Twenty One Pilots, often stylized as twenty one pilots or TWENTY ØNE PILØTS, is an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. The band was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, both of whom left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up has consisted of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The duo is best known for the hit singles “Stressed Out”, “Ride”, and “Heathens”. Their name comes from the play All My Sons by Arthur Miller; a story about a man who must decide what is best for his family after causing the deaths of 21 pilots during World War II because he knowingly sent them faulty parts for the good of his business.
The Meaning Behind the Name
The name Twenty One Pilots was inspired by the play All My Sons by Arthur Miller. In the play, the main character Joe Keller made a decision during World War II to knowingly ship out faulty engine parts for military planes to avoid a costly recall that would have put his business under. This decision ultimately led to the deaths of 21 pilots. The story explores themes of morality and responsibility. Joseph explained that he liked the moral dilemma posed in the play and the imagery of the name Twenty One Pilots. For him, it represented a crossroads in life and making the right choices even when they are difficult. The name carries a lot of metaphorical meaning relating to purpose, potential, responsibility and consequence.
Origins and Early Years
Twenty One Pilots was formed in 2009 in Columbus, Ohio by Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih. Joseph came up with the name inspired by the play All My Sons. He had been interested in music and playing piano from a young age. During high school, he would record demos in his basement which garnered some local attention. After graduating in 2007, he planned to pursue music professionally. He formed the initial line-up of Twenty One Pilots with Thomas and Salih. The band started gaining traction regionally and self-released their debut, self-titled album Twenty One Pilots in 2009.
The band’s breakthrough came when they released their Fueled by Ramen debut Vessel in 2013. It included hit singles like “Holding on to You”, “House of Gold” and “Car Radio”. The album peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 chart. Tyler Joseph’s candid lyrics, blending rap/sung vocals and dynamic live shows began attracting major mainstream attention. By 2015, Thomas and Salih had both left the band and Dun became the full-time drummer. Twenty One Pilots’ 2015 album Blurryface became their first to reach #1 on the Billboard charts fueled by the massive popularity of the singles “Stressed Out” and “Ride” which also peaked at #2 and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart respectively.
Band Members
Twenty One Pilots’ current line-up consists of:
- Tyler Joseph – vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, ukulele, bass, guitar
- Josh Dun – drums, percussion
Past members were:
- Nick Thomas – bass (2009–2011)
- Chris Salih – drums (2009–2011)
Tyler Joseph is the frontman and creative force behind Twenty One Pilots. He writes, produces and performs the majority of the music. Josh Dun joined Joseph in 2011 as the replacement drummer after Salih’s departure. Dun’s energetic live drumming style and impressive flips and tricks during performances have become a signature part of the band’s identity.
Music Style and Themes
Twenty One Pilots’ musical style combines elements of hip hop, electronica, pop, rock, reggae and indie. Their songs feature both rapped and sung lyrics by Tyler Joseph along with inventive arrangements. The lyrics are intensely personal covering themes like mental health struggles, insecurity and faith. The heavy use of metaphor allows listeners to interpret the meanings in their own way. While often grouped in the alternative genre, Twenty One Pilots resist easy categorization with their wide mix of styles and influences.
Some signature elements of Twenty One Pilots’ music include:
- Candid, metaphorical lyrics focused on mental health, religion and phisosophical themes
- genre amalgamation combining hip hop, electronica, pop, indie, reggae and rock
- Intricate song arrangements with shifting time signatures and tempos
- High energy live shows with flips, tricks and crowd interaction
- Tyler Joseph’s distinctive vocals ranging from smooth melodies to aggressive rapping
Awards and Achievements
Twenty One Pilots have won numerous awards and become one of the biggest breakthrough alternative acts in recent memory. Some of their major accomplishments include:
- Two songs charting in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 – “Stressed Out” (#2) and “Ride” (#5)
- Two albums reaching #1 on Billboard 200 – Blurryface (2015) and Trench (2018)
- Five total albums charting in Billboard 200 Top 10
- Blurryface certified 6x Platinum by RIAA
- Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Stressed Out” (2017)
- Over 60 million records sold worldwide
- Headlined numerous major global tours and festivals
Twenty One Pilots became the first rock act to have two concurrent top 5 singles in the US since the Dave Matthews Band in 1998. Blurryface spent over a year straight in the Billboard 200, going on to become the first album in the digital era to spend back-to-back years in the top 50. The band has achieved remarkable chart success and commercial longevity unusually for an alternative indie group. They’ve managed to crossover to the mainstream while retaining credibility with their original core fanbase.
Latest Album – Scaled and Icy
Twenty One Pilots’ latest studio album is Scaled and Icy, released on May 21, 2021. It follows their previous album Trench which came out in 2018. Scaled and Icy was written and recorded entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As a result, Tyler Joseph described the album as more “joyous” and upbeat compared to their darker previous album. Three singles were released ahead of the full album – “Choker”, “Shy Away” and “Saturday”. Scaled and Icy debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Alternative and Rock charts. The album showed the duo continuing to evolve their genre-blending sound.
Scaled and Icy Tracklist:
- Good Day
- Choker
- Shy Away
- The Outside
- Saturday
- Never Take It
- Mulberry Street
- Formidable
- Bounce Man
- No Chances
- Redecorate
Conclusion
In summary, Twenty One Pilots is the Ohio-based musical duo consisting of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun who rocketed to fame in the mid 2010s with their critically and commercially successful album Blurryface. The name Twenty One Pilots was inspired by the play All My Sons and carries deeper meaning related to moral responsibility. The band combines a wide mix of genres and Joseph’s introspective lyrics on their albums like Vessel, Blurryface and Trench. Their breakthrough hits “Stressed Out” and “Ride” helped Twenty One Pilots become one of alternative rock’s biggest recent acts. Even their latest album Scaled and Icy continued their evolution with an upbeat pandemic-era sound. For a band whose name was inspired by tragedy and themes of moral crisis, Twenty One Pilots have soared to uplifting new heights through their music.