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Twenty One Pilots Wiki


Album artwork

Stressed Out is a song by Twenty One Pilots. It is the second track on their fourth studio album, Blurryface. Stressed Out is the most well-known song by the music duo, topping many American charts.

It served as the third single from the album, released on April 28, 2015. The video was released the day before on Fueled by Ramen's YouTube channel.

The song was nominated for Record of the Year at the 2017 GRAMMY Awards.

Background[]

"Stressed Out" discusses Joseph's desire to return to his childhood years, where things were less complicated. As an adult, he's stressed out, and is constantly forced to make decisions regarding finances, jobs, and growing up.

Chart performance[]

In the United States, "Stressed Out" climbed 13–9 for the chart dated January 16, 2016, becoming the group's first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track topped Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart for a second week, led the Alternative Songs Airplay chart for a ninth week, also crossing over to mainstream audiences, rising 14–13 on the Mainstream Top 40 and bulleting at number 20 on Adult Top 40.

For the chart issue dated January 30, 2016, the song ascended 5–4 on the Hot 100. The single entered the top 10 on both Radio Songs and Streaming Songs. A commissioned house remix by Dave Winnel helped the single reach number nine on Dance/Mix Show Airplay in its February 13, 2016 issue.

The song reached number 2 in its 21st week on the Hot 100, behind "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber. The single, which led Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart for an eighth week, is the first title that has also appeared on Hot Rock Songs to rank in the Hot 100's top two in more than a year, since Hozier's "Take Me to Church" spent its third and final week at its number 2 peak on the January 3, 2015, Hot 100.

"Stressed Out" is the first former Alternative Songs number one to top Mainstream Top 40 in more than two-and-a-half-years, since Lorde's "Royals" in 2013. It was the first by a duo or group to do so in nearly four years, since Fun's "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monáe) in 2012.

In the United Kingdom, "Stressed Out" became the duo's first single to chart on the UK Singles Chart, debuting at number eighty six on in February 2016, rising to number thirty four in the third week before entering the top 20 at number nineteen in March 2016 and peaking at number twelve in April 2016.

Live performances[]

Twenty One Pilots performed "Stressed Out" on Late Night with Seth Meyers on September 14, 2015. The song was part of their setlist at Lollapalooza 2015. Twenty One Pilots performed "Stressed Out" on their 2016 Emotional Roadshow World Tour in Ohio, Tyler Joseph, the lead singer of the band changed the lyrics of the first verse, however. In the changed lyrics, he talked about how fans of the band thought the song was overplayed, and the success of the song.

Official Video[]

Versions[]

Stressed Out (Dave Winnel Remix)[]

Stressed Out (Blurryface Live)[]

Choker / Stressed Out / Migraine / Morph / Holding On To You - Livestream Version[]

This performance is from Scaled and Icy (Livestream Version) which was recorded during their Livestream Experience on May 21, 2021, a globally streamed, theatrical concert event coinciding with the album’s release. The performance was later released as a live album on November 19, 2021.

Stressed Out - MTV Unplugged Live[]

Lyrics[]

I wish I found some better sounds no one's ever heard
I wish I had a better voice that sang some better words
I wish I found some chords in an order that is new
I wish I didn't have to rhyme every time I sang
I was told when I get older, all my fears would shrink
But now I'm insecure and I care what people think

My name's Blurryface and I care what you think
My name's Blurryface and I care what you think

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

We're stressed out

Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young
How come I'm never able to identify where it's coming from?
I'd make a candle out of it, if I ever found it
Try to sell it, never sell out of it, I'd probably only sell one
It'd be to my brother, 'cause we have the same nose
Same clothes, homegrown
A stone's throw from a creek we used to roam
But it would remind us of when nothing really mattered
Out of student loans and treehouse homes
We all would take the latter

My name's Blurryface and I care what you think
My name's Blurryface and I care what you think

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

We used to play pretend, give each other different names
We would build a rocket ship and then we'd fly it far away
Used to dream of outer space, but now they're laughing at our face
Saying, "Wake up, you need to make money"
Yeah
We used to play pretend, give each other different names
We would build a rocket ship and then we'd fly it far away
Used to dream of outer space, but now they're laughing at our face
Saying, "Wake up, you need to make money"
Yeah

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

Wish we could turn back time
To the good ol' days
When our momma sang us to sleep
But now we're stressed out

Used to play pretend, used to play pretend, bunny
We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money
Used to play pretend, used to play pretend, bunny
We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money

Used to play pretend, give each other different names
We would build a rocket ship and then we'd fly it far away
Used to dream of outer space, but now they're laughing at our face
Saying, "Wake up, you need to make money"

Credits[]

Writers and producers Tyler Joseph and Mike Elizondo
Recorded at Can Am Tarzana, CA
Engineered by Adam Hawkins
Assisted by Brent Arrowood
Keyboards Tyler Joseph and Mike Elizondo
Drums Josh Dun
Upright Bass Mike Elizondo
Vocals Tyler Joseph
Programming Tyler Joseph and Mike Elizondo
Mixed by Neal Avron at The Casita Hollywood, CA
Mix engineer assistant Scott Skrzynski
Mastered by Chris Gheringer at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
Published by
  • Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI) / Fueled By Music (BMI) / Stryker Joseph Music (BMI)
  • All rights on behalf of itself and Stryker Joseph Music
  • Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp