Hayley Williams is the First Woman to Hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Albums Chart Solo and With a Group, Thanks to ‘Petals for Armor’

On May 8, singer/songwriter Hayley Williams released Petals for Armor, her first official solo album after five records as the front woman for alt/punk band Paramore.

Two weeks later, the album has made history, as it’s No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Album Charts, making Williams the first female artist to hit No. 1 both as a solo artist and with a band or group.

With her new No. 1 for 'Petals For Armor,' @yelyahwilliams is the first woman to have led #TopRockAlbums both on her own and with a group. https://t.co/IhwE0EXU1F

— billboard (@billboard) May 20, 2020

i love to rock https://t.co/Rhqe9qTDmU

— hayley from Paramore 🌺 (@yelyahwilliams) May 21, 2020

Previously, Hayley Williams and Paramore had hit the top spot on the Rock Albums Chart with 2017’s After Laughter, 2013’s self-titled album and 2009’s Brand New Eyes.

Petals for Armor, a versatile and raw collection of songs that span genres and styles, showcase Williams and her unwavering confidence. Taken from our album review back on May 8:

At the heart of Petals for Armor is vulnerability. Pure, raw, messy vulnerability, the product of years of turmoil within Paramore and outside the band, as Williams dealt with a short-lived marriage to Chad Gilbert, guitarist of New Found Glory. The tumult led to a bout with deep depression, which Williams opened up about with Vulture:

I felt scared to talk about depression for a long time. When I wrote that, I hadn’t been diagnosed. I’m a smart enough person. I can think through what I’m going through even when I’m really down on myself. A lot of people with anxiety or depression are intellectual and can understand, but it’s bigger than that. It’s a chemical problem. I was realizing how out of my control it was. It mattered to talk about it. Getting that down in front of me was a turning point.

Stream the album below.