Sixteen years ago today, Paramore dropped an album that would end up shaping a whole era of alternative music. Brand New Eyes, released on September 29, 2009, wasn’t just another record—it was a bold statement from a band stepping into adulthood, all while holding nothing back.
This was Paramore at a crossroads. After the massive success of Riot!, there was pressure, expectation, and plenty of internal struggles bubbling under the surface. You can hear all of that in these songs. “Ignorance” explodes with frustration and defiance, while “Brick by Boring Brick” takes you on a darkly fairytale ride that still gets crowds screaming every word. And then, of course, there’s “The Only Exception”—a song that somehow managed to make cynics believe in love again.
What makes Brand New Eyes so special is how real it feels. It’s messy, emotional, and brutally honest, yet still full of those soaring hooks that only Paramore could pull off. It’s the kind of record that got you through breakups, late-night drives, and teenage angst, but it still hits just as hard years later.
Listening back now, it feels like the bridge between the Paramore we first fell in love with and the fearless band they’d go on to become. Sixteen years later, it hasn’t lost any of its bite or beauty. In fact, it might just be aging like fine wine.
So here’s to Brand New Eyes at 16—a true scene classic that refuses to fade. The only real question is… what’s your go-to track from the album?
