Hard Times (Paramore song)

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"Hard Times"
Single by Paramore
from the album After Laughter
ReleasedApril 19, 2017 (2017-04-19)
StudioRCA Studio B (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre
Length3:02
LabelFueled by Ramen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Paramore singles chronology
"Ain't It Fun"
(2014) 		"Hard Times"
(2017) 		"Told You So"
(2017)
Music video
"Hard Times" on YouTube
Audio sample

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

Background and composition[edit]

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 1980s 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] It has also been described as a disco[11] and alternative rock song.[12]

Critical reception[edit]

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."[13] 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".[14] 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."[15]

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".[16] 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".[17] 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.[18]

The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll to find the best music of 2017 ranked "Hard Times" at number 11.[19] In 2017, NME ranked the song number three on their list of the 10 greatest Paramore songs,[20] and in 2021, Kerrang ranked the song number six on their list of the 20 greatest Paramore songs.[21]

Music video[edit]

The video was uploaded to Fueled by Ramen's YouTube channel on April 19, 2017.[22] It was directed by Andrew Joffe and shot at Optimist Studios over two days in March 2017.[23] 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".[23] NPR's Lars Gotrich described the video as containing "early MTV-style effects, loud pastels and a performance space seemingly constructed out of an old Nickelodeon set".[24] The animation effects were done by Portland-based creative studio, Computer Team.[25][26] In October 2017, Paramore released a blooper reel of the video's green screen segments.[27]

By October 2017, the song achieved 50 million views.[27] As of July 2023, the music video for "Hard Times" has over 130 million views on YouTube.[28]

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[29]

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for "Hard Times"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Platinum 70,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] Platinum 675,000[52]
United States (RIAA)[54] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades[edit]

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Billboard United States The 25 Best Rock Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks[55] 2017
2

Release history[edit]

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide April 19, 2017 Digital download Fueled by Ramen [6]
United States April 25, 2017 Contemporary hit radio
[56]

In popular culture[edit]

The song was featured in a montage sequence in the 2019 film Happy Death Day 2U.

The song was used as Jake Hart's ringtone in the Nickelodeon Comedy series Henry Danger.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Paramore Announce New Album After Laughter, Share Video for New Song 'Hard Times': Watch – Pitchfork". Pitchfork. 19 April 2017. 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". 19 April 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  4. ^ "Paramore announce new album 'After Laughter', hear new track 'Hard Times'". 19 April 2017. 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'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  9. ^ Wolfson, Sam (April 22, 2017). "Paramore: 'I've wanted to quit this band so many times'". The Guardian. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "INTERVIEW: Paramore Talks 'Hard Times' & Reveals 'After Laughter' Meaning". Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  11. ^ Gotrich, Lars (April 19, 2017). "Paramore Is Back! Watch The '80s-Tastic 'Hard Times' Video". NPR Music. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  12. ^ Nattress, Katrina (November 22, 2019). "30 Alternative Rock Songs That Defined the 2010s". iHeartMedia. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  13. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (April 19, 2017). "Paramore Bounces Back With Old Faces and a New Sound". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  14. ^ "'Hard Times' by Paramore Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  15. ^ "Paramore's 'Hard Times' Rules". April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  16. ^ "Paramore – Hard Times". DIY. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  17. ^ "Paramore, Charlie Puth, Lana Del Rey's Collaboration With The Weeknd & More Are Spotify Editors' Picks for April 21". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  18. ^ Atilano, Joseph R. (25 April 2017). "Single Review: 'Hard Times' by Paramore". Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  19. ^ "Pazz & Jop: It's Kendrick's and Cardi's World. We're All Just Living in It". The Village Voice. January 22, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  20. ^ Bartleet, Larry (May 12, 2017). "Paramore: their 10 best songs – ranked". NME. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  21. ^ Law, Sam (January 5, 2021). "The 20 greatest Paramore songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  22. ^ Fueled By Ramen (April 19, 2017). "Paramore: Hard Times [OFFICIAL VIDEO]". Retrieved April 26, 2017 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ a b "Paramore 'Hard Times' Video Director Talks Building an '80s 'Dream World'". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
  24. ^ "Paramore Is Back! Watch The '80s-Tastic 'Hard Times' Video". NPR. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  25. ^ "Paramore 'Hard Times' Video Director Talks Building an '80s 'Dream World'". Billboard. April 20, 2017.
  26. ^ "Computer Team". Computer Team.
  27. ^ a b Shawgo, Kelsey (October 11, 2017). "Paramore release blooper reel from "Hard Times" music video". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  28. ^ Paramore (April 19, 2017). "Paramore: Hard Times [OFFICIAL VIDEO]". YouTube. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  29. ^ After Laughter (Media notes). Paramore. Fueled by Ramen. 2017.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ "ARIA CHART WATCH #418". auspOp. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  31. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  32. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201717 into search. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  33. ^ "Paramore: Hard Times" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  34. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  35. ^ "Billboard Japan Radio Songs" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. 12 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  36. ^ "Latvijas Top 40". Latvijas Radio. June 19, 2017. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  37. ^ "Paramore - Hard Times - dutchcharts.nl". Mega Charts. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  38. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  39. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 1, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  40. ^ "Paramore – Hard Times". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  41. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  42. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker - Vecka 17, 28 april 2017". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  43. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  44. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  45. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  46. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  47. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  48. ^ "Paramore Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  49. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  50. ^ "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  51. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  52. ^ Griffiths, George (February 16, 2023). "Paramore and Hayley Williams' Official Top 20 biggest songs in the UK revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  53. ^ "British single certifications – Paramore – Hard Times". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  54. ^ "American single certifications – Paramore – Hard Times". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  55. ^ "The 25 Best Rock Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  56. ^ "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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