Twenty One Pilots

It would be surprising to find a person who hasn’t heard “Stressed Out” on the radio at least once lately. It’s everywhere and frankly I don’t blame the radio stations for replaying it….over….and over….and over again. The amazing band that is responsible for the song “Stressed Out” (which you should listen to if you have not heard yet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRviuL6vMY) is called Twenty One Pilots. These guys became one of my top 5 favorite music artists after I discovered them last spring. Since then, they have exploded onto the music scene and emerged from their somewhat underground following of dedicated fans with their song “Stressed Out” which expresses the….well, stress of being an adult. The song compares the personal experiences of the lead singer, Tyler Jospeh, from his childhood and his experience with the stresses of adulthood and people constantly telling him, “Wake up, you need to make money” (“Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots).

Many of the band’s songs often revolve around mental, emotional, and social issues. Many of the songs discuss Tyler Jospeph’s problems with emotional insecurity, anxiety, and his views on the music industry. Their lyrics are designed to “make people think”, according to Joseph. They strive to create music that will get their audience involved and that will make them ponder deep issues. The band is unique in the fact that they are well-known for incorporating many different styles and genres into their music including rap, hip-hop, reggae, rock, ukulele instrumentals, piano, electropop, and many more. They are also known for having visually interesting concerts and including their audiences in the performances. They have even filmed a few music videos of them onstage where  they show the audience members participating in the performance.

Before “Stressed Out” erupted onto the pop music scene and their latest album Blurryface became massively popular, the band released three previous albums. Their second most successful album entitled Vessel did garner some popularity among the alternative rock scene. One of their most famous songs “Car Radio” currently has over 63 million views. Tyeler Joseph raps and sings about the the real life event of dealing with the internal struggles and anxiety he faces as he drives down the road after someone stole his car radio and laments “now I just sit in silence” (“Car Radio” by Twenty One Pilots). This was one of the first songs I had ever heard from this duo and from then on I have been deeply enthralled with their music. My love for the band increased exponentially when their fourth album Blurryface was released last summer. Without exaggerating in the least, it is absolutely one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. It’s almost inexplicable. Sometimes in life you just connect with something and it gives you this awesome feeling of “Yes, this is what I need in my life!”

A common question that people wonder when they watch a Twenty One Pilots video is, “Why does he have black paint all over him?”. Tyler Jospeh often paints his arms, legs and neck black for music videos for songs from their latest album. This is because Blurryface is an actual character that Tyler and Josh Dunn came up with to represent their insecurities. The black paint that he wears is also meant to be a representation of the Blurryface; the paint on his neck signifies that his insecurities are choking him. Joseph has stated that wearing the paint onstage helps him get into the character of Blurryface.

I love Twenty One Pilots because they are very original, creative, and they do make me think. I feel as though I can relate to the music and it gives me a sense of being a part of a community when I find someone else who likes them. I completely recommend this band to anyone, but don’t just listen to one song and be done. You really have to listen to their whole album to really appreciate the theatricality and emotional depth that goes into making the songs. Here’s just a couple songs that I recommend to anyone who is new to them: