Although their fiery blend of emo-pop and anthemic rock eventually made them stars on both sides of the Atlantic, Paramore started humbly enough in Franklin, TN, where lead vocalist Hayley Williams met brothers Josh and Zac Farro (guitar and drums, respectively) after moving to town from Mississippi. The two Farros had a young band that the burgeoning vocalist was asked to join. After the brothers opened Williams' 13-year-old eyes to the likes of U2, the Cure, Sparta, and Failure, the teenagers began performing together under the name Paramore following the addition of Jason Bynum on rhythm guitar and Jeremy Davis on bass. Local hangouts and a school talent show helped the young bandmembers hone their chops before graduating to higher-level bookings at area rock clubs.

The quintet's sweet melodies and earnest charisma -- not to mention Williams' powerhouse vox -- eventually caught the attention of Florida's Fueled by Ramen label, which signed the band in April 2005. Working with James Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Underoath) and Mike Green (Yellowcard, the Black Maria), Paramore recorded their full-length debut, All We Know Is Falling. The record was released in late July 2005, and Paramore jumped quickly into their van to support it. In addition to a spot on New Jersey's Bamboozle Festival and multiple Warped Tour dates, they also played shows with such bands as Simple Plan and Straylight Run. Hunter Lamb replaced Bynum on guitar in December 2005, and time was spent in the early part of the next year on tour dates with Halifax, So They Say, and Bayside. Similar to many of their musical peers, Paramore then spent the summer of 2006 on the annual Warped Tour circuit. Lamb parted ways with the group in early 2007 to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet.

The following summer saw the release of the band's follow-up album, Riot!, which was recorded along with producer David Bendeth and issued by the band's new label, Atlantic Records. Buoyed by the successful singles "Misery Business," "crushcrushcrush," and "That's What You Get," Riot! turned Paramore into industry darlings, going platinum within its first 13 months of release and earning the lineup a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. The group toured exhaustively in support of the record, even landing a two-month jaunt across the continental U.S. with their idols Jimmy Eat World. Meanwhile, Paramore found time to contribute two songs to the Twilight soundtrack, which included the Top 40 single "Decode." A live record entitled The Final Riot! was issued several weeks after the Twilight soundtrack, encompassing the band's energy as a live act and concluding its lengthy tour.