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Hard Times (Paramore song)

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"Hard Times"
Song

"Hard Times" is a song by American rock band Paramore from their fifth studio album After Laughter.[1] It was released on April 19, 2017 through Fueled by Ramen as the album's lead single. The song was written by lead vocalist Hayley Williams and guitarist Taylor York and was recorded in the band's hometown, Nashville, Tennessee.[2] It is the first single to be released by the band since the return of drummer Zac Farro and the departure of former bassist Jeremy Davis.

The song has received positive reviews, being compared to 1980s new wave and to their previous singles "Still Into You" and "Ain't It Fun".

Background and composition

Lyrically, "Hard Times" is about the feeling of going through hard times, and being useless in achieving one's goals.[3] According to DIY, "Hard Times" follows the "bombastic footsteps" of previous singles "Still Into You" and "Ain't It Fun", featuring a "huge chorus and sugary vocals".[4] Eddie Fu at Consequence of Sound agrees, noting that it expands on the pop rock sound of those songs by "further incorporating 1980's new wave".[5] According to Billboard writer Lindsey Byrnes, it is a pop rock song that features a tribal beat, and is reminiscent of 1980's new wave.[6]

Likewise, Tom Breihan of Stereogum described it as "stiff funkiness of prime '80s new wave".[7] Daniel Kreps at Rolling Stone characterized the song as "bubbly synth-pop".[8] At The Guardian, the drums were compared to that of Lionel Richie, while the breakdown was described as "Daft Punk-style".[9] In an interview with iHeartRadio, Williams states "This is a really big step for us as a band, and it's definitely a new sound. We're really proud of it. I feel like it really reflects exactly who we are right now in real time, and hopefully people will be into it."[10]

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics. Joe Coscarelli at The New York Times praised the song, stating that Hayley Williams "remains the focus, and her nimble melodies and sneakily huge pop hooks are as crisp and magnetic as ever, unbeholden to genre walls."[11] Brad Nelson of Pitchfork wrote positively of the song, calling it a "return to the vintage rhythms that informed 'Ain't It Fun,' but the new song unfolds in a context less obviously connected to rock and even further amputated from emo".[12] Jordan Sargent from Spin named it as one of Paramore's best singles to date, adding that "It's also an interesting experiment, even if you don't care for Paramore's music."[13]

Will Richards of DIY praised the song, saying that the band "never had as much fun as they're having right now," further stating that the chorus "instantly sticks in your brain like bubblegum."[14] Billboard compared the song to Talking Heads and Blondie, stating "With the infectious quality of "Hard Times" inspiring a jump-on-the-bed and use a hairbrush as a microphone type of vibe, Paramore's new chapter is a testament to what can happen not only when you weather the storm, but when you let yourself dance in the rain as well".[15] Writing for The Inquirer, Joseph R. Atilano opines that the song is "a very solid track and is something that long time Paramore fans will surely enjoy listening to over and over again," but criticizes its short length, and mentions that Williams' vocals could be louder in some areas.[16]

Music video

The video was uploaded to Fueled by Ramen's YouTube channel on April 19, 2017.[17] It was directed by Andrew Joffe and shot at Optimist Studios over two days in March 2017.[18] According to Joffe, the band wanted to "embody some kind of '80s vibe" and made use of "the kind of hand-drawn rotoscoping animation effects made famous in a-ha's "Take on Me," and deploys a color palette straight out of Weird Science and Square Pegs."[18] At NPR Lars Gotrich described as containing "early MTV-style effects, loud pastels and a performance space seemingly constructed out of an old Nickelodeon set."[19]

Charts

Chart (2017) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 61
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[21] 65
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[22] 91
Finland Download (Latauslista)[23] 13
Ireland (IRMA)[24] 54
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[25] 15
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[26] 2
Portugal (AFP)[27] 85
Scotland (OCC)[28] 14
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[30] 34
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 90
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[32] 24
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[33] 6
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[34] 26

Release history

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide April 19, 2017 Digital download Fueled by Ramen [6]
United States April 25, 2017 Contemporary hit radio
[35]

References

  1. ^ "Paramore Announce New Album After Laughter, Share Video for New Song 'Hard Times': Watch – Pitchfork". Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Paramore Ready New LP 'After Laughter,' Drop First Single 'Hard Times'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  3. ^ "Paramore – Hard Times". Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  4. ^ "Paramore announce new album 'After Laughter', hear new track 'Hard Times'". Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "Paramore announce new album, After Laughter, share video for buoyant single 'Hard Times' — watch". April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (April 19, 2017). "Paramore Drop Single, 'Hard Times,' Announce New Album, 'After Laughter'". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "Paramore – "Hard Times" Video". April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Paramore Ready New LP 'After Laughter,' Drop First Single 'Hard Times'". Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  9. ^ Wolfson, Sam (April 22, 2017). "Paramore: 'I've wanted to quit this band so many times'". Retrieved April 23, 2017 – via The Guardian.
  10. ^ "INTERVIEW: Paramore Talks 'Hard Times' & Reveals 'After Laughter' Meaning". Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  11. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (April 19, 2017). "Paramore Bounces Back With Old Faces and a New Sound". Retrieved April 19, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  12. ^ "'Hard Times' by Paramore Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  13. ^ "Paramore's 'Hard Times' Rules". April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  14. ^ "Paramore – Hard Times". DIY. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  15. ^ "Paramore, Charlie Puth, Lana Del Rey's Collaboration With The Weeknd & More Are Spotify Editors' Picks for April 21". Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  16. ^ Atilano, Joseph R. "Single Review: 'Hard Times' by Paramore". Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  17. ^ Fueled By Ramen (April 19, 2017). "Paramore: Hard Times [OFFICIAL VIDEO]". Retrieved April 26, 2017 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ a b "Paramore 'Hard Times' Video Director Talks Building an '80s 'Dream World'". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  19. ^ "Paramore Is Back! Watch The '80s-Tastic 'Hard Times' Video". Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  20. ^ "ARIA CHART WATCH #418". auspOp. April 29, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  21. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  22. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 17. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  23. ^ "Paramore: Hard Times" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  24. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  25. ^ "Latvijas Top 40". Latvijas Radio. June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  26. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 1, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  27. ^ "Paramore – Hard Times". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  28. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  29. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker - Vecka 17, 28 april 2017". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  30. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  31. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  32. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  33. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  34. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  35. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News (CHR > Available for Airplay)". FMQB (Mediaspan). Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
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