Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 2009. The group consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. They put out two self-released albums, “Twenty One Pilots” in 2009 and “Regional at Best” in 2011, before being signed by Fueled By Ramen in 2012, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records.
Twenty One Pilots – 21 Pilots Facs
1- Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo formed in Columbus, Ohio in 2009.
2- The band was founded by Tyler Joseph, along with former members Nick Thomas and Chris Salih. Joseph is the group’s lead vocalist, while also playing the piano, synthesizer, and occasionally the ukulele and bass.
3- The band’s name, Twenty One Pilots, was inspired by the play “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, in which a businessman causes the death of twenty-one pilots during World War II because he knowingly sent them faulty parts for the sake of his business.
4- Josh Dun joined the band in 2011 as the drummer after Thomas and Salih left due to busy schedules.
5- The band’s musical style combines elements of rock, pop, indie, hip-hop, and electronica.
6- Tyler Joseph has mentioned that their lyrics deal with personal issues, including mental health, doubt, and faith.
7- Their self-titled debut album was released in 2009 and was self-produced.
8- Twenty One Pilots gained mainstream popularity with their fourth album, “Blurryface,” in 2015. It became the first album in the digital era to have every track receive at least a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
9- The hit singles “Stressed Out” and “Ride” from “Blurryface” both reached the top-five on the Billboard Hot 100.
10- Their music video for “Heavydirtysoul” from “Blurryface” is notable for Joseph’s performance inside a burning car.
11- They have a dedicated fanbase known as the “Skeleton Clique,” with fans often painting their hands and necks in black as a reference to the “Blurryface” album.
12- Twenty One Pilots won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their song “Stressed Out” in 2017.
13- The band’s logo consists of two vertical lines and a horizontal line through them. The logo’s meaning has evolved over time, but it generally symbolizes the duo and their connection to their fanbase.
14- The duo’s fifth studio album, “Trench,” was released in 2018 and further explored themes of mental health, tackling topics like insecurity and suicidal ideation.
15- “Trench” introduces the concept of Dema, a fictional city, and the Banditos, who seek to escape from it. This lore provides the thematic and narrative backbone of the album.
16- “Level of Concern,” a standalone single released in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrated a shift towards a more upbeat and pop-oriented sound.
17- Their album “Scaled and Icy,” released in 2021, is their sixth studio album, and it continues to explore new soundscapes and themes.
18- Both members, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, are known for their energetic performances, often involving backflips from the piano, crowd surfing, and climbing rigging at live shows.
19- Twenty One Pilots has been recognized for their innovative approach to social media and have used it as a tool to engage with their fanbase and create a sense of community.
20- Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun have both expressed the significance of their faith in their lives and music. They were both raised in Christian households and their lyrics often reflect their spiritual struggles and beliefs.
21- Twenty One Pilots is known for their distinctive use of ukulele in many songs, an instrument not commonly found in their genre of music.
22- The band is notable for their wide range of influences, which include hip hop artists like Eminem and rock bands like My Chemical Romance.
23- In 2012, the band signed with Fueled By Ramen, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. This significantly helped them gain exposure and distribution.
24- Tyler Joseph’s wife, Jenna, is occasionally mentioned in the band’s music and has made appearances in several music videos, including for the song “Tear in My Heart.”
25- Their song “Heathens” was featured on the soundtrack for the 2016 film “Suicide Squad,” earning them a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song.
26- In 2019, Twenty One Pilots broke the Guinness World Record for the longest music video with their song “Level of Concern.” The video was over 4,264 hours long and featured fan-submitted content.
27- Despite their success, both band members are known for their humble personalities. They have often expressed their gratitude towards their fans and their home city of Columbus, Ohio.
28- The band is also known for their iconic red beanies and black paint, a style choice that first appeared during the “Blurryface” era.
29- Each of their albums features a different sound and style, demonstrating the band’s continuous evolution and unwillingness to be confined to a single genre. For instance, “Vessel” features more electronic elements, “Blurryface” leans towards pop and reggae, while “Trench” combines synth-pop and rock influences.
