Hayley Williams Further Distances Herself From Paramore Hit Song “Misery Business” After Song is Included in Spotify’s “Women of Rock” Playlist

Hayley Williams has once again distanced herself from the hit song “Misery Business,” which was originally recorded by her alternative rock group Paramore back in 2007. According to Loudwire, the performer had expressed her displeasure of having the song included on a “Women of Rock” playlist for Spotify, due to some lyrics which can be interpreted as problematic. The song has since been removed from the playlist.

The lyrics in question include lines such as “Once a whore, you’re nothing more / I’m sorry that’ll never change,” which some have interpreted to be anti-Feminist. Paramore removed the song from their setlists in 2018, with Williams stating “We feel like it’s time to move away from it for a little while.”

“Misery Business” was included alongside tracks such as “Simmer” which will be included on Williams upcoming solo project Petals For Armor. While the performer was happy about the inclusion of “Simmer” she explained that “Misery Business” should not be included on a playlist promoting female empowerment or solidarity.

“I know it’s one of the band’s biggest songs,” Williams explained in an Instagram post, “but it shouldn’t be used to promote anything having to do with female empowerment or solidarity.”

This isn’t the first time that Williams has addressed the controversy regarding the song. Back in 2017 the performer  acknowledged the problematic lyrics, while also explaining the song’s original content upon its release.

“The thing that annoyed me,” Williams began, “was that I had already done so much soul-searching about it, years before anyone else had decided there was an issue. When the article began circulating, I sort of had to go and rehash everything in front of everybody. It was important, however, for me to show humility in that moment. I was a 17 year old kid when I wrote the lyrics in question and if I can somehow exemplify what it means to grow up, get information, and become any shade of ‘woke’, then that’s a-okay with me.”

Petals for Armor will be released in full this May.

Photo Credit: Mehreen Rizvi