I remember vividly the first time that I got the privilege to watch Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun perform in an uncomfortably packed Stage AE in Pittsburgh, PA. The date was December 1, 2013, almost three years before Twenty One Pilots had their first billboard ranked song. Not even 2 weeks before the concert, my friend had introduced me to Twenty One Pilots and their new album at the time, Vessel. I thought it was fantastic and spent hours exploring each new track with care, though admittedly my favorites were the hit songs that most people who knew about the band were into. I didn’t really understand the power that their music had at the time, and wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw them live. As you might expect, when the curtain fell and Tyler entered the stage with his signature flip off the top of the piano, I was blown away. Every song performed contained so much raw emotion and everyone in the audience seemed to be captivated by it. It was as if everyone in the building was a single being, feeding off of the band’s energy. In between songs Tyler took the time to delay the entire show to talk to the audience like they were old friends, going as far as to ask a specific member in the front row to rip off his shirt in the middle of the next song simultaneously whenever he did. “We’re going to have a moment” he said. His openness and humble demeanor were incredibly intoxicating. By the end of the concert, every member of the audience was buzzing, and the aura in the room

After recently hearing the band and their top hit songs mentioned among various groups of people, I noticed that many had no idea about the meaningfulness and powerful nature of the music the band has created. Let’s take a step back and ask what makes "Twenty One Pilots" so special? There have been plenty of popular alternative bands known for delivering a memorable performance that leaves the audience raving to their friends and family on the way out the door afterwards. The answer to this question lies in the lyrics of Tyler and Josh’s music. Nearly every song addresses mental illness or personal struggle. Whether it be focusing depression, anxiety, or ways Tyler himself has battled mental illness, the songs come together to convey a feeling of understanding while extending a hand of companionship to the listener. These themes resonate very well with "Twenty One Pilots" fans, and really feed a dedicated fan base. The music is medicine, soothing the brain and giving diseases that are widely overlooked in today’s society validity. This depth to the lyrics from the duo’s songs is remarkably rare when compared to the bulk of mainstream music, and is one of the things that makes their music unique. The uniqueness also comes from their creative style and ability to utilize different instruments, such as the ukulele that Tyler plays in their fan favorite song “House of Gold.”

I don’t usually like to generalize, but to my experience most people who listen to popular music are just looking for a catchy beat to pump them up, or to party to, and don’t consider the meaning behind the lyrics quite as much, which is completely okay. I too enjoy my fair share of this kind of music, but don’t make the mistake of writing off "Twenty One Pilots" and their music as such. Everyone can agree they make great music with catchy choruses that is fun to sing along to, but the hidden truth is that they truly help people who are struggling and give them hope. That’s the type of music that should be popularized today. I’m hoping that "Twenty One Pilots" become even more popular so that the entire bulk of their music and impact is made obvious, because what they do deserves to be celebrated.