When we are young, we are unable to fully grasp the idea that our lives will rapidly change in a blink of an eye. Everything will soon pile up onto you that many would want to go back “to the good old days.” You’d hope that just a single song will take you back for a moment and take all the stress or pain away. The single covers the struggles that one may face during their life. It is an astonishing song that everyone should listen to. It gives you a feeling of nostalgia, and makes you feel connected because of its relatable lyrics. This isn’t only a song, it’s a song about life. 

On April 27, 2015, Twenty One Pilots released a phenomenal song that became a smash hit within early 2016. “Stressed out” has a unique melody along with being a mix of alternative hip-pop, alternative rock, and rap rock. Upon its release, "Stressed Out" received favorable reviews from music critics.  The song  would eventually go far to become certified as Triple Platinum and confirmed to have over a billion streams on spotify.  It was released as a promotional song from their album (Blurryface).  The single was at its highest peak, giving the duo their first top ten hit in the US.  The song managed to successfully award Twenty One Pilots with their first Grammy “Best pop duo/Group Performance”. 

 Lyrically, it addresses the transition from innocence to adolescence insecurity. The musical duo opens up about their nostalgic desire to go back to the days of childhood when life was easy going and carefree. It even touches the topic of self-doubt and anxiety while also bringing up troublesome situations in life. The greatest part of the song is the way Twenty One Pilots left messages throughout the music video ‘Stressed Out’. Tyler Joseph (Rapper/Vocalist) expressed himself in a way that is almost rarely seen. Joseph uses a dark paint on his neck and hands to portray this character “Blurryface”. The black paint on his neck represents his insecurities suffocating him, and the paint on his hands represents him being insecure about the things he makes with his hands. He sings about his desire to go back to the “good ‘ol days” where it was much simpler. Joseph and Josh(Drummer), were riding their tricycles around the streets and drinking Capri Suns, signifying that the video is about their childhood. As the video begins to progress, Joseph and Josh are now adults, struggling with the pressure of adulthood and the idea of “making more money”. 

The most memorable scene was the way the duo introduced their families towards the end of the video. Josh and Joseph were both wearing red (symbolizes their passion and anger) and laying on beds while their families were dressed in black standing in a line. This may indicate the idea of the two dreaming about the past and wishing to go back. The family members lip-sync “wake up you need to make money” meaning that when you begin to mature, you are pressured by your family in order to succeed and thrive in today's society. Close to the end of the video, Joseph is seen with red eyes in a dark room where he lip-syncs “we used to play pretend, used to play pretend, money,” in an oddly voice portraying ‘Blurryface’, which is rarely duplicated. 

I used to grow up listening to this song, unaware of what the lyrics were saying. Now that I reflect back, I understand more of what the lyrics actually mean. This song remains true for most of us that we’d wish to turn back time and relive those childhood memories. The sympathetic lyrics make it easy for one to connect and listeners of all ages can relate to it. ‘Stressed out’ is an absolute masterpiece and a memorable song. It is an upbeat song with intense emotion and clear messages. Still till this day, its words apply to today’s generation.