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Blurryface is the fourth studio album by the American duo Twenty One Pilots, released in 2015 in the United States through Fueled by Ramen. The 14-track set spans alternative rock, electropop, hip hop, indie pop, and reggae influences, runs just over 52 minutes, and was produced across sessions with Mike Elizondo, Ricky Reed, Mike Crossey, and Tim Anderson. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 147,000 equivalent units (including 134,000 in pure sales) for the week ending May 24, 2015. The Boston Globe
Background and recording
- –Following extensive touring for Vessel (2013), the duo recorded Blurryface in 2014–2015 at Serenity West Recording (Hollywood), Paramount Recording Studios (Hollywood), Can Am Recording (Tarzana), Sonic Lounge Studios (Grove City, Ohio), Livingston Studios (London), and Werewolf Heart (Los Angeles).
AllMusic
- –Principal producers included Mike Elizondo, Ricky Reed, Mike Crossey, and Tim Anderson; the album was mixed by Neal Avron and mastered by Chris Gehringer.
Title, concept, and artwork
- –The title refers to an alter ego representing insecurity and doubt; frontman Tyler Joseph used black paint on his hands and neck in the era’s videos and performances to embody the character.
Pitchfork (context); Brandon Rike’s "Behind Blurryface" design notes describe the black/white/red visual system and the character’s thematic role.
Brandon Rike
Release and promotion
- –The album was issued May 17, 2015, two days ahead of its originally announced date. Singles rolled out around the release: “Fairly Local” (Mar 17, 2015), “Tear in My Heart” (Apr 2015), “Stressed Out” (Apr 28, 2015), “Ride” (to U.S. CHR radio Apr 16, 2016), and “Heavydirtysoul” (Dec 9, 2016).
Toddstar Photography/Fueled by Ramen press item;
Composition and themes
- –Blurryface juxtaposes urgent, melodic hooks and rap cadences with genre shifts among alternative rock, electropop, reggae/dub, and indie pop, while lyrics address anxiety, faith, self-doubt, and the pressures of adulthood—often voiced through the Blurryface persona.
Critical reception
- –Contemporary reviews were generally favorable; on release the album carried a Metascore of 80 based on major-press reviews.
Metacritic
Commercial performance
- –The set opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (147,000 units; 134,000 sales).
The Boston Globe
- –In the UK, Blurryface reached the Official Albums Chart Top 10 and logged extensive chart time over multiple years.
Official Charts Company
- –By May 2019 the album had spent four consecutive years on the Billboard 200 without leaving the chart.
Loudwire
- –Blurryface ranked among the ten top-selling albums worldwide in 2016, placing eighth with 1.5 million sales that year, per the IFPI’s Global Music Report as reported by Teen Vogue.
Teen Vogue
Singles and accolades
- –“Stressed Out” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 59th Grammy Awards (February 12, 2017).
- –“Ride” became a multi-format hit and reached No. 5 on the Hot 100.
Wikipedia summary of chart peak (for Hot 100 peak; see also Billboard coverage contemporaneous to 2016)
Certifications and records
- –On March 1, 2018, the Recording Industry Association of America announced Blurryface as the first album in the digital era for which every track had earned at least Gold status, with multiple tracks multi-Platinum.
RIAA
- –By 2019, the album itself had been certified quadruple Platinum by the RIAA, reflecting sustained U.S. consumption.
Personnel and credits
- –Producers: Mike Elizondo, Ricky Reed, Mike Crossey, Tim Anderson. Recording at Serenity West, Paramount, Can Am, Sonic Lounge, Livingston, Werewolf Heart; mixing by Neal Avron; mastering by Chris Gehringer.
Impact
- –Blurryface established Twenty One Pilots as major crossover artists in mid‑2010s pop and rock, with its singles dominating U.S. multi-format radio and streaming and the album sustaining long-term chart presence in North America and abroad. Its song-by-song certification milestone marked a notable benchmark for the streaming era.