought the self-titled album wasn’t punk enough, here comes Anklebiters. Hayley shows she hasn’t lost any of her punk attitude and disdain for sheeple in this song. I initially thought the song was about people who’d undergone a personality change through having children, but, apparently it’s just about people being changed by society’s anklebiters. I like my original belief though.
1: Still Into You
There’s a video around online of Hayley singing most of this song in a single take, but this video is only supplementary to the reason why this song is at the top of my list. Hayley is an amazing vocalist, but to me, in this song, as she sings, I’ve never felt a singer’s performance be so perfectly directed at a listener. There’s something magical about the performance of this song that really makes me feel like Hayley is singing directly to and about me, the listener, which I’ve never experienced in another song.
John:
10: Now – I love the urgency behind this song. It’s almost like a battle cry. Knowing the things that happened in the band before the self-titled album, this song feels like a statement that they weren’t going anywhere.
9: Rose-Colored Boy – My personal favourite from After Laughter. The sad lyrics with fun and happy music still works. I was so happy Paramore closed with this song the first time I saw them live.
8: Misery Business – Don’t think much has to be said for this one. Classic.
7: Pressure – Young Pmore! Such a simple song but it’s so good. I think it really embodies the spirit of their younger days. It also has one of their best intros and best choruses.
6: That’s What You Get – “Ladies and gentlemen Taylor York!” Is still my favourite 3 seconds of every Paramore song of all time. I also got a soft spot for this song because Hayley once performed it with Taylor Swift. It doesn’t get better than that.
5: Brick By Boring Brick – Very unique lyrics and has a lot of good hooks through the entire song. Always been near the top of my list. Ba-da-ba ba-da ba-ba-da!
4: Part II – The sequel to “Let The Flames Begin”, and it doesn’t disappoint. The guitar work by Taylor York in this song is really cool and I like the guitar tones a lot. I really like the production and sound of it overall.
3: Looking Up – So much energy behind the song and I love the lyrics! It makes me want to keep working harder until I can finally say “It’s not a dream anymore” for me either.
2: Emergency – The top 2 songs are basically 1A and 1B for me, it just depends on the day. This song has so much raw emotion and energy. It’s a headbanger through every verse, every chorus, and the bridge! The live piano intro is amazing too.
1: Hallelujah – Hayley’s vocals in this song are amazing. The lyrics and melody are perfect. This song also has my favourite Paramore guitar riff/intro. The live version with Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah being sung as the intro is also perfect haha. Basically the song is perfect is what I’m trying to say.
Steven:
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For A Pessimist I’m Pretty Optimistic – This song has an awesome pop-punk feel to it, great drive with awesome emotion from the vocals. Lots of cool groove changes in the song as well.
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Still Into You – The guitar work in this song is underrated since it doesn’t distract from the vocals, and Hayley sings great melodies in this one with lots of emotion.
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Rose-Colored Boy – I enjoy the reverb-y gang vocal hook throughout the song as well as Hayley’s vocals in the melody.
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Born For This – This has a cool punk drive to it, as well as some nice hooks and chanty vocal parts.
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Looking Up – There’s some awesome feel changes in the tempo, going from double time to half time in some parts. I also really enjoy the song’s ending as well.
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Ignorance – The drive and intensity behind Hayley’s voice is incredible! There’s also lots of cool guitar riffs throughout the song as well.
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Told You So – The 80s nuances in this song are nice and refreshing. Lots of cool synth effects.
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All I Wanted – I enjoy the story that the song tells, as well as the mood the instruments portray.
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Feeling Sorry – The 6/8 time feel contrasts other songs that Paramore has and I like the drive behind the tune as well.
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Ain’t It Fun – I enjoy the melody of the chorus and the instrumentation of the song as a whole, as it marks the new direction that Paramore’s sound was taking.
And there you have it! Stay up to date on Minority 905’s socials for news and further information!
