Twenty One Pilots, "Stressed Out"

Twenty One Pilots, "Stressed Out"

For a definitively Millennial duo, it's still crazy how much Twenty One Pilots' first true crossover smash mostly reminds of enjoyably junky late-'90s bands like Citizen King and Bran Van 3000; alt-based acts who sprinkled in hip-hop influences and electronic sensibilities to better complain about how dull their lives were. Of course most of those bands only had one hit, the fact that "Stressed Out" wasn't even 21P's only No. 2 hit on the Hot 100 this year shows how much more proficient Tyler and Josh are at tapping into adolescent insecurity with blockbuster bombast. — A.U.