Twenty-one pilots is a two-man band from Columbus, Ohio. They are known for their unique style of music, producing songs that include a diverse range of genres such as alternative hip hop, indie pop, alternative rock, reggae, rap-rock, etc. The band mainly sticks to a dark/angsty and emotional aesthetic, expressing several themes of mental health. They have six studio albums and take pride in being the primary writers and producers of their masters. Lead singer Tyler Joseph composes most songs in digital audio editing software such as Logic Pro, Ableton, and GarageBand. The band uses synthesizers for most of their sounds. Car Radio was a single in their third studio album, “Vessel.” The song includes several “synthy” sounds, categorizing it as a mixture of alternative-pop and electric hip-hop. This song is a fan favorite in their live performances due to its high level of energy and intensity.
Tyler Joseph wrote “Car Radio” after having his car radio stolen out of his car. The song starts with the light tapping of a drum cymbal and a slow piano melody; occasionally, the sound and echos of ripples in water join the mix, symbolizing an individual reflecting. This soft intro is perfect for the song’s first couple of lyrics, which explains how the loss of his car radio forces Tyler to listen to his own unwelcomed thoughts/emotions without the distraction of music. The beat becomes more intense as the song continues, and Tyler’s voice grows faster and holds more emotion while diving deeper into his depressive lyrics. An instrumental section arises, consisting of a drum and synthesizer beat. It grows in tension and tempo until a mini drum solo introduces the hypest part of the song. These factors significantly contribute to the overall aesthetic of the music. Because the lyrics are based on depression and anxiety, the listener can quickly become sad; however, the synthetic beat and drums create an adrenaline-rushing tempo that makes it almost impossible for the listener not to feel some type of joy. The fast tempo of the instrumental section is symbolic of Tyler’s “mind racing” as he is alone with his thoughts. Tyler then legitimately screams, “and now I just sit in silence,” several times, adding to the energy of the song. Finally, the music ceases and returns to the slow piano drum melody that we hear initially, signifying that the panic/anxiety attack has passed. The audio placement and elements do an excellent job of telling the story of this song.