Solo Artist

Twenty One Pilots

Active2009-present
OriginColumbus, Ohio, USA
Albums8
Tracks105

Most frequent collaborator: Paul Meany  ·  41 tracks

Alternative RockIndie PopElectropopAlternative Hip-Hop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 105 of 105 tracks

Does Twenty One Pilots write their own songs?

Yes. Twenty One Pilots are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and Tyler Joseph writes every lyric and most of the music himself. Josh Dun is the drummer rather than a writer. Songs like 'Stressed Out,' 'Ride,' and 'Jumpsuit' are Joseph's, with outside names only appearing as producers or sample credits.

By the Numbers

8
Studio Albums
105
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
17
Years Active
28
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 105 / 105 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 105 tracks: how many Twenty One Pilots wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Twenty One Pilots has a writing credit100%
75%
25%
Sole author79tracks75%
Co-written26tracks25%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Twenty One Pilots's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 105 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer99%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 105 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Tyler Joseph
100%
100%
99%
100%
Josh Dun
0%
0%
13%
0%
Nick Thomas
0%
0%
13%
0%
Chris Salih
0%
0%
13%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Twenty One Pilots's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2009Twenty One Pilots
2011Regional at Best
2013Vessel
2015Blurryface
2018Trench
2021Scaled and Icy
2024Clancy
2025Breach
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2000s
Twenty One Pilots
100%
2010s
Regional at Best, Vessel +2 more
100%
2020s
Scaled and Icy, Clancy +1 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Twenty One Pilots sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Twenty One Pilots
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Whitney Houston5%
BLACKPINK13%
Britney Spears32%
Rihanna44%
One Direction57%
Kesha77%
Justin Bieber92%
100%Twenty One Pilots
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Stressed Out
Blurryface
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Ride
Blurryface
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Tear in My Heart
Blurryface
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Fairly Local
Blurryface
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Jumpsuit
Trench
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
My Blood
Trench
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Chlorine
Trench
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph, Paul Meany
Co-wrote
Shy Away
Scaled and Icy
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph
Wrote it
Overcompensate
Clancy
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph, Paul Meany
Co-wrote
The Contract
Breach
Written by Tyler Joseph, Tyler Robert Joseph, Paul Meany, Dominic Richard Harrison, Matt Schwartz
Co-wrote

Discography 8 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Twenty One Pilots105 tracks
PM41 GW12 RR8 ME8 MG2 CH2

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. PM Paul Meany · GW Greg Wells · RR Ricky Reed · ME Mike Elizondo · MG Maurice Gleaton · CH Charles Hammond

The Writers & Producers Behind Twenty One Pilots 6 key collaborators

PM
Paul Meany
Producer
Trench / Scaled and Icy / Clancy / Breach41 tracks
GW
Greg Wells
Producer
Vessel12 tracks
RR
Ricky Reed
Producer
Blurryface8 tracks
ME
Mike Elizondo
Producer
Blurryface / Scaled and Icy / Breach8 tracks
MG
Maurice Gleaton
Songwriter
Regional at Best / Vessel2 tracks
CH
Charles Hammond
Songwriter
Regional at Best / Vessel2 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Tyler Joseph has written every lyric on every Twenty One Pilots album, eight studio albums, zero outside lyricists. On tracks with additional co-writers (Paul Meany, sample credits), those credits are always compositional or production-side, never for words. This complete lyrical monopoly is exceptionally rare for a band that has sold tens of millions of records. Josh Dun, despite being the other half of the duo and performing on every album, holds no writing credits, making Twenty One Pilots one of the most extreme solo-authorship-within-a-band cases in modern music.

Quick Facts

  • GrammyWon Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for 'Stressed Out' in 2017
  • BlurryfaceTheir 2015 album was the first ever with every track certified gold or higher
  • Sole songwriterTyler Joseph has written every lyric across all their albums
  • Concept loreTheir recent albums tell a connected story set in the city of Dema on the continent of Trench
  • Skeleton CliqueBuilt one of music's most devoted fanbases, nicknamed the Clique

Creative Fingerprint

A one-writer duo: Twenty One Pilots are credited on 100% of their catalogue, with Tyler Joseph writing every lyric and most of the music, while the only outside names are producers and sample credits.

The Story

Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio, formed in 2009 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. Originally a trio with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, the band became a duo after their first two self-released albums. Known for blending alternative rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic elements, they broke into mainstream awareness with their Fueled by Ramen debut Vessel (2013) and achieved global success with Blurryface (2015), which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and produced the hit 'Stressed Out.' Their music consistently explores themes of mental health, existential doubt, and faith, with all lyrics written entirely by Tyler Joseph across every album.

Awards & Recognition

Won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for 'Stressed Out' (2017)
Blurryface (2015) debuted at number one and was the first album with every track certified gold or higher
Vessel (2013) also had every track certified gold or higher
One of the most successful alternative acts of the 2010s and 2020s

Frequently Asked Questions Twenty One Pilots

Does Twenty One Pilots write their own songs?
Yes. Twenty One Pilots are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and Tyler Joseph writes every lyric and most of the music himself. Josh Dun is the drummer rather than a writer. Songs like 'Stressed Out,' 'Ride,' and 'Jumpsuit' are Joseph's, with outside names only appearing as producers or sample credits.
Who writes Twenty One Pilots songs?
Tyler Joseph is the sole songwriter, writing all the lyrics and building the music around chord progressions and structure, with lyrics coming afterward. Drummer Josh Dun shapes the live sound and performance but is not a credited writer.
Who wrote 'Stressed Out'?
'Stressed Out,' from Blurryface (2015), was written by Tyler Joseph. It became the band's breakout hit, won a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and captured the anxieties of a generation.
Did Twenty One Pilots win a Grammy?
Yes. They won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for 'Stressed Out' at the 2017 Grammys. Tyler Joseph famously accepted the award in his underwear, referencing an earlier promise he made to himself.
How many albums has Twenty One Pilots released?
This catalogue covers their studio albums from the 2009 self-titled debut through Breach (2025), including the breakthrough Blurryface and the concept album Trench.
What is the Twenty One Pilots story lore?
Starting with Blurryface and expanding on Trench and Clancy, the band tells a connected story set in the walled city of Dema, ruled by figures called bishops, with a resistance called the Banditos. Tyler Joseph wrote the songs and the narrative that ties them together.
Who is Josh Dun?
Josh Dun is the drummer of Twenty One Pilots and Tyler Joseph's creative partner on stage. While Joseph writes the songs, Dun's drumming and the duo's dynamic performances are central to the band's identity.
What genre is Twenty One Pilots?
Twenty One Pilots blend alternative rock, indie pop, electropop, and hip-hop, jumping between rap, singing, ukulele, and synths on songs like 'Stressed Out' and 'Heavydirtysoul.'

Sources

Wikipedia: Twenty One Pilots