Blurryface

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Blurryface
Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots.png
Studio album by Twenty One Pilots
Released May 17, 2015 (2015-05-17)
Recorded Serenity West Recording, Paramount Recording Studios, Hollywood, California;
Can Am, Tarzana, California;
Sonic Lounge Studios, Grove City, Ohio;
Livingston Studios, London;
Werewolf Heart, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length 52:23
Label Fueled by Ramen
Producer
Twenty One Pilots chronology
Vessel
(2013)Vessel2013		 Blurryface
(2015)
Singles from Blurryface
  1. "Fairly Local"
    Released: March 17, 2015
  2. "Tear in My Heart"
    Released: April 6, 2015
  3. "Stressed Out"
    Released: April 28, 2015
  4. "Lane Boy"
    Released: May 4, 2015[6]
  5. "Ride"
    Released: May 12, 2015[7]

Blurryface (stylized as BLURRYFΛCE) is the fourth album released by the American duo Twenty One Pilots. It is the band's second studio album released through Fueled by Ramen. Originally set to be released on May 19, 2015, it was released two days early by the band on May 17, via iTunes.[8] The album was preceded by its lead single, "Fairly Local", released on March 17, 2015. As of March 2016, the album has sold 792,000 copies in the United States. The album contains the Billboard top-five single "Stressed Out", which reached number two in February 2016.

Background and recording

Following the release of their third album Vessel (2013), the band toured extensively in support of the album worldwide.[9] While on tour the band had a portable recording studio that allowed them to lay down ideas.[10]

"Heavydirtysoul", "Ride", "Fairly Local", "Tear in My Heart", "Lane Boy" and "Doubt" were recorded with producer Ricky Reed at Serenity West Recording in Hollywood, California.[11] "Stressed Out", "Polarize", "Hometown" and "Not Today" were recorded with producer Mike Elizondo at Can Am in Tarzana, California.[11] "Ride" was recorded with Reed at Sonic Lounge Studios in Grove City, Ohio.[11] "The Judge" was recorded with producer Mike Crossey at Livingston Studios in London.[11] "We Don't Believe What's on TV" and "Goner" were recorded with Reed at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.[11] "Message Man" was recorded with Tim Anderson at Werewolf Heart in Los Angeles, California.[11] The album was mixed by Neal Avron, with assistance from Scott Skrzynski, at The Casita in Hollywood, California.[11] The album was mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound in New York City, New York.[11]

Concept

The album is named after a character the band created called Blurryface. According to Joseph, he "represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around, are insecure about."[12] Joseph wears black paint on his hands and neck during his live shows and music videos for the album, to represent Blurryface, saying: "Very dramatic, I know, but it helps me get into that character."[13]

Artwork and packaging

Art direction and design was done by Brandon Rike, Reel Bear Media and Virgilio Tzaj.[11] Rob Gold was the art manager, while Josh Skubel was in charge of packaging production.[11] Jabari Jacobs provided photography.[11]

Release

On March 17, 2015, the band announced the album's title, track listing and release date.[14] The band's fans crashed their website attempting to pre-order the album.[15] The band released their new single "Fairly Local" on the same day accompanied by its music video which premiered on official Fueled by Ramen YouTube channel.[16]

On April 6, the band released the second single of the album, "Tear in My Heart", with an official music video released through YouTube.[17] The third single, "Stressed Out", was released on April 28[18][19] with a music video.[20] On May 4, 2015, the band posted a YouTube video streaming the audio of the album's 6th track, "Lane Boy",[21] and released "Ride" seven days later through the same media;[22] both were also singles, being released on the 4th and 12th, respectively.[6][7] Between the 11th and the 14th the band toured the UK.[23] The music video for "Ride" was released on May 14,[24] directed by Reel Bear Media.[25]

On May 19, 2015, the duo performed at the iHeartRadio Theater LA in Burbank, CA to celebrate the album's release.[26] The concert was livestreamed on iHeartRadio's website. The band has shows and festival stops lasting from May 19 to December 14.[27] On July 20, the music video for "Lane Boy" was released.[28] The band is set to play the UK in November.[29] The tour sold out in a matter of minutes.[30]

