The record label’s influence...

Some people will say that when a pop/punk or rock band sign to a major label they ‘sell out’. This means that they go against their original beliefs and change their sound to get a bigger audience and make more money. It also means they are more likely to be influenced by their label.

Paramore signing to a major label caused a lot of controversy – especially because of the lead singer Hayley Williams. When the guitarist (Josh) and drummer (Zac) quit the band, Josh told some truths about what it was like to be part of the band the people didn’t see – Hayley was seen as the main star and the others were extras, ‘riding on the coattails of her dream’, rather than all being equals.

He said publicly that when the band signed to Fueled By Ramen (part of the Warner conglomerate), Hayley (just her and not the others) had already been signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist; that she was manipulated by her manager and her parents.

However, Hayley said that indeed she was the only one signed to a major label, but she ‘never wanted to be a solo artist’, she ‘wanted to be in a band’. Some would argue that she is cheating the system by being signed to a major label but also touring with a band, and good on her for doing that.

It makes you think about the huge impact the record label has on a band and how they can influence them.

I wanted to put a video on  (it's at the end of the clip) to show that Hayley is wearing a Fueled By Ramen hoodie after finishing the shoot for the Monster video. A lot of fans would say that it's a shame that their label is obviously influencing the band and their freedom – to the point they’re even wearing the clothes. Even the former guitarist, Josh, said that were band were being ruled by the label and ‘Paramore is a manufactured product of a major label’. However, some fans will defend them to the death and say the band are amazing despite anything that happens!