10 Rock "Sellout" Albums That Are Actually Really Good

Ever since their first mainstream success with Riot, Paramore seemed to be on a slippery slope into pop territory. While albums like Brand New Eyes and their self titled album were still rock albums at the end of the day, the amount of hooks on the records saw them straying really far away from the punk origins of their sound. By the time they got to After Laughter, this was the swan dive into the '80s rock pool.

From the first second this album starts, it's clear that this is a very different Paramore from years before, with riffs that sound like they could have turned up on an INXS record back in the late '80s. However, this is probably one of the few instances where the transition into sell out territory may have saved the band's career. Instead of sounding shallow, these are actually impressive bits of pop rock that sound absolutely phenomenal in an album context, from the opening bounce of Hard Times to the amazing performances on Told You So.

The lyrics in particular stand out on this outing as being a bit on the pessimistic side, which works wonders when playing off of the sunnier shades of neon coming off the instrumentation. Whereas other sellout albums leave you dreading what's coming down the pipeline, this is the type of progress that leaves you chomping at the bit to see where Paramore are going next.