Katie Wade Knows Nothing About Music

I can’t have an entire website about music and NOT blab about Twenty One Pilots at least somewhere. This band has been my all-time favorite since I was a wee child. I remember listening to Blurryface and falling in LOVE with music in a whole new way (I was 8 years old lol) I remember my mom and sister freaking out over finding Regional At Best (TØP’s unreleased album) on CD on Ebay!! We got it for like $30 (crazy cheap…look it up now and they’re going for tons more) and absolutely wore it out driving to our homeschool co-op all the time. I still have that CD in my car, and it never leaves the disc drive. I consider Regional At Best my favorite album of all time (not *best*; but *favorite*), with their next album Vessel being a close second (they do have some of the same songs on each but we’re counting it, ok?)

I really owe my obsession to my sister Hannah. She has been to like 6? I think? TØP concerts over the course of her life. I was finally able to go to see Clancy Tour: Breach in Charlotte with my friends and family, but that was the first and thus far only concert of theirs I have been to. It was just as amazing as I dreamed. Hannah also is extremely familiar with the bands’ “lore,” as fans call it. Starting before their album Blurryface in 2014, they began creating these characters and an entire world that they kept up with until their final lore-related album, Breach in 2025. I have sat through Hannah’s TØP Power-Point twice now…once just her and I, and second with my whole family and a bunch of friends. It was so much fun to explore all of the connecting points in the music videos, how it relates to their lyrics, and the significance of it all. With music videos and asking questions along the way, her power point took about four hours! I won’t spoil all the fun here (I don’t remember the ins and outs anyways) but I do encourage you, if you are interested, to find out what it’s all about. There are some great starting places on Youtube, or get in contact with my sister and she can yap your ear off and your mind into oblivion about the awesomeness of Twenty One Pilots Lore.

Their first album, their self-titled album, is ashamedly the one I am the least acquainted with. I had a phase last summer where it was all I would listen to in order to memorize it. My favorite songs are Addict With a Pen, Friend Please, and Trapdoor. It is definitely worth a listen if you pay close attention to the lyrics. Tyler alludes many times to his relationship with our Savior especially in this album (it carries on through his later writing; it’s just clear here). Notably, this album was released before band member Josh Dun joined. It is their only album with original members Nick Thomas and Chris Salih. Dun would not join until two years later in 2011 as TØP’s drummer. The eponymous album may seem silly and jaunty at first (especially with songs like “The Pantaloon” and “Johnny Boy”) but it is one of those things…the more you listen, the more your appreciation for the honesty and incredibly raw emotion emerge.

Next. Regional At Best is the first album with the iconic duo of Tyler and Josh. It was independently released and is since discontinued. APPARENTLY Tyler decided he did not like it. But. It has some of my favorite albums of all time on there. Actually, every time I listen, I annoy everyone by screaming THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG EVER no matter what song starts playing. And I mean it every time. I am so grateful to have a hard copy of it. The first three songs, Guns For Hands, Holding On To You, and Ode to Sleep are all beloved and classic Twenty One Pilots songs. They were carried over onto Vessel. After these are Slowtown, Forest, and Glowing Eyes. Every one of them I will claim to be my favorite song as it starts. They are of equal standing on the podium of genius. And then…Kitchen Sink. If this song doesn’t make you see at least SOMETHING in a different way, you need to look over the lyrics again. It is just so powerful and profound to me. Then, my ACTUAL two favorite songs are up…Anathema into Lovely is one of my favorite transitions of theirs. It tickles my brain and I just love it. Finally, Ruby, Be Concerned, and Clear – all amazing in their own right but I shall not be long winded on them.

Vessel…the album that put TØP on the map. Near and dear to my heart. I have had singular obsessions with every song over the course of time. On the left of the cover, we see Mr. Dun – Josh’s grandfather; and on the right, Mr. Joseph who is Tyler’s grandfather. Vessel was released in 2013…but wasn’t all the best music released in the great 2013?! (Don’t come after me I’m innocent) Car Radio is incredible and one of those songs that gets closer and closer to me the older it gets. Genuinely believe this album is under appreciated even with all the attention it gets. MORE ATTENTION FOR VESSEL!!

Two years later, the duo released this beauty….BLURRYFACE. Please, if you dig into the lore, pay attention to the significance of the nine circles that make up the cover!! Songs like Stressed Out, Ride, and Tear in My Heart rightfully take the spotlight on this one. If you were in any growing up phase in the 2010’s, I guarantee you have heard Stressed Out. Maybe even a million times. Some favorites of mine are all of them. I do not discriminate on this album, every song HITS some massive truth, big emotions, and that certain je ne sais quoi of growing up and FEELING just so much all at once. Truly a mile marker in my life. It continues to be their most popular album. Tyler slips into a slightly darker front as he writes from several different perspectives throughout his poignant lyrics. Songs like Fairly Local, Lane Boy, and Message Man stick out to me on this point; when he writes from the perspective of his self-doubt, insecurities, and anxiety. Extremely relatable in this day and age. Quick tip: Don’t try to fall asleep to Goner. You will not be out long.

TRENCH TRENCH EVERYONE LOVES TRENCH!! This album is crowned fan favorite. I really had quite a long phase of hating it, and I have no idea why, but I feel it is important to mention. Only recently do I listen and connect with the messages more. Even listening casually, you can hear an upgrade in their production quality compared to previous albums. Some of the songs on here can be a bit confusing at first. Pet Cheetah… I don’t think I’ll ever fully get…but hey I’m here for the vibes too. Cut My Lip and Chlorine require further digging to get the full effect…You do not need to know lore plot points to enjoy this album, but this one is notoriously lore HEAVY and you would definitely benefit by having a general idea before going in. Neon Gravestones is one of the most important songs they have ever written. If you have the chance, there is an amazing live version on Youtube that is worth the watch. I feel like it adds another dimension of emotion when you can see Tyler’s face as he sings those difficult but important words. Staying on theme, the album ends with an contemplative BANGER called Leave the City. You may be caught yearning for a place you’ve never been to if you play it too loud, I’ve heard. Ugh Trench is so good. See how many easter eggs you can pick out in the instrumental portions/lyrics; its a fun and never-ending game.

For a moment, and for the most part, Twenty One Pilots leaves behind their hard, grungy, rap sound for an alt rock with a bit of a pop spin on occasion. Unfortunately this one is a fan-splitter… you either love it or ya hate it. I disagree with the haters; is a band not allowed to change and evolve their sound on occasion?! The songs that stick out to me are Choker, Mulberry Street, and Redecorate. For this one…understanding where the characters are in the lore is also essential in fully appreciating the stylistic choices they made. Don’t write SAI off immediately; give it a chance. Or No Chances. Up to you.

Clancy will have my whole family in a chokehold until we die. I’m pretty sure. Absolutely one of the most repeatable albums they’ve made thus far. We start off strong with the bangeriest banger of all time: Overcompensate !! and then: Next Semester !! Both worthy of hours of your life, I guarantee you. I’m truly not sure why Routines in the Night gained so much popularity. I don’t see it sticking out too much from the rest of the songs. Lavish, iconic. Oldies Station, instant classic. Paladin Strait, ethereal and chilling. Also, they did the coolest thing ever and made a music video for every song on this album!! Some of them are just silly goofy Tyler-and-Josh but some are serious lore stuf. 10/10 and not many albums get that from me.

Breach! Yippee! I honestly wore this album out when it first came out last September. I think all of the songs on it ended up in my top like 50 songs on my Spotify Wrapped last year even with it coming out so late in the year. Contract was my number one song of the whole 2025 year. IZ SO GOOD. I woke up early to listen to it. I love the imagery in the cover scene: I will say again, go to the lore to find out what it means in the big scheme. But in this moment, squint your eyes a little when you look at it. Sick, right?! Gahh its so clever. Drum Show is one of my top songs of…yeah I keep saying this about a lot of TØP songs. Can you tell they are my most listened to band basically ever. Another one that hugely stuck out to me was Downstairs. I love love loved seeing Tyler inserting his faith into his songwriting in a slightly less veiled way in this album. Tally slaps, and can you believe it, Tyler didn’t want it on Breach, it was Josh that saved it! Thank you Josh we love you forever. Breach is a beautiful culmination of over a decade of work. They go back to their older sound just a bit, and combined with their lyrical maturation it is kinda actually literally quite peak. I cannot recommend this album enough. It is an extremely entertaining 47 minutes that covers many many emotions on the human spectrum.

Okay you’ve lasted this far, I now give you a medal for reading all a those haphazard thoughts. I ain’t proofreading it, could you do that for me?

If I tried to spend more time on this I would never be finished or satisfied with it. Main takeaway: I hope you go listen for yourself and think deeply about the topics they present. Come to your own conclusions and life lessons and you’ll be glad you did.

|-/ Clikkie for life