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 80/100[31]
Review scores
Source Rating
Alternative Press 4.5/5 stars[32]
The Austin Chronicle 3/5 stars[4]
Billboard 3/5 stars[5]
Cleveland.com B[33]
Kerrang! 4/5 stars[31]
Rolling Stone Australia 3/5 stars[34]
Sputnikmusic 3.5/5[2]

Blurryface received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album has received an average score of 80, based on 5 reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[31] Garrett Kamps of Billboard hailed the album as a "hot mess (in a good way)", but gave it a mixed review, saying that Blurryface "doesn't quite reach the heights of Vessel".[5]

Sputnikmusic and Alternative Press gave Blurryface favorable reviews, with the latter being the more positive. Their critic, Jason Pettigrew, described the album as "wonderful" and hailed the band's mix of genres in their songs, highlighting "Ride", "Polarize", "Message Man", "Tear in My Heart", "We Don't Believe What's on TV", "Goner" and "Lane Boy" in his review.[32]

The album was ranked at number 1 in Alternative Press's "10 Essential Records of 2015" list.[3] Jason Pettigrew of Alternative Press wrote that the band combined "hip-hop vistas, tinges of reggae, everyman pop and furious electronic urgency and bellicose sadness into an impossibly cohesive record."[3] The album was included at number 2 on Rock Sound's top 50 releases of 2015 list.[35] Blurryface was nominated for Album Of The Year at the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards.[36] The album also won the category of "Top Rock Album" at the Billboard Music Awards.[37]

Commercial performance

Blurryface was a success in the United States. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 147,000 copies in the United States in its first week, making it Twenty One Pilots' highest charting album in the U.S. It also marked the band's highest opening week in the U.S.[38] The group also made their first appearance on the UK top 40 with Blurryface debuting at number 14. By November 2015, the album sold 500,000 copies worldwide.[39] The following month, it was announced the album's U.S. sales was over 505,000 copies.[40] By January 2016, the album had sold 592,000 copies in the U.S.[41] Two months later, the album's U.S. sales had risen to 753,000 copies.[42] By the end of March, the album's U.S. sales stood at 792,000.[43] The album has since been certified gold in Canada[44] and platinum in the U.S.[45]

Track listing

All songs written by Tyler Joseph.[11]

No. Title Length
1. "Heavydirtysoul"   3:54
2. "Stressed Out"   3:22
3. "Ride"   3:34
4. "Fairly Local"   3:27
5. "Tear in My Heart"   3:08
6. "Lane Boy"   4:13
7. "The Judge"   4:57
8. "Doubt"   3:11
9. "Polarize"   3:46
10. "We Don't Believe What's on TV"   2:57
11. "Message Man"   4:00
12. "Hometown"   3:54
13. "Not Today"   3:58
14. "Goner"   3:56

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[11]

Twenty One Pilots
  • Tyler Joseph – programming (tracks 1–6, 8–9 and 12), piano (tracks 1, 5–7 and 12–14), keyboards (tracks 2, 9 and 12), vocals (track 2, 9, 12 and 13), organs (track 3), lead vocals, backing vocals, Hammond organ, synths and gang vocals (track 7), ukulele (tracks 7 and 10), synth bass (track 9)
  • Josh Dun – drums (tracks 1–7, 9–10 and 12–14), percussion (track 7), gang vocals (track 7), vocals (track 13)

Charts and certifications

Release history

Country Date
 Australia[73] May 15, 2015
 Germany
 Japan
 Ireland
 Netherlands
 Finland May 18, 2015
 Denmark
 France
 Poland
 United Kingdom
 Europe May 19, 2015
 Canada
 United States

References

Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Pettigrew 2015, p. 96
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ twenty one pilots: Tear In My Heart [Official Video]; YouTube, April 6, 2015
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Travers 2015, p. 5
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Bird, ed. 2016, p. 29
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Garner 2015, p. 21
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Twenty One Pilots – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Twenty One Pilots.
  51. ↑ http://hitlisten.nu/. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Twenty One Pilots: Blurryface" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  54. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  56. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2016. 16. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  57. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  63. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  64. ↑ http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
  65. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  66. ↑ "{{{artist}}} | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  67. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  68. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  69. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  70. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  72. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Blurryface in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  73. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Sources
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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