Paramore is back to their pop-punk roots and in February 2023, released their latest studio album, This is Why. It’s their first album since 2017’s synth-pop-infused After Laughter. The titular single from the most recent album, also titled “This is Why,” has been a hit. They also recently released a remix album, Re: This Is Why, in October 2023.
The band has been touring through 2023, including international tour dates, and opening for Taylor Swift, all in coordination with the album’s release. In addition, their latest work has earned the band nominations for Best Rock Album and a Best Alternative Music Performance nomination for the album’s title track at the upcoming 2024 Grammys.
The band’s lineup has changed a lot over the years, with all the original founding members — apart from lead singer Hayley Williams — leaving at some point. So, if you’ve been a fan of Paramore over the years, but maybe been out of the loop a little in between their recent albums, you might be wondering how the band has been doing lately.
Paramore became a trio and nearly came to an end in 2015 when original bassist Jeremy Davis departed for good. Davis was never replaced, with the band opting for hired touring musicians instead of new full-time members. They did the same thing in 2010 when founding members Zac and Josh Farro left. At one point, even Hayley herself left Paramore due to her depression.
It was almost the end of the band, but the public did not know about it until they returned with a new album, After Laughter, in 2017. By then, the storm had already passed.
Here are all the members who are currently in Paramore with lead singer Hayley Williams.
Taylor York
Initially a touring member, Taylor York was announced as the official guitarist for Paramore in 2009. He had briefly contributed with backing vocals in 2005’s All We Know Is Falling and with songwriting for Riot! before joining the band on tour in 2007. After the Farro brothers (Josh and Zac) left in 2010, York became Hayley Williams’ main songwriting partner, and the two have been responsible for shaping the Paramore sound since then.
In the brief period when Williams also left, York remained as the only Paramore member. In addition to supporting her as a friend throughout her mental health crisis, he continued to write and send her material until they actually began working on what would become After Laughter. He’s still part of the official main trio along with Zac Farro.
Zac Farro
Zac Farro and his older brother Josh, respectively on drums and guitar, formed Paramore with Williams and bassist Jeremy Davis in 2004. After a series of issues with management and creative differences among the band members, the two brothers left in 2010, and not in the most amicable way.
Paramore remained without an official drummer until Farro’s return and went through five touring members in the meantime, with Aaron Gillespie staying the longest from 2013 to 2017. Farro started to write with Williams and York again in 2016 for After Laughter, but he was only announced as an official member in 2017. He says reigniting their friendship was the priority at the time and it’s certainly worked since returning to drumming full-time for the band on their 2023 albums and accompanying tour.
Touring members
In addition to the three full-time, official members, four musicians are listed as touring members of the band:
- bassist Joey Howard (since 2015)
- guitarist Logan MacKenzie (since 2017)
- drummer Joseph “Joey” Mullen (since 2017)
- guitarist Brian Robert Jones (since 2022)
You can catch them all live if you attend their “This Is Why Tour,” but they’ll only be down under in Australia until the end of November 2023. Their time spent as the opening act for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour,” wrapped up in August 2023.
