Have you seen Paramore’s newest album cover? No, it’s not for the pop-punk stalwarts’ upcoming LP This Is Why, but as Kerrang points out, the band have instead swapped the official artwork for their 2013 self-titled on all streaming platforms.
If you’ll recall, the original artwork for Paramore was a high-contrast photo of vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and former bassist Jeremy Davis against a black backdrop. Now, the artwork is a photo of Williams alone — or, you know, someone else with bright orange hair — wearing a jean jacket emblazoned with the words “grow up” on the back.
We’re not trying to point fingers, but the switch-up here seems pretty pointed, considering things with Davis did not end on the best of terms. Shortly following his (third!) official departure from Paramore in 2015, the bassist sued his former bandmates, claiming he wasn’t given appropriate financial compensation (in addition to slamming Williams and company on social media).
In response, the rest of Paramore argued that, as a member, Davis was an employee of the band and not entitled to a cut of their various other revenue streams like merch sales and touring profits. In May 2017, Paramore’s lawyer said “everything has been resolved and settled,” and pretty much left it at that. But legal settlements don’t repair burned bridges.
Anyway, all the drama from that fallout partially inspired Paramore’s successful foray into punky new wave with 2017’s After Laughter, which featured a lineup of Williams, York, and returning drummer Zac Farro (who got tangled up in some controversy of his own back in 2010, but that’s a story for another day). That trio again appears on This Is Why, which is out February 10th. See the new album artwork for Paramore below.
Paramore announced This Is Why with the album’s title track, which we named Song of the Week. They’ll celebrate the release with a lengthy 2023 headlining tour, as well as some dates opening for Taylor Swift. Grab your tickets over at Ticketmaster.
Paramore Artwork:
