Twenty One Pilots' Road To 'Clancy': How The New Album Wraps Up A Decade-Long Lore | GRAMMY.com (2025)

Long before Twenty One Pilots developed a cult following, the Columbus, Ohio natives were determined to not be put into a box. From their first EP, 2009's Johnny Boy, they've blended elements of emo, rap, alt-pop, electronica, incorporating hardcore and hip-hop into their shows. "No one knew where to put us," drummer Josh Dun told USA Today in 2014. "But we've approached live shows as a way to build something from nothing."

In the decade since, the band's sheer determination and eclectic onstage personality have made them one of the biggest rock groups of their generation. They're equally as spontaneous and intriguing in their music, building an entire world through dynamic soundscapes and visuals — and their new album, Clancy, ties all of it together.

As the band revealed in a press release upon announcing the album in March, Clancy "marks the final chapter in an ambitious multi-album narrative" that began with Blurryface in 2015. But it certainly doesn't feel like an ending; Clancy further expands on the theatrical style and eclectic sound they've showcased from the start, offering both a resolution and an evolution.

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While the makings of the signature Twenty One Pilots aesthetic began with its original formation as a trio — lead singer Tyler Joseph and his friends Nick Thomas and Chris Salih — it truly took shape when Dun replaced Thomas and Salih in 2011. Dun and Joseph had a common goal to re-formulate the way songs and shows were crafted; the drummer utilized samples and backing tapes at their gigs, helping the band dive deeper into their alternative style by fusing everything from reggae to pop together.

As a newly formed duo, Twenty One Pilots issued their album Regional at Best in 2011 — their last release before they signed to a major label (though, as they told Huffpost in 2013, they since consider the record a "glorified mixtape"). After significant social media buzz and selling out a show at Newport Music Hall in Columbus, the duo was courted by a dozen record labels, which set the stage for their big break.

"We went from no one in the industry caring to all of the sudden it was the hot thing for every label, independent and major, to be interested in some way," Joseph told Columbus Monthly in 2012 upon signing to Fueled by Ramen, which the singer said they were drawn to because they were able to retain "creative control" — a factor that would become increasingly more important with each release.

Their 2013 album Vessel — which featured a combination of new and re-recorded songs from Regional At Best —spawned the band's first charting single, "Holding On to You," a rap-meets-pop track that oscillates from sensitive indie ballad to energetic anthem. Not only had they begun making a mark commercially, but it seemed to be the album that Twenty One Pilots felt they were hitting their stride creatively, too: "I know some people might not like this, but I kind of view Vessel as our first record," Joseph told Kerrang!at the time.

Though the character "Clancy" first came about with 2018's Trench, Twenty One Pilots actually introduced the world that Clancy would eventually live in with 2015's Blurryface, which focused on a titular character who embodies depression and anxiety. "It's a guy who kind of represents all the things that I as an individual, but also everyone around me, are insecure about," Joseph said of his alter-ego in a 2015 interview with MTV.

To convey the "feeling of suffocation" caused by insecurities from what he creates, Joseph began wearing black paint on his neck and hands in music videos and on stage to represent the "Blurryface" character. As Joseph told the Recording Academy in 2015, the "common thread" of all of the songs on Blurryface was that Joseph's alter-ego would be defeated, and each song wrestled with the dichotomy between darkness and optimism.

While Vessel kickstarted the band's commercial success, Blurryface saw their popularity explode and resulted in the band's best-selling single, the eerie rap-rock anthem "Stressed Out." The commercial success of Blurryface helped their hot streak continue into 2016 with the release of "Heathens." While the song served as the first single from the Suicide Squad soundtrack, its haunting production fits right into the world the pair had begun building with Blurryface. Their acclaim continued to grow, with Twenty One Pilots earning their first GRAMMY in 2017 for "Stressed Out" in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Category — and, in line with their affinity for stunts, dropping their pants as they accepted their award.

