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Twenty One Pilots on Their Hit Album ‘Blurryface’: ‘You Can’t Underestimate the Power of a Core Fan Base’

After a No. 1 Billboard 200 debut last month for their latest album Blurryface, the two members of Twenty One Pilots are feeling even more confident about their summer concert schedule, which…

By Gary Graff

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After a No. 1 Billboard 200 debut last month for their latest album Blurryface , the two members of Twenty One Pilots are feeling even more confident about their summer concert schedule, which includes festival appearances and shows in Australia, New Zealand and Japan before a North American tour of the biggest venues the duo has ever headlined.

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“It’s a funny thing,” singer and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Joseph tells Billboard. “I’ll be in my home town of Columbus (Ohio) at a restaurant or something, and the waiter maybe asks, ‘What do you do?’ and I say, ‘Oh, I’m in a band…Twenty One Pilots,’ and he’ll say, ‘Cool, I’ll check it out. I never heard of them.’ And then I say, ‘In September we’re playing the Schottenstein Center,’ and it’s like, ‘What?!’ ‘Yeah, there’ll be, like, 14,000 people there.

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“There’s so many people who have never heard of us, but I think what we’ve learned is you can’t underestimate the power of a core fan base and people who believe what you’re doing. I think they’re the ultimate marketers. They’re the ones promoting us. It doesn’t matter what we post about ourselves on social networks or how many times we play live TV, even. It’s all about those people, those fans who are telling other people about us. I think that’s what we’re seeing more than anything.”

And playing live is when they can really feel the impact their music has. “What we see are more and more people who are kind of physically resonating with the songs,”  drummer Josh Dun adds. “ We missed that while we were off making the album, so we were really excited to start playing live again, and it’s picking up where we left off with having a person come to a show and leave telling their brother or sisters about it and stuff like that. It’s this organic way to share music.”

Twenty One Pilots have spots on the Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati and the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee before heading Down Under on July 4. Fests in Japan, South Korea, Canada and Ireland are also on the bill before the amphitheater/arena trek kicks off Sept. 8 in Washington, D.C. 

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Joseph says he and drummer Josh Dun have “never been more excited about playing new music than when we start playing some of these new songs,” and with good reason. The duo began working on the material during the latter part of the touring cycle to promote 2013’s Vessel , converting the back lounge of the tour bus into a studio. “We wrote this record almost completely on the road,” Joseph says. “Every night we were able to start playing two different people — that person who got up on stage every night and then that person who went back in that lounge and started writing songs. So we were able to ask ourselves every night, ‘What do we wish our set had?’ We look at songwriting very much through the filter of live music, so we wrote 1) whatever we love and 2) what we felt our live set needed. Looking back on this new record as a whole, you can tell we were really influenced in that way.”

That said, Blurryface  is unquestionably a studio album. After working with just one producer (Greg Wells) on “Vessel,” Joseph and Dun went for a team approach on the new album, with collaborators such as Ricky “Wallpaper.” Reed, Mike Elizondo, Mike Crossey and Tim Anderson helming different tracks. 

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“The songs we wrote were so different from each other,” Joseph says, “so Josh and I did our research on these producers and what their strengths are, what they bring to the table. And we even dated a few more. Once we had the list of songs we wanted on the record we could tell which songs would work best with which producer. All these guys added something to the record, and we were very intentional about what songs they were going to produce. It really kind of kept everyone on their toes, but it was a perfect marriage with all these guys, so I’m happy we went about it the way we did and we’re really happy about how it turned out.”

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• Blurryface World Tour

Blurryface Tour Highlights

During November 2015, Twenty One Pilots recorded their tour journey during the Blurryface Tour . Highlights from this were compiled into videos every Monday and Wednesday and shared across social media.

• 1 The Clancy World Tour
• 2 Dmaorg.info
• 3 Twenty One Pilots

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'Blurryface' Sweeps RIAA Golds: Twenty One Pilots' "Unparalleled Achievement"

"Hometown"'s Gold certification makes the album 'Blurryface' the first in the digital era to have every single go Gold

On March 1 the RIAA announced that the Twenty One Pilots album Blurryface is the first ever in the digital era to have every single on the album become a Gold record. "Congratulations to Twenty One Pilots for this unparalleled achievement," said RIAA Chairman/CEO Cary Sherman. "In a time when fans enjoy instant access to millions of different tracks, this is a testament to the appeal of both the album and each of its individual songs."

"This story, it starts in Columbus, Ohio," is how Tyler Joseph began the group's pantless (more on that later) acceptance speech at the 59th GRAMMY Awards when the single "Stressed Out" won for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. It remains the album's top sales performer, having reached seven-times Platinum. "Ride" went four-times Platinum, "Tear In My Heart" went double, and three other tracks achieved Platinum status, "Fairly Local," "Heavydirtysoul" and "Lane Boy." Seven of the other eight tracks had been at Gold level when "Hometown" came in finally, making this first-time accomplishment complete … in a back-to-Columbus kind of way.

<iframe src="https://tools.applemusic.com/embed/v1/album/974485462?country=us" height="500px" width="100%" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Joseph blamed Josh Dun for the idea that had Twenty One Pilots in their underpants during the aforementioned acceptance speech on the GRAMMY stage, but as he explained, that plan predated their success. They were watching the GRAMMY Awards on TV with friends and Dun thought it would be cool, if they ever won, to accept semi-dressed. Joseph's wise closing words on his acceptance speech was not directly addressing such decisions when he said, "You could be next, so watch out!" Congratulations to Twenty One Pilots.

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Twenty One Pilots' Road To 'Clancy': How The New Album Wraps Up A Decade-Long Lore

Three years after 'Scaled and Icy,' Twenty One Pilots' seventh studio album is here. Dig into the rock duo's journey to 'Clancy,' and how it further showcases their knack for vivid world-building.

Long before Twenty One Pilots developed a cult following, the Columbus, Ohio natives were determined to not be put into a box. From their first EP, 2009's Johnny Boy , they've blended elements of emo, rap, alt-pop, electronica, incorporating hardcore and hip-hop into their shows. "No one knew where to put us," drummer Josh Dun told USA Today in 2014. "But we've approached live shows as a way to build something from nothing."

In the decade since, the band's sheer determination and eclectic onstage personality have made them one of the biggest rock groups of their generation. They're equally as spontaneous and intriguing in their music, building an entire world through dynamic soundscapes and visuals — and their new album, Clancy , ties all of it together.  

As the band revealed in a press release upon announcing the album in March, Clancy "marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative" that began with Blurryface in 2015. But it certainly doesn't feel like an ending; Clancy further expands on the theatrical style and eclectic sound they've showcased from the start, offering both a resolution and an evolution.

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While the makings of the signature Twenty One Pilots aesthetic began with its original formation as a trio — lead singer Tyler Joseph and his friends Nick Thomas and Chris Salih — it truly took shape when Dun replaced Thomas and Salih in 2011. Dun and Joseph had a common goal to re-formulate the way songs and shows were crafted; the drummer utilized samples and backing tapes at their gigs, helping the band dive deeper into their alternative style by fusing everything from reggae to pop together.

As a newly formed duo, Twenty One Pilots issued their album Regional at Best in 2011 — their last release before they signed to a major label (though, as they told Huffpost in 2013, they since consider the record a "glorified mixtape"). After significant social media buzz and selling out a show at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, the duo was courted by a dozen record labels, which set the stage for their big break.

"We went from no one in the industry caring to all of the sudden it was the hot thing for every label, independent and major, to be interested in some way," Joseph told Columbus Monthly in 2012 upon signing to Fueled by Ramen, which the singer said they were drawn to because they were able to retain "creative control" — a factor that would become increasingly more important with each release. 

Their 2013 album Vessel — which featured a combination of new and re-recorded songs from Regional At Best —spawned the band's first charting single, "Holding On to You," a rap-meets-pop track that oscillates from sensitive indie ballad to energetic anthem. Not only had they begun making a mark commercially, but it seemed to be the album that Twenty One Pilots felt they were hitting their stride creatively, too: "I know some people might not like this, but I kind of view Vessel as our first record," Joseph told Kerrang! at the time.

Though the character "Clancy" first came about with 2018's Trench , Twenty One Pilots actually introduced the world that Clancy would eventually live in with 2015's Blurryface , which focused on a titular character who embodies depression and anxiety. "It's a guy who kind of represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around me, are insecure about," Joseph said of his alter-ego in a 2015 interview with MTV .

To convey the "feeling of suffocation" caused by insecurities from what he creates, Joseph began wearing black paint on his neck and hands in music videos and on stage to represent the "Blurryface" character. As Joseph told the Recording Academy in 2015, the "common thread" of all of the songs on Blurryface was that Joseph's alter-ego would be defeated, and each song wrestled with the dichotomy between darkness and optimism.

While Vessel kickstarted the band's commercial success, Blurryface saw their popularity explode and resulted in the band's best-selling single, the eerie rap-rock anthem "Stressed Out." The commercial success of Blurryface helped their hot streak continue into 2016 with the release of "Heathens." While the song served as the first single from the Suicide Squad soundtrack, its haunting production fits right into the world the pair had begun building with Blurryface . Their acclaim continued to grow, with Twenty One Pilots earning their first GRAMMY in 2017 for "Stressed Out" in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Category — and, in line with their affinity for stunts, dropping their pants as they accepted their award.

Ahead of the release of their 2018 concept album Trench , the lore surrounding "Clancy" really began. Twenty One Pilots began leaving clues for fans on a website known as DMAORG , which featured black-and-white images and letters from "Clancy," who ultimately became the protagonist of the album. Twenty One Pilots fans (often referred to as the"Skeleton Clique") began clamoring to deduce puzzling clues and posting their theories about the narrative's endgame online.

With Trench , they found more characters and a deeper narrative. The overall album depicts "a world where nine dictatorial bishops keep the inhabitants (Tyler included) of a fictional place named Dema from escaping its controlling clutches, with the help of the Banditos — a rebel organization (featuring Josh)." On a larger scale, the album grapples with mental illness, suicide and an expansion on Joseph's insecurities from Blurryface . 

But Trench isn't one cohesive story; rather, it's a series of songs with clues embedded within. For instance, in "Morph," the character Nico is introduced, who is also the subject of "Nico and The Niners." From there, fans gleaned that Nico was one of nine bishops controlling the citizens of Dema, and those nine bishops were represented by each of the songs on Blurryface . The bombastic "Pet Cheetah" references that the house has vultures on the roof which alludes to it — and Joseph's home — being Dema. 

As with Blurryface , visuals became an integral part of the album cycle. This time, they used them to illustrate life in the dystopian Dema, which personifies depression through the trilogy of music videos for "Levitate," "Nico and The Niners" and "Jumpsuit." While Joseph's black-painted neck and hands signaled the Blurryface era, dark green clothing marked with yellow tape signaled the Trench era. During this time, the "Clancy" character remained shrouded in mystery — though through videos and letters shared by the band, fans theorized that it is an opposing force to "Blurryface."

By the time Twenty One Pilots' 2021 album, Scaled and Icy , came around, fans quickly noticed that it paid homage to "Clancy" as an anagram for "Clancy is dead," while also acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic as a shortened phrase for "scaled back and isolated." While Twenty One Pilots could have leaned into the harrowing events of lockdown, they instead chose to focus on what has driven the band itself, the power of imagination — something that has been behind much of the band's work since Blurryface .

With the album came three singles — the propulsive "Shy Away," the heartwrenching banger "Choker" and the funk-pop-tinged "Saturday — which were recorded when the duo was working virtually during the pandemic. Unlike the past two projects which grappled with this doomed slant, Scaled and Icy pivoted toward a sunnier sound, signaling a shift in the narrative. But it didn't mean the dark world of Blurryface and Trench were completely in the past; upon Scaled and Icy 's release, Joseph revealed to Apple Music that there would be "one more record" and "an explanation and book end" before moving onto another story.

Three years following the release of Scaled and Icy , fans began receiving letters from the "Sacred Municipality of Dema" — a reference to the fictional city featured on Trench , signaling what appeared to be a new era diving deeper into the band's lore. Since the previous record featured an anagram about "Clancy" in its title, it seemed natural that the next album would be named after the character. 

"'Clancy' is our protagonist in this story we've been telling, stretched out over the last several records. 'Clancy' is the type of character who, for a long time, didn't know if he was a leader or not, didn't want to take that responsibility," Joseph told BBC Radio earlier this year .

As the singer had hinted in the Scaled and Icy era, Clancy brings fans back to the darker narrative that began with Blurryface t. After Joseph's character escapes Dema a handful of times, joins a rebellion, then is captured again, he finally has the same abilities as the bishops and aims to free the people of Dema. The album attempts to answer a few conceptual questions along the way.

Clancy 's blistering first single, "Overcompensate" is inherently hopeful, and answers the long-lingering question fans have been wondering: Who is "Clancy"? According to the psych-funk number, it's been Joseph all along (" If you can't see, I am Clancy/ Prodigal son, done running, come up with Josh Dun .") As Joseph further explained to BBC Radio , "[With] 'Overcompensate', there's a bit of a confidence and swagger in it that the character needed to embody in order to take on the new role in the story we've been telling, and Clancy is gonna rise up as that person."

But much of the album focuses less on the literal lore, instead tackling the overarching themes of its counterparts: Joseph's struggles with mental health. Despite the darker, anxious nature of the album's lyrics, the majority of Clancy has a self-assured breeziness to it, jumping off of the upbeat Scaled and Icy sound. 

On the ballad-like closer, "Paladin Strait" — named after a fictional body of water off the coast of Dema —Twenty One Pilots really digs into the narrative of "Clancy" the character in a literal way again. What's revealed is the final battle between "Clancy" and "Blurryface" with no apparent winner — alluding to the idea that there is not necessarily a triumph over depression. In the final line, the band offers a callback to a lyric from Blurryface : "So few, so proud, so emotional/ Hello, Clancy."

While the ending may remain ambiguous, it may not be a coincidence that Twenty One Pilots postponed Clancy 's release date by a week (from May 17 to May 24) in order to finish filming music videos for each of the tracks, all of which were unveiled upon the album's release. So, there's still hope that fans will find out definitively what happened to "Clancy" — or maybe it means his story isn't completely finished. 

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Photos: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella; Ebru Yildiz; Kelia Anne MacClusky ; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Ashley-Osborn; Kevin Winter/Getty Images For The Recording Academy

15 Must-Hear Albums In May 2024: Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Sia, Zayn & More

A fresh crop of spring releases is on the way in May from much-loved pop, rock, and alternative artists. From Dua Lipa's 'Radical Optimism,' to Sia's return on 'Reasonable Woman,' read on for 15 thrilling May releases.

As a month that welcomes rising temperatures and blooming flowers, May will also bring a flurry of new albums. In its first week, Dua Lipa will put forth her third LP and inject the world with a good dose of Radical Optimism . She will be joined by Sia and her tenth album, Reasonable Woman , and by R&B newcomer 4Batz, who will debut with the mixtape U Made Me St4r .

On May 17, it's Billie Eilish 's turn to drop the much-awaited Hit Me Hard and Soft , as well as the return of Cage the Elephant with Neon Pill , and former One Direction member Zayn experimenting with new sounds on Room Under the Stairs .

Later on, Twenty One Pilots drop their final concept album, Clancy , and Sam Tompkins and Tems will both make their studio album debuts with hi my name is insecure and Born in the Wild , respectively. The month will close off with Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab 's Night Reign , but before that, there's plenty of other releases to explore.

GRAMMY.com compiled a list with 15 must-listen albums dropping in May 2024 so that you can take a stroll at this month's burgeoning, diverse garden.

Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism

Release date: May 3

"A couple years ago, a friend introduced me to the term 'radical optimism'," said Dua Lipa in a press statement about her upcoming third album, out May 3. "It struck me — the idea of going through chaos gracefully and feeling like you can weather any storm."

This perspective on life inspired the British-Albanian singer both personally and musically. Radical Optimism comes brimming with the "pure joy and happiness of having clarity in situations that once seemed impossible to face." With 11 tracks and production by Danny L Harle and Kevin Parker , the record spins psychedelia and Britpop into a "tribute to UK rave culture," as Lipa described it in an interview for Rolling Stone .

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A preview of the sounds she will approach in the successor of 2020's Future Nostalgia can be seen through singles "Houdini," "Training Session," and "Illusion." Starting June, Lipa will perform a string of concerts in Europe and headline Glastonbury Festival in the U.K.

Kamasi Washington - Fearless Movement

It's been six years since jazz virtuoso Kamasi Washington released his latest album, 2016's Heaven and Earth . Hence, his return is highly anticipated: Fearless Movement will come out on May 3, and is described in a press release as Washington's first "dance album." 

"It's not literal," he explained. "Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it's the same thing as music — expressing your spirit through your body. That's what this album is pushing."

Fearless Movement was also inspired by the here-and-now, and the changes that Washington went through since the birth of his first child. "Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up," he shared. "My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality — realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I'm never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making."

Washington's daughter also earned songwriting credits in "Asha The First," after coming up with a melody while playing on the piano. In addition to her, the LP also features appearances from André 3000 on the flute, Terrace Martin , Thundercat , Patrice Quinn, George Clinton , BJ The Chicago Kid , and more.

Soon after the release, Washington will kick off a North American tour throughout June, and then head over to Europe and the U.K. in October and November.

Charlotte Day Wilson - Cyan Blue

Following her acclaimed 2021 debut LP, Alpha , Canadian multihyphenate Charlotte Day Wilson dives into Cyan Blue for her sophomore release. "You passed through me like a light, but part of you would always remain," she shared about the record on Instagram . "Imprinted, stacked, a palimpsest of love and pain that left me with a world of blue. These are the stories and the palette I was given to paint them with."

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Day Wilson has a gift for turning intimate reflections into timeless artwork, and this album sees her experimenting with a more carefree approach. "Before, I was extremely intentional about creating music with a strong foundation, a bed of artistic integrity…" she shared in a press release. "But that was a bit stifling, like, ‘Let me just make a great piece of art that will stand the test of time, no pressure.' Now, I think I'm getting out of this frozen state of needing everything to be perfect. I'm more interested in capturing feelings in the moment as they happen and leaving them in that moment."

Cyan Blue will feature 13 tracks, including singles "I Don't Love You" and "Canopy." For those lucky to experience Day Wilson's inimitable voice live, she will be touring North America from May through July.

Mdou Moctar - Funeral for Justice

"This album is really different for me," shares Mdou Moctar, the band's namesake, singer, and guitarist, in a press release about their upcoming release, Funeral for Justice . "Now the problems of terrorist violence are more serious in Africa. When the U.S. and Europe came here, they said they're going to help us, but what we see is really different. They never help us to find a solution."

Funeral For Justice doesn't hold back on examining the struggles of Niger and of the Tuareg people (of which Moct ar, guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane and drummer Souleymane Ibrahim belong.) Recorded during the two years that the band spent touring after the release of 2021's acclaimed Afrique Victime , it is described as "louder, faster, and more wild," with fiery guitar solos and "passionately political" lyrics that permeate nine meteoric tracks.

"Mdou Moctar has been a strong anti-colonial band ever since I've been a part of it," adds bassist and producer Mikey Coltun. "France came in, f****d up the country, then said ‘you're free.' And they're not." So far, the band shared lead single "Funeral for Justice" and the mesmerizing "Imouhar" — an elegy to their Tamasheq language, which is at risk of dying out. "People here are just using French," said Moctar. "They're starting to forget their own language. We feel like in a hundred years no one will speak good Tamasheq, and that's so scary for us." 

After performing at Coachella in April, the band is set to tour the U.S. in June and Europe and the U.K. in August. The run includes several festival appearances, like Bonnaroo, Green River, and Glastonbury.

4Batz - U Made Me A St4r 

Viral R&B and hip hop singer 4Batz initially announced his debut mixtape, U Made Me A St4r , for April, but the release was postponed for a month. "Been making some of the best s**t of my life the last couple weeks," he shared on Instagram . "So ima push the mixtape to 5.3.24 so it can be perfect for yall." 

The contrast between 4Batz's tough appearance and high-pitched love songs propelled him to the stars. He garnered the attention of artists like Kanye West , Robin Thicke , and Drake — who ultimately signed him to his record label OVO in order to release this mixtape. Drake also featured on a remix of 4Batz's 2023 hit, "act ii: date @ 8."

Although there's not much info on the tracklist or any upcoming activities, the Dallas-born singer is excited by the mystery: "I'm really in love with this EP," he told Billboard in a recent interview. This EP's gon' break the f**kin' internet, world, all this s**t."

Sia - Reasonable Woman

Since the release of lead single "Gimme Love" in September 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting for Australian superstar Sia's new album. Titled Reasonable Woman and set to drop on May 3, this is her 10th studio release overall, and her first proper pop solo LP since 2016's This Is Acting .

Anticipation only grew as Sia shared a number of lofty singles in past months, including the Kylie Minogue collaboration "Dance Alone," "Incredible" featuring Labrinth , and the recent "Fame Won't Love You," with Paris Hilton. Through the LP's 15 tracks, the singer collaborated further with Chaka Khan , Tierra Whack , Missy Elliott , Kaliii and Jimmy Jolliff.

Behind the scenes, Reasonable Woman also held a star-studded list of producers, engineers, and writers, such as Greg Kurstin , Jesse Shatkin , Benny Blanco , Bülow, Cashmere Cat, Mark "Spike" Stent , Rosalía and more.

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft

Release date: May 17

In April, when a series of billboards and posters with lyric snippets and Billie Eilish's signature "blosh" logo appeared in major global cities, fans knew that her anticipated third LP would be announced soon. A few days later, the GRAMMY and Oscar-winning artist shared a video teaser for Hit Me Hard and Soft , set to release on May 17.

Eilish took it to Instagram to disclose her excitement, and that she is "not doing singles i wanna give it to you all at once." As usual, the record was written by herself and brother, producer, and musical collaborator Finneas O'Connell . According to a press release, Hit Me Hard and Soft includes ten tracks, and "does exactly as the title suggests; hits you hard and soft both lyrically and sonically, while bending genres and defying trends along the way." The album launch also focuses on sustainability by using "the most sustainable practices available" with a page on her website dedicated to ecological production details. 

In an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe , the musician teased title track "Hit Me Hard and Soft" and b-side "Chihiro," which references the main character in Studio Ghibli's 2001 animation, Spirited Away . "I feel like every time you put anything out, it feels like your nudes leaked a little bit, and I think this [album], specifically, is like that," Eilish added. "Something that Finneas and I said to a couple of people when we were starting to play it for people was that we kind of made the album that if somebody had said, you know, ‘I want you to make an album, and no one is gonna hear it'... We pretty much, with exceptions, made that album. We made an album without really any — or much — thought of other people."

Of Montreal - Lady on the Cusp

Lady on the Cusp is the 19th album from of Montreal, the band project of multi-instrumentalist and singer Kevin Barnes. Inspired by a relocation from Athens, GA — where Barnes lived for nearly three decades — to Vermont together with his partner, songwriter Christina Schneider (aka Locate S,1), Lady is shaped by his reflections on that experience.

According to a press statement, the album is a "reintroduction" to of Montreal, comprising 10 "funny and sad, sexy and brooding, playful and serious" tracks. This carefree approach can be seen on lead single "Yung Hearts Bleed Free," which was influenced by Leos Carax's 1984 film Boy Meets Girl and by Bootsy's Rubber Band , as well as on the laid back "Rude Girl on Rotation."

Two weeks after dropping the album, of Montreal will embark on a major tour across the U.S., starting in Athens, GA, and wrapping it up on July 2 in Asheville, NC.

Cage the Elephant - Neon Pill

After winning Best Rock Album at the 2020 GRAMMYs for Social Cues , Cage the Elephant went through a rough patch. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, lead vocalist Matt Shultz weathered a mental health crisis, and the band lost several close family members and friends, including Matt and Brad Shultz 's father.

Five years later, the alt-rock sextet is ready to reemerge with their sixth studio album, Neon Pill , out May 17. "To me, Neon Pill is the first record where we were consistently uninfluenced, and I mean that in a positive way," said Matt in a statement. "Everything is undoubtedly expressed through having settled into finding our own voice. We've always drawn inspiration from artists we love, and at times we've even emulated some of them to a certain degree. With this album, having gone through so much, life had almost forced us into becoming more and more comfortable with ourselves… We just found a uniqueness in simply existing."

Produced by John Hill , the record spans 12 tracks that "alchemized a season of tragedy and turbulence" into a whirlwind of riffs and emotions. A preview of Neon Pill can be seen through the title track and singles "Out Loud" and "Good Time." To celebrate their return, the band will tour North America throughout the summer, including performances at Bonnaroo, Hangout Music Festival, and Oceans Calling.

Zayn - Room Under the Stairs

For his fourth full-length album, Room Under the Stairs , British singer and One Direction alum Zayn enlisted an unforeseen co-producer: Dave Cobb . Known for his work with Chris Stapleton , Brandi Carlile , Bruce Springsteen , and Lady Gaga , Cobb is responsible for aiding Zayn to step into a new musical direction.

Swiping his signature moody R&B, Zayn dives into country and adult contemporary for the upcoming release, as can be seen in debuted singles "What I Am" and "Alienated." In an interview for the Call Her Daddy podcast last year, the singer shared, "I'm doing a record I don't think people are really gonna expect. It's a different sound for me. And it's got some more narrative going on, like real-life experiences and stuff. My daughter's mentioned in there a couple of times".

"I think the intention behind this album fully is for the listener to get more insight on me personally as a human being," Zayn explained in a teaser video . The 15-track collection follows up 2021's Nobody Is Listening , and was written over the course of several years at Zayn's home in rural Pennsylvania. "That's why it's raw," he added. "It's just me writing this. I didn't want anybody else to be in between me and the music and the music and the people listening to it."

Twenty One Pilots - Clancy

On May 17, 2015, Twenty One Pilots released their breakthrough LP, Blurryface . The record also marked the beginning of an intricate concept album series — which is due to come to a conclusion almost a decade later, on May 17 of this year.

Titled Clancy , the final piece of the puzzle states that "a new chapter begins," while making several references to the GRAMMY-winning duo's past works. On lead single "Overcompensate," for example, they mirror the outro of "Levitate" and rehash lyrics from "Bandito," both tracks off their 2018 LP, Trench . Clancy was produced by frontman Tyler Joseph and Paul Meany , and contains 13 tracks.

Most recently, TOP shared the single "Next Semester," alongside dates for an extensive world tour that will cross North America, Australia, New Zealand, The U.K., and Europe.

Sam Tompkins - hi, my name is insecure

Release date: May 24

"I really like being in the company of my friends," shared rising British singer Sam Tompkins in a press statement. "But if you take me out of my comfort zone, and have me hang out at a party or an event or whatever, I just go inside myself and I find any excuse to get out of it."

That statement helps explain why Tompkins titled his anticipated debut album hi, my name is insecure , set to drop on May 24. Despite a genuine talent to produce stirring songs, the Brighton native still struggles with social anxiety and depression — themes that appear often in his lyrics, and contribute to his global resonance.

Tompkins is "championing authenticity without taking himself too seriously," and that might be why his work is so relevant. A tracklist for the LP has yet to be revealed, but Tompkins's sensitive writing can be seen in a slew of singles, including "phones in heaven," "someone else," and "see me."

