twenty one pilots are hardly recognizable from the scrappy, Columbus, Ohio-bred band that they started as. Over the course of six albums, they’ve ascended to packed arenas, pulling off extravagant theatrics that make them an epic live band. As the duo prepare to release Clancy, the final album within their painstakingly detailed, multi-album narrative that’s taken up the past few years, expectations are massively high. That led us to ask our readers to name the best twenty one pilots songs of all time, and they sounded off with tons of different answers, ranging from Regional At Best cuts to their new songs from Clancy. These are their top picks, ranked accordingly below.
Read more: Every twenty one pilots album ranked: From worst to best
5. “Taxi Cab”
Long before Josh Dun came into the picture, twenty one pilots were finding their footing with their debut self-titled album in 2009. Featuring Tyler Joseph’s hip-hop-informed speak-singing and soaring arrangements, their emotive penmanship started the band on a high note. Readers called out “Taxi Cab” as one of their greatest songs, which begins with a slow piano line and blooms into a stirring performance about living to see another day. The band don’t play the song live, but that could always change.
4. “Kitchen Sink”
Regional At Best is totally beloved within twenty one pilots’ canon, and “Kitchen Sink” is one of its many standouts. The song is pretty different from their others, featuring a dynamic blend of Joseph’s vocals and layered instrumentals. At the time, his delivery started to get faster, and this track does a great job of blending his fiery verses with a pleading chorus. Naturally, there’s also a lot of speculation on what the song is really about, but a common consensus seems to be that sinks are a dumping ground, and the song represents that emotionally.
3. “Ode to Sleep”
“Ode to Sleep” initially appeared on Regional At Best and then was rerecorded for the band’s major-label debut. Kicking off Vessel, “Ode to Sleep” starts with nimble bars from Joseph, who was fully rapping at this point. Then the song completely changes, blending dark lyricism with buoyant instrumentals and a building beat before Joseph goes in again. Whatever version you prefer, though, the song still captures twenty one pilots at a turning point, signaling that they were entering another level.
2. “Holding On To You”
If you need a proper entry point into the world of twenty one pilots, “Holding On To You” is a great choice. It has all the hallmarks that informed the band up until that point — from indie-rock heroism to a knack for pop choruses. As the second song off Vessel, “Holding On To You” packs an early gut punch and proves why the duo resonate with so many. In an album full of highlights, this track always rises toward the top.
1. “Car Radio”
It makes complete sense that our readers voted “Car Radio” as twenty one pilots’ best song. Prior to its release, the band were fairly underrated, hidden away in 500-cap venues. This is the song that made them explode into the mainstream — quickly ascending from hometown favorites to radio staples — following their signing to Fueled By Ramen. Though Vessel is packed with songs that the band still play today, “Car Radio” will forever hold a special place as the one that launched their takeoff.