Ahead of the release of their 2018 concept album Trench, the lore surrounding "Clancy" really began. Twenty One Pilots began leaving clues for fans on a website known as DMAORG, which featured black-and-white images and letters from "Clancy," who ultimately became the protagonist of the album. Twenty One Pilots fans (often referred to as the"Skeleton Clique") began clamoring to deduce puzzling clues and posting their theories about the narrative's endgame online.

With Trench, they found more characters and a deeper narrative. The overall album depicts "a world where nine dictatorial bishops keep the inhabitants (Tyler included) of a fictional place named Dema from escaping its controlling clutches, with the help of the Banditos — a rebel organization (featuring Josh)." On a larger scale, the album grapples with mental illness, suicide and an expansion on Joseph's insecurities from Blurryface.

But Trench isn't one cohesive story; rather, it's a series of songs with clues embedded within. For instance, in "Morph," the character Nico is introduced, who is also the subject of "Nico and The Niners." From there, fans gleaned that Nico was one of nine bishops controlling the citizens of Dema, and those nine bishops were represented by each of the songs on Blurryface. The bombastic "Pet Cheetah" references that the house has vultures on the roof which alludes to it — and Joseph's home — being Dema.

As with Blurryface, visuals became an integral part of the album cycle. This time, they used them to illustrate life in the dystopian Dema, which personifies depression through the trilogy of music videos for "Levitate," "Nico and The Niners" and "Jumpsuit." While Joseph's black-painted neck and hands signaled the Blurryface era, dark green clothing marked with yellow tape signaled the Trench era. During this time, the "Clancy" character remained shrouded in mystery — though through videos and letters shared by the band, fans theorized that it is an opposing force to "Blurryface."

By the time Twenty One Pilots' 2021 album, Scaled and Icy, came around, fans quickly noticed that it paid homage to "Clancy" as an anagram for "Clancy is dead," while also acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic as a shortened phrase for "scaled back and isolated." While Twenty One Pilots could have leaned into the harrowing events of lockdown, they instead chose to focus on what has driven the band itself, the power of imagination — something that has been behind much of the band's work since Blurryface.

With the album came three singles — the propulsive "Shy Away," the heartwrenching banger "Choker" and the funk-pop-tinged "Saturday — which were recorded when the duo was working virtually during the pandemic. Unlike the past two projects which grappled with this doomed slant, Scaled and Icy pivoted toward a sunnier sound, signaling a shift in the narrative. But it didn't mean the dark world of Blurryface and Trench were completely in the past; upon Scaled and Icy's release, Joseph revealed to Apple Music that there would be "one more record" and "an explanation and book end" before moving onto another story.

Three years following the release of Scaled and Icy, fans began receiving letters from the "Sacred Municipality of Dema" — a reference to the fictional city featured on Trench, signaling what appeared to be a new era diving deeper into the band's lore. Since the previous record featured an anagram about "Clancy" in its title, it seemed natural that the next album would be named after the character.

"'Clancy' is our protagonist in this story we've been telling, stretched out over the last several records. 'Clancy' is the type of character who, for a long time, didn't know if he was a leader or not, didn't want to take that responsibility," Joseph told BBC Radio earlier this year.

As the singer had hinted in the Scaled and Icy era, Clancy brings fans back to the darker narrative that began with Blurryfacet. After Joseph's character escapes Dema a handful of times, joins a rebellion, then is captured again, he finally has the same abilities as the bishops and aims to free the people of Dema. The album attempts to answer a few conceptual questions along the way.

Clancy's blistering first single, "Overcompensate" is inherently hopeful, and answers the long-lingering question fans have been wondering: Who is "Clancy"? According to the psych-funk number, it's been Joseph all along ("If you can't see, I am Clancy/ Prodigal son, done running, come up with Josh Dun.") As Joseph further explained to BBC Radio, "[With] 'Overcompensate', there's a bit of a confidence and swagger in it that the character needed to embody in order to take on the new role in the story we've been telling, and Clancy is gonna rise up as that person."

But much of the album focuses less on the literal lore, instead tackling the overarching themes of its counterparts: Joseph's struggles with mental health. Despite the darker, anxious nature of the album's lyrics, the majority of Clancy has a self-assured breeziness to it, jumping off of the upbeat Scaled and Icy sound.

On the ballad-like closer, "Paladin Strait" — named after a fictional body of water off the coast of Dema —Twenty One Pilots really digs into the narrative of "Clancy" the character in a literal way again. What's revealed is the final battle between "Clancy" and "Blurryface" with no apparent winner — alluding to the idea that there is not necessarily a triumph over depression. In the final line, the band offers a callback to a lyric from Blurryface: "So few, so proud, so emotional/ Hello, Clancy."

While the ending may remain ambiguous, it may not be a coincidence that Twenty One Pilots postponed Clancy's release date by a week (from May 17 to May 24) in order to finish filming music videos for each of the tracks, all of which were unveiled upon the album's release. So, there's still hope that fans will find out definitively what happened to "Clancy" — or maybe it means his story isn't completely finished.

This summer, the Vans Warped Tour celebrates its 30th anniversary with its first shows in six years. In addition to the famed fest's return, punk kids everywhere can commemorate another important milestone in 2025: the year emo exploded.

While the genre's origins date back to the mid-'80s, it began gaining prominence in the early 2000s thanks to the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Good Charlotte and Dashboard Confessional. And as the black-banged, eyeliner-clad crowd of Warped Tour's 10th iteration indicated, emo had become a full-on phenomenon by the summer of 2005. Without the albums that arrived that year, though, it's possible emo never would've become the phenomenon it's still revered as today.

Along with establishing some of the scene's biggest names, the albums released in 2005 helped the genre reach a level of success that ingrained emo in pop culture. To name a few, Fall Out Boy made their mainstream breakthrough with From Under the Cork Tree that May; teenage upstarts Paramore burst onto the scene with their debut album, All We Know is Falling in July; Panic! At the Disco merged emo with baroque pop and electronica on September's A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.

Of course, these releases may have never had success without important predecessors like My Chemical Romance's 2004 set, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, or Taking Back Sunday's 2002 seminal debut, Tell All Your Friends. And plenty of significant emo albums came out after 2005, including MCR's 2006 blockbuster, The Black Parade, and Paramore's 2007 opus, Riot!. But this was the year that spawned multiple smash singles, No. 1 videos on "TRL," key artists and influential sounds — and helped emo become a true cultural movement.

Below, revisit 13 albums that took emo to new heights.

Plain White T's — All That We Needed

One of the more pop-rock-leaning bands on Fearless Records' stacked roster, Plain White T's gave the emo era one of its downtempo classics. While the acoustic ballad "Hey There Delilah" didn't become a hit until it was re-released as a single on 2007's Every Second Counts, those who bought the third Plain White T's album, All That We Needed, knew it well before it became a chart-topping smash.

"Hey There Delilah" was easily the most laid-back of the 13 tracks on All That We Needed, which otherwise featured energetic heartbreak anthems like the title track and belt-worthy single "Take Me Away." But the heartfelt yearning of "Delilah" is what made Plain White T's a mainstay in the emo sphere, holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 2007. The song also helped PWT's become one of the few emo bands to earn GRAMMY recognition, as "Delilah" was nominated for Song Of The Year and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals in 2008.

Anberlin — Never Take Friendship Personal

Often typecast as a Christian band —indeed, the album title came after they removed rhythm guitarist Joey Bruce due to his love for "sex, drugs and rock and roll," as frontman Stephen Christian said in 2008 —Anberlin are more an emo band who happen to be Christian. To that end, their acclaimed second album, Never Take Friendship Personal, offered a darker, more contemplative sound to the blossoming emo scene.

Album singles "Paperthin Hymn" and "A Day Late" both helped mainstream audiences become more familiar with Anberlin, but Never Take Friendship Personal's most notable contribution to the emo oeuvre was "The Feel Good Drag." The song makes its first appearance here, three years before being re-recorded and released as a single on 2008's New Surrender makes; while that may be the more known iteration, this heavier, screamier version truly shows what the band is made of.

Though Anberlin were among the clutch of emo bands who'd later trade their sound for something lighter and more poppy, Never Take Friendship Personal is arguably the reason they're still considered among emo favorites.

The Academy Is… — Almost Here

The Academy Is… were one of the lighter bands of the 2005 emo boom, with their February 2005 debut Almost Here leaning toward pop and indie —hinting at the shift toward emo-pop and neon that would really kick in as the emo craze continued into the 2010s.

While the album did feature its heavier moments (see singles “Checkmarks” and “The Phrase That Pays”), tracks like "Slow Down" and "Season" have plenty of radio-friendly sheen and polish; their clean vocals and hooky choruses were a formula that many bands would go on to follow. It almost feels as though the impact of The Academy Is… outweighs the success of the band itself, with their slick sound and style serving as a precursor to the later scene that included Metro Station and The Ready Set.

With only three albums to the band's name (their last coming just three years after their debut, 2008's Fast Times at Barrington High), The Academy Is… left some unfulfilled potential behind. But if it weren't for Almost Here, would we have had the neon pop-punk wave of the late 2000s?

Read More: The State Of Pop-Punk: A Roundtable Unpacks The Genre's Past, Present And Future

Mae — The Everglow

It's probably fair to say that Mae didn't receive the levels of commercial success as a lot of their mid-2000s peers, perhaps because their brand of emo was rooted more in indie rock —like the emo of the 1990s — more so than pop-punk or post-hardcore. But as a result, they offered a link between the '90s scene and the Midwest emo revival of the 2010s.

The Everglow, their second album, helped them establish a wider audience thanks to its catchy music and emphatic lyrics. It's a concept album designed as a storybook, and tracks like "Painless," "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" and "Cover Me" proved that emo can be soft and tender and euphoric and emphatic in equal measure.

Fall Out Boy — From Under The Cork Tree

Fall Out Boy released their debut album, Take This to Your Grave, in 2003, and its fusion of emo and pop-punk introduced them to the burgeoning third wave emo scene in promising fashion. The group opted to employ a wider range of influences, a more polished sound, and more introspective lyrics on its follow-up, From Under The Cork Tree — and it made them undeniable emo superstars.

Lead single "Sugar, We're Goin Down" announced Fall Out Boy's trademark wordy punk to the world, while "Dance, Dance" became a huge worldwide hit;both remain key classics in the emo canon. While "Sugar" wasn't the first emo hit of the 2000s, its explosive success helped the genre infiltrate the mainstream in a bigger way than it ever had.

Within just months of the album's arrival, "Sugar" was the No. 1 video on "TRL," earned Fall Out Boy a performance slot on the MTV Video Music Awards, and landed in the Top 10 of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. Its success showed that this new strand of emo had staying power, giving bands like Panic! At the Disco and Paramore the opportunity to follow Fall Out Boy's lead.

Motion City Soundtrack — Commit This To Memory

After Motion City Soundtrack's 2003 debut I Am The Movie and a support slot for blink-182, blink's Mark Hoppus offered to produce their second album, Commit This To Memory. With Hoppus being pop-punk royalty, of course, this album just might have been destined for acclaim right from the start.

Indeed, the album became the band's most successful release with its mix of punk, emo and indie (not unlike the Midwest emo of the decade before), and helped solidify their place in the emo scene of the mid-2000s. It set them apart from many of their pop-punk peers as more intelligent, even maturer — more emo, perhaps — with its introspective, often wistful writing.

"L.G. Fuad" is a masterclass in using sarcasm as a coping mechanism, while lead single "Everything Is Alright" quickly became a classic with its relatable look at social anxiety and backing vocals from Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump. It was more of a critical than a commercial success, but it's an album that's often looked back on as one of the most crucial emo releases —and for good reason.

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Funeral For A Friend — Hours

Welsh band Funeral For A Friend flew the flag for a darker, heavier strand of emo with strong melodic hardcore and metalcore influences —particularly with their first two albums. Their second album, Hours, provided a contrast to much of the emo of the time, serving as a reminder of the genre's hardcore origins.

There was a big DIY element to the album's production, with frontman Matthew Davies-Kreye singing in a moving vehicle and on a public street while recording it. Meanwhile, songs like "Roses for the Dead" and the atmospheric album closer "Sonny" proved that Funeral For A Friend could comfortably carry the flag for UK emo and post-hardcore. This allowed them to pave the way for a new wave of acts like Static Dress, Holding Absence and Hot Milk.

The All-American Rejects — Move Along

Even if you might not describe them as an emo band, the All-American Rejects' power pop — in the vein of Jimmy Eat World or Fountains Of Wayne — was crucial to the emo scene of the mid-2000s.

Following their self-titled debut three years earlier, the four-piece returned with the album Move Along and first single "Dirty Little Secret" in June 2005. Instantly recognizable from the opening riff, the relentlessly catchy track paved the way for the band's most successful albumand solidified their place in the emo canon.

Combining emo affection and pop-punk sensibilities, Move Along proved that the genre could be resolutely accessible. The album reached No. 6 on the all-genre Billboard 200, and all three singles ("Dirty Little Secret," "Move Along" and "It Ends Tonight") reached the Top 10 or Top 20 of the Hot 100 as well as the Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay charts — showing that while emo was often associated with teenagers and young people, it has the ability to transcend age.

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All Time Low — The Party Scene

All Time Low are arguably one of the poppiest bands that could fall into the emo bracket. And while the band's second album,2007's So Wrong, It's Right, birthed the "it was never a phase" anthem "Dear Maria, Count Me In," their first full-length album helped them make a worthy introduction.

Like the majority of All Time Low's discography, The Party Scene is more pop-punk. However, songs like the title track, the gentle "Lullabies" and the more intense "Hometown Heroes; National Nobodies" showcased their emo sensibilities, bridging the gap between conventional early-2000s pop-punk and the emo-pop that began to dominate toward the end of the decade. It's the best of both worlds.

Paramore —All We Know Is Falling

Though Paramore's true commercial breakthrough came in the summer of 2007 thanks to Riot! and its instant emo classic, "Misery Business," their debut album hinted at big things on the horizon.

Perhaps Paramore's most truly emo album, All We Know Is Falling is full of raw, teenage angst and heartfelt earworms. First two singles "Pressure" and "Emergency" offered emotive lyrics that provided a valuable gateway into the world of emo for teens (Paramore included, as they were all 15-17 at the time of the album's release). And then there's the final single, "All We Know," written about bassist Jeremy Davis' departure —how many teens screamed along in their bedrooms, wishing they were Hayley Williams themselves?

The frontwoman's magnetism is a large part of what's made Paramore one of the world's biggest rock bands in the years since, and All We Know Is Falling is a stunning showcase of her dynamic voice and the visceral emotion it conveys. The album certainly set the stage for their later commercial success, but as far as emo was concerned, All We Know Is Falling proved that Paramore would be a major player in the game.

Bayside — Bayside

New York punk band Bayside quickly accrued a loyal regional following, but never quite reached the level of some of their emo contemporaries. But their self-titled second album helped them be in the conversation.

Bayside's fusion of pop-punk and post-hardcore made it one of the definitive emo albums of the year, and single "Devotion and Desire"is considered a classic. It's an emotional record that explores the common emo themes of loneliness and depression, but with an energetic, melodic punk kick. (Tragically, two months after the album's release, drummer John "Beatz" Holohan was killed when the band's van crashed following a show, and their next release, the EP Acoustic, was a tribute to him.)

In the years since, Bayside have released seven albums, and they've never strayed too far from their emo roots. However, their self-titled set is the release that's beloved by the larger emo community.

Cartel — Chroma

Another poppier act in the emo sphere, Cartel made their debut in September 2005 with Chroma. The LP's 12 tracks are simple, accessible pop-punk and capture the same emotional essence of Cartel's peers, scorning past relationships and life as a young adult. Debut single "Honestly" — inspired by the jealousy frontman Will Pugh felt when his ex started dating someone else — sums up the way emo does lovelorn angst so well.

While Chroma's success was more abundant in 2006, its place in the mid-2000s zeitgeist was another indication of emo's cultural prominence. "Honestly" was featured in the 2006 teen comedy John Tucker Must Die and its video regularly appeared on "TRL"; reportedly, the album's popularity was largely thanks to Cartel's smart use of Myspace. It's no surprise Cartel found themselves touring with names like Panic! At the Disco, New Found Glory and Boys Like Girls around the same time.

Panic! At the Disco — A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Years before Panic! At the Disco became a Brendon Urie solo project, they were one of the biggest emo bands on the planet. While that may have been in part because they were a protégé of Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, it's also because of their groundbreaking debut album.

A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, was split into two halves: the first including more electronic-infused pop-punk, and the second having more baroque pop elements. Sure, the album is ostensibly emo, but Panic! quickly became one of the scene's most vital bands thanks to their sheer range of influences — and, of course, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies."

Though the song wasn't officially released as the album's second single until January 2006, "I Write Sins" is not only the band's signature song, but one of emo's all-time greats. Reaching No. 7 on the Hot 100, the song helped prove that the booming emo era was far from over.

Urie has since taken the Panic! name to even bigger, poppier heights since their emo beginnings. But even he seems to know the significance of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, as he'll perform the album in full at When We Were Young Festival in October. As Urie's first performance since his retirement in 2023, the set will be a full-circle celebration for the band and fans alike — remembering the year that sent emo to the stratosphere.

2024 was a year of unprecedented change in the music industry. Along with the concept of genre becoming perhaps more fluid and obscure than ever, artists were arguably more fearless in expression and speaking their truth — from Beyoncé and Post Malone dabbling in country music to pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan offering lyrics as bold as their unique styles.

In addition to the array of sounds, 2024 also saw significant technological advancements. AI tools revolutionized music production, offering new creative possibilities for artists and personalized listening experiences for fans. Artists like Jack Harlow and Doja Cat pushed boundaries with virtual performances and metaverse concerts, while streaming platforms refined their algorithms to deliver more tailored recommendations, making niche genres and emerging subcultures accessible to global audiences.

Though the year has come and gone, the ever-evolving socio-political landscape will likely continue to influence the direction of music. More artists will challenge traditional norms by exploring themes of identity, resilience and activism; in turn, more diverse voices and sounds will be elevated. These changes could also bring a wider range of acts into the mainstream, further reflecting a growing demand for inclusivity and authenticity in music.

As we move forward into 2025, expect continued experimentation and innovation across genres, as well as a deeper focus on the cultural and social issues that define our times — and expect all of that to help reshape the industry's landscape as a whole.

Read on for our predictions for the next wave of musical evolution in 2025.

J-Pop Will Boom

Driven by collaborations and crossover successes that amplify its cultural presence, the vibrant J-Pop scene should become increasingly prominent within international music — inching closer to a global takeover.

Supergroups like XG played a key role in this expansion during 2024 thanks to their first world tour and innovative partnerships like their Tamagotchi collaboration; they'll continue their rapid rise with an anticipated Coachella debut this April. Kenshi Yonezu's announcement of his first-ever world tour — which begins in March — also marks a milestone in J-Pop's growing global reach. Rapper, singer and songwriter Yuki Chiba's spirited verse in Megan Thee Stallion's viral hit "Mamushi" further bolstered the visibility of Japanese acts.

The genre's diverse sonic hallmarks, ranging from introspective ballads (Superfly's emotionally-charged "Charade") to upbeat, pop-tinged hits (Ado's dynamic and catchy "Value"), will continue to captivate and reach new audiences as it expands.

Music Videos Will Make A Big Comeback

With a potential TikTok ban looming in the U.S., artists may turn back to making music videos a moment — to both replicate the viral dance crazes that social media platforms have fueled, and foster a stronger sense of identity around their work.

Over the past few years, artists and choreographers have tapped into the power of visual storytelling, sparking fan-driven dance challenges and creating cultural moments. 2024 saw viral dance crazes spawned from Victoria Monét's "Alright" and Tate McRae's "it's ok, i'm ok" music videos, both choreographed by Sean Bankhead. This proves that the medium is more than a promotional tool; videos help solidify an artist's visual brand and aesthetic, and offer fans a deeper connection to the music.

Rather than forcing fleeting viral trends, a shift towards major music videos in 2025 could further create lasting impressions that resonate with audiences and drive long-term engagement.

Protest Music Will Become More Prevalent

Protest music could stand as a powerful tool for a generation navigating uncertainty and change in the new year. While this isn't a new trend — artists have long used their platforms to promote power and peace — it seems artists have become increasingly motivated to speak their minds in their music.

In 2024 alone, we heard tracks calling for change from GRAMMY nominee Kehlani ("Next 2 U" and its music video call for Palestinian support) and GRAMMY winners Ani DiFranco and Buju Banton. "Let's mend the failures of history and the man made world," DiFranco sings in "New Bible," while Banton chants "demand accountability, please stand up" in "Slogan."

Amid political upheaval, online censorship and a growing sense of global instability, artists may channel feelings of frustration and resistance into their work in 2025, while also emphasizing the beauty of diversity and solidarity through raw emotion and activism.

Rock (Of All Forms) Will Have A Mainstream Takeover

While 2024 saw pop music's undeniable supremacy, it feels as though rock music is poised for a fierce comeback in the new year. It captures the present feelings that could define the times; the latest wave of rock acts are speaking truth to power, channeling the sounds of revolution and revolt, and reclaiming the genre's role as the voice of resistance in an increasingly volatile world.

Indie rock, which had a breakthrough year thanks to acts like Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman, continues to bring new audiences to the rock side with a blend of raw emotion and a rebellious spirit. Meanwhile, rising acts like pop-punk trio Meet Me @ The Altar embody rock's well-documented edginess, and Jersey-born singer The Romance signals rock's return to a more unfiltered sound. As all of these artists suggest, the genre's revival will likely also bring a fusion of styles, from gritty punk riffs to electrifying indie anthems, reflecting the multifaceted frustrations of today's world.

Veteran acts will continue to prove their relevance, too. 2024 saw a new album from Green Day and a new chapter begin for Linkin Park, while blink-182 — who returned to its original form with 2023's One More Time — toured the globe and headlined major festivals. And 2025 will further the rock nostalgia: Warped Tour will make its anticipated return this summer; My Chemical Romance will headline stadiums to celebrate their seminal 2006 album, The Black Parade; and When We Were Young Festival will reunite Panic! At The Disco for a 20th anniversary performance of their debut LP, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.

The Rules Of Music Releases Will Be Rewritten

In 2024, there was a notable increase in surprise drops and gimmick-less approaches to promotion, which allowed artists to refocus on what matters most: the music itself. This trend is set to intensify in 2025, where it's anticipated that even more artists will embrace raw, unfiltered creativity with music that is free from the distractions of viral trends or marketing ploys.

Hip-hop's recent surge of surprise drops — fueled by control-shifting feuds between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, and rule-rewriting acts like Doechii and Tyler, The Creator — have kept audiences engaged. Pop icons like Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift have also embraced minimal promotion and surprise releases, letting the music take center stage. And with all of these artists' projects being nominated at the 2025 GRAMMYs, it's clear that this method is paying off.

In the new year, it's likely we'll see more musicians implementing this technique, placing creativity over manufactured trends — and ultimately offering fans a deeper, more genuine connection to the music.

When BABYMETAL burst onto the international music scene with "Gimme Chocolate!!" in 2015, they unleashed a frenetic fusion of perky J-Pop and menacing metal that the world didn't know it needed.

Their simultaneously euphonious and brutal sound could have just become a one-hit novelty, but the group — Su-metal (Suzuka Nakamoto), Moametal (Moa Kikuchi), and newest member Momometal (Momoko Okazaki) — have blossomed into a perennially popular act in their native Japan and well beyond. While their musical mashup might sound like an oddball idea if one hasn't heard it, it has endeared BABYMETAL to even jaded, middle-aged metalheads who thought they'd heard and seen it all.

BABYMETAL's legend has been built on performance, whether in their intricately choreographed and high-energy shows or their conceptual, striking music videos. Their talents and prowess culminated in their biggest world tour to date in 2023 and 2024, which is now cemented on the silver screen with BABYMETAL Legend - 43 The Movie.

Marking the trio's first American cinema release, BABYMETAL Legend - 43 — which documents their performance in Okinawa, Japan — will be in select theaters nationwide on Dec. 11 and 15. The nearly 85-minute concert film showcases the group's musical rambunctiousness and the intensity of their show, complete with pyro, massive video projections, a hyperkinetic light show, and even a giant fox head (more on that later).

As their 98-date world tour proved, BABYMETAL's reach is cross-cultural, with their radiant vocals and striking choreography endearing them to legions of fans around the globe. And as their global appeal continues to grow, it seems BABYMETAL's future is brighter than ever.

To celebrate the release of BABYMETAL Legend - 43 The Movie, get to know the band and their impact with these seven facts.

They Started As A Subset Of A Japanese Idol Group

Before the world got to know BABYMETAL independently, Su-metal, Moametal and Yuimetal (Yui Mizuno, who retired in 2018) were first members of the Japanese J-pop collective Sakura Gakuin, which was created by the talent agency Amuse Inc. The teenage girl group was broken into subunits, with BABYMETAL forming as the "Heavy Music Club" of the initial group.

The trio made their official debut at the Sakura Gakuin Festival in 2010, giving a taste of the merry mayhem that was to come. They dressed in more traditional schoolgirl outfits and did not yet have a backing band, but they released a few songs while still members of Sakura Gakuin.

BABYMETAL began their arc as an official separate group in 2013 upon Su-metal's graduation from Sakura Gakuin. Though Moa and Yui didn't graduate from Sakura Gakuin until 2015, BABYMETAL released their debut studio album in 2014.

Fox God Mythology Is At The Core Of Their Artistry

After he brought BABYMETAL together and later helped them strike on their own, producer Key Kobayashi (aka Kobametal) created the mythology of the Fox God, the deity that assembled the three women of BABYMETAL and imbued them with musical powers to fight those "power idols" who would suppress forms of music they didn't like. BABYMETAL were created to unleash a metal resistance — fittingly, the title of their sophomore album.

Fox lore is incorporated into several facets of their artistry, from fox head props on stage to their signature hand signal. It's also been tied into various mini-movies shown on stage, and the greater story is encapsulated in 2018's Z2 Comics graphic novel Apocrypha: The Legend Of BABYMETAL.

Apocrypha tells the story of the Fox God across the ages as he battles his nemesis the Vulture God. But this extension of their origin is different. The musical group is not included in this tale — instead, it shows the trio as a continually reinvented force for good across time as they stand against the Vulture God during different historical eras prior to the metal resistance.

While Japanese metal wasn't necessarily anything new by the time BABYMETAL arrived on the scene, it had been 30 years since a band in the genre had broken through on such an international level. However, BABYMETAL brought a new kind of sound to the metal game, maintaining their pop idol roots and integrating them into the heavy rock sound.

Their blend of J-pop and metal helped birth a new subgenre dubbed "kawaii metal" (which translates as "cute metal"), and BABYMETAL is often credited for pioneering the genre-melding style. Other artists have since emulated their collision of metal aggression and J-Pop ebullience — while mixing fashion and stage moves from both realms — including Ladybaby, Babybeard, and Ironbunny.

They've Gone Through Some Changes

Following the unexpected departure of Yuimetal for undisclosed health issues in 2018, the group featured a short-lived trio of singers/dancers called The Avengers who appeared on stage with them in 2019 and 2020. They would individually alternate for the role vacated by Yuimetal, so