Tems - Born in the Wild

Release date: TBA 

Nigerian singer Tems earned the eyes and the ears of international media with her Afrobeats-infused R&B. First raising attention with her feature in Wizkid 's 2020 single "Essence," she later built up a devoted fandom through two EPs: 2020's For Broken Ears and 2021's If Orange Was a Place . In 2022, she was credited as a featured artist in Future 's "Wait For U," which led her to win a GRAMMY for Best Melodic Rap Performance .

This month, Tems will finally release her long-awaited debut album, Born in the Wild . The official announcement came with a teaser video for the title track, disclosed one day after her Coachella set in April. "It's all over the news, all over the news, I know this/ Under the sun, struggling to find my focus/ When I was young, younger then/ I was always running away," she sings, reflecting on her childhood in Lagos. "I grew up in the wilderness/ Didn't know much about openness."  

Born in the Wild follows Tems' 2023 singles, "Me & U" and "Not an Angel." The singer has yet to reveal further info about the record, as well as a definite release date.

Kameron Marlowe - Keepin' the Lights On

Release date: May 31

Powerhouse country singer Kameron Marlowe is gearing up to release his sophomore effort, Keepin' the Lights On , at the end of May. "The namesake of the album came from a conversation with my dad over the holidays about how he's always thanking the man upstairs for keeping it all together, especially when times get tough," he shared in a statement.

"For me, this record is a reminder of hard work, dedication and keeping the promises that we make," he continued. Featuring 16 tracks, including previously released singles "Quit You," "Strangers" with Ella Langley, and "Tennessee Don't Mind," Marlowe stated that the LP "explores everything from loss to love, depression to joy, and overcoming the voices in your head telling you you're not good enough."

"It's still crazy to me that people are listening to a small town boy from Kannapolis, North Carolina, but here I am releasing my second album. I can't wait for y'all to hear it," he added. Marlowe is currently on his Strangers 2024 North American tour, where he plays some of his new tracks. 

Arooj Aftab - Night Reign

Just like the night, Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab's voice is deep and mysterious. Unsurprisingly, the night is also her "biggest source of inspiration," as she shared in a recent press release about her upcoming record, Night Reign , out May 31. 

Following 2021's Vulture Prince (from which single "Mohabbat" won Best Global Music Performance at the 2022 GRAMMYs ), the album is a nine-song compilation about how "some nights are for falling in love, some are for solitude and introspection, some are to be annoyed at a forced social gathering — and so go the stories of Night Reign ." The list of collaborators include the soulful Cautious Clay , musical ensemble Chocolate Genius, jazz artist James Francies, and more.

Aftab shared the single "Raat Ki Rani" as a preview of the album, and announced a North America, U.K., and Europe tour throughout the rest of the year. She will also support Khruangbin for a run of fall shows in Washington, DC, St. Louis, MO, and New Orleans, LA.

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Everything We Know About Twenty One Pilots' New Album 'Clancy'

Three years in the making, Twenty One Pilots are returning with their seventh album, 'Clancy.' Take a look at all of the details they've revealed so far, including the release date and track list.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on May 3, 2024 to reflect a new release date, additional song releases and tour details.

In a year that's seeing the return of alt-rock gods Kings of Leon , Vampire Weekend and the Black Keys , Twenty One Pilots are ready to join the party, too.

The GRAMMY-winning rock duo announced on Feb. 29 that their seventh studio album, titled Clancy , will arrive in May via Fueled By Ramen. Along with unveiling the project's cover art and lead single, "Overcompensate," Twenty One Pilots declared in the first teaser that "a new chapter begins" with Clancy — which will also bring a close to the ever-evolving narrative they started in 2015 with Blurryface .

Below, get all of the details Twenty One Pilots have revealed about Clancy .

Its Release Date Was Pushed Back — But Not By Much

When Twenty One Pilots initially announced Clancy , the album was set to be released on May 17, which also happens to be the ninth anniversary of their now multi-platinum breakthrough album, 2015's Blurryface . But as frontman Tyler Joseph shared on Instagram on April 23, the album will now arrive on May 24, as they needed "a little bit more time" because of an ambitious creative venture — but more on that later.

It Has 13 Tracks

Though the duo didn't post the Clancy track list, the song titles can be found on Apple Music. Kicking off with "Overcompensate," the track list is as follows:

1. Overcompensate  2. Next Semester  3. Midwest Indigo 4. Routines In The Night 5. Backslide  6. Vignette 7. The Craving (Jenna's Version) 8. Lavish 9. Navigating  10. Snap Back  11. Oldies Station 12. At the Risk Of Feeling Dumb 13. Paladin Strait

Three Songs Are Already Out

A few hours after announcing Clancy , Twenty One Pilots unveiled the album's lead single, "Overcompensate." After a nearly two-minute synth intro that builds over a racing beat, the song sees singer Tyler Joseph return to his signature rap-inspired delivery. Its swirling production and echoing vocals feel reminiscent of Trench , which — as they've hinted — isn't a coincidence.

They've released one more track each month leading up to Clancy 's release. On March 27, the duo unveiled "Next Semester" alongside a half rock show, half(literal) road show music video; and on April 25, they debuted the visual for "Backslide."

Each Track Will Get The Video Treatment

As Joseph explained in an Instagram video, the biggest reason Clancy 's release date was pushed back by a week is because he wants every song to have a music video. "It’s because I love these songs, and I believe in them enough to pretend to sing in front of a camera to each one. And that's what we're gonna do, because that's how I want to present this album."

It seems they might also share glimpses into the filming of some of the videos, as they did with "Next Semester."

It Takes Fans Back To 'Trench'

Despite the fact that TOP's first album teaser noted that "a new chapter begins" with Clancy , the cryptic clip proclaimed, "I am returning to Trench. I am Clancy." As the duo's fans know, Trench is the name of their 2018 LP; the project was the most conceptual and ambitious album to date, which could mean the same for Clancy . (In fact, the bridge of "Overcompensate" even features two references to two Trench tracks; "Welcome back to Trench" mirrors the outro of Trench track "Levitate," followed by lyrics taken from the bridge of "Bandito.")

Perhaps uncoincidentally, the red, yellow and black cover art vaguely calls back to the Trench cover art, which featured a smoky yellow color and a vulture.

It's The Finale To An Album Series

A press release revealed that Clancy "marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative" which kicked off with Blurryface in 2015. What that means for the Twenty One Pilots' future is unclear, but neither their posts nor the release noted that it's their final album altogether.

The Clancy World Tour Kicks Off This Summer

When Twenty One Pilots released "Next Semester" in March, they also announced The Clancy World Tour. Their biggest headlining tour to date, the trek will start in North America, kicking off in Denver on Aug. 15. The tour will make four stops in New Zealand and Australia in November, then pick up again in April 2025 for a stretch in Europe and the UK before wrapping with two shows at The O2 in London on May 13 and 14, 2025. For more information, click here .

It'll Be Available In Many Formats

For those who still love to buy physical albums, Twenty One Pilots have quite the array of options. Clancy will be available in a variety of physical formats, including two limited-edition deluxe box sets, four vinyl variants with additional retailer exclusives, an exclusive CD and Journal Book, and a Cassette and Photocard Wallet. 

You Can Pre-Order It Now

If any of those pique your interest, you can head to Twenty One Pilots' official store, as everything is already available for pre-order. You can also pre-save/pre-add the album on streaming services to stay up to date as the pair continues to take fans deeper into the world of Clancy .

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Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly . Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly .

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube . This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg , Doggystyle . This is for Illmatic , this is for Nas . We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal , Anna Wise and Thundercat ). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift 's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN ., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers .

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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• 1 'Blurryface' Sweeps RIAA Golds: Twenty One Pilots' "Unparalleled Achievement"
• 2 Twenty One Pilots' Road To 'Clancy': How The New Album Wraps Up A Decade-Long Lore
• 3 15 Must-Hear Albums In May 2024: Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Sia, Zayn & More
• 4 Everything We Know About Twenty One Pilots' New Album 'Clancy'
• 5 GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Previews: TWENTY ONE PILOTS Bring Their Clancy Tour to Golden 1 Center

Performing Sunday, August 25th

The countdown is on, Sacramento! Less than a week remains until Grammy Award-winning duo Twenty One Pilots electrifies the Golden 1 Center with their unique sound and unparalleled energy. On August 25th, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun arrive on The Clancy World Tour to perform songs from their seventh full-length album, Clancy.

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The group achieved commercial success with their 2015 release, Blurryface . The album’s third single, “Stressed Out,” shot to number one on Billboard Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts, and peaked at number two on Billboard  Hot 100.  It was also “the first album to notch a RIAA Gold or Platinum Certification for every one of its songs.” Their subsequent album, Trench , was Platinum-certified, followed by their Gold-certified LP, Scaled and Icy , which achieved “the biggest opening week for a rock album in 2021.”

Like its predecessors, Clancy has also hit the musical world by storm. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and has elicited favorable reviews from critics. Clancy is also unique in that it successfully melds several different genres in one album. From the punk-infused “Next Semester” to the hip hop sounds of “Backslide,” there is something for everyone. My personal favorite is “Routines in the Night,” an ethereally mesmerizing showcase of solid songwriting chops that I can’t wait to witness in person (I’ve been listening to it on repeat for a week).

Join me at the Golden 1 Center this coming Sunday, August 25th, to catch Twenty One Pilots live before they head south on this much-anticipated tour. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found at twentyonepilots.com and ticketmaster.com.

Photo credit: Ashley Osborn

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