twenty one pilots

Twenty One Pilots have refined a boundary-pushing method within alternative rock by fusing hip-hop, electronic textures, pop, punk, and rock into an exhilarating mixture, one frequently deepened by an elaborate fictional mythology that functions as an allegory for the authentic personal conflicts and feelings underpinning their songs. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio and propelled by a robust grassroots audience, the group navigated shifting personnel and sonic directions until the central pair Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun achieved widespread commercial success via their fourth full-length release, the 2015 chart-topping effort Blurryface. Anchored by the Grammy-winning track "Stressed Out" along with its follow-up hit "Ride," that project earned multi-platinum status and ranked among the year's top-selling worldwide albums. Their 2018 successor Trench performed almost as strongly, attaining platinum certification while reaching number two. The duo secured additional number-one singles before issuing 2021's Scaled and Icy and the lore-extending 2024 album Clancy.

Tyler Joseph, Nick Thomas, and Chris Salih established the band in 2009 as high-school acquaintances; across Ohio and the Midwest they cultivated a massive regional fanbase through relentless high-energy performances, strategic interactive social-media engagement, and direct grassroots connections. The original trio independently issued their self-titled debut album of rap-infused, high-tech pop in December 2009, after which Thomas and Salih departed in 2011. Joseph then brought drummer Josh Dun aboard, converting Twenty One Pilots into a duo that delivered its second album, Regional at Best, later that same year.

A sequence of videos crafted by their friend Mark Eshelman helped broaden their reach, ultimately drawing major-label interest. Signed in 2012 to Atlantic's Fueled by Ramen imprint, the band released the Three Songs EP and collaborated with Adele producer Greg Wells on their label debut Vessel, which appeared in January 2013 and contained the platinum-certified singles "Holding on to You," "House of Gold," and "Car Radio."

For their third album the duo elected to employ a rotating roster of producers on a track-by-track basis, enlisting Ricky Reed, Mike Crossey, Tim Anderson, and additional collaborators across studios in Los Angeles and London. The resulting Billboard 200 number-one LP Blurryface surfaced in 2015. Its Grammy-winning blockbuster "Stressed Out" climbed to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 by February 2016, followed by "Ride" at number five that summer. Their Grammy-nominated "Heathens," recorded for the DC Comics film Suicide Squad soundtrack, delivered a third alternative-rock chart-topper while its ascent to number two on the Hot 100 positioned Twenty One Pilots as only the third rock act to place two singles simultaneously inside the Top Ten. Closing the year, the pair joined tourmates MUTEMATH for the TOPxMM EP, which reinterpreted "Heathens" and four Blurryface cuts.

Following an interval of quiet during which devotees assembled scattered hints and theories concerning the next project, Twenty One Pilots resurfaced in 2018 with the double-sided single "Jumpsuit" b/w "Nico and the Niners," the opening statements from their fifth album Trench. The set reached number one in Mexico, New Zealand, and multiple European territories while claiming the top spots on the U.S. Alternative, Rock, and Tastemaker charts. Extending the intricate mythology introduced on its predecessor, Trench immersed listeners further into that narrative universe and supplied abundant easter eggs for close inspection. Promotion arrived via the expansive Bandito Tour, ultimately curtailed in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. Confined like everyone else, the duo turned to fresh material, issuing the standalone single "Level of Concern" in April that topped both rock and alternative charts, then closing the year with the holiday track "Christmas Saves the Day."

"Shy Away," the official lead single from 2021's Scaled and Icy, secured another number-one placement. Captured remotely while Joseph and Dun remained isolated in their respective homes, the album emphasized straightforward emotional concerns tied to navigating a global pandemic, only lightly referencing the heavier mythology on a few selections. Fans later received a concise acoustic collection on the Location Sessions EP, whose tracks were captured across Mexico City, Brooklyn, and Berlin. As restrictions eased, the Takeover Tour commenced, featuring the pair performing multiple venues within the same city week after week. During that run they released Scaled and Icy (Livestream Version), pairing the original record with live renditions and mash-ups from a May livestream; those energized reinterpretations shaped the inventive approach heard on their MTV Unplugged set, recorded in June 2022 and issued the following year.

Early in 2024, Twenty One Pilots initiated anticipation for their subsequent album through social-media clues, enigmatic billboards, and direct fan communications. They also dropped "Overcompensate," which opens with the line "Welcome back to Trench," igniting widespread excitement about revisiting the 2018 album's setting. Return they did, confirming their seventh studio album as Clancy, the central figure of the ongoing saga. Further singles "Next Semester" and "Backslide" preceded its May arrival, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums chart. In November 2024 the duo contributed the song "The Line" to the second season of the animated series Arcane: League of Legends.