Paramore has recently covered Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House.” The cover was in tribute for the A24 reissue of Talking Heads’ concert film Stop Making Sense. Now David Byrne has returned the favor for a Record Store Day special release on April 20. Byrne has recorded a cover of Paramore’s “Hard Times,” which will be released alongside “Burning Down the House” on 12″ vinyl.
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“Hard Times” was the first single off of Paramore’s 2017 album After Laughter. Meanwhile, “Burning Down the House” was released in 1983 as the fifth single off of Speaking in Tongues. It was Talking Heads’ highest-charting single and their only Billboard Hot 100 hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 9.
Additionally, Paramore has been named Record Store Day Ambassadors this year. Hayley Williams, Zac Farro, and Taylor York celebrated their new role with a statement. They also made a triumphant return to social media after wiping their online presence in preparation for a new era.
“After a long career in the music industry we have decided to announce that we are going to continue to have a long career in the music industry (sorry for any inconvenience),” the band said in the statement. “Our first order of business as a freshly independent Paramore is to shine a light on independent record stores—a vital part of our journey from music-obsessed school friends to professional music makers.”
Paramore Triumphantly Returned to Social Media as a Newly Independent Band
With the release of their album This Is Why, Paramore fulfilled their label responsibilities and were essentially free agents. As a newly independent band, they seemed excited to get started on a new era of music.
“With that being said,” the band continued in their statement, “we are humbled to be your Ambassadors for Record Store Day 2024. The timing feels kismet.
“The discovery of music was always meant to be romantic,” Paramore wrote. “Indie record shops are some of the only spaces we’ve got that offer a tangible, tactile experience of music discovery. In this world that feels more disconnected and hostile than ever, it feels important to remain in touch (literally) with what inspires us, empowers us, or simply brings us joy.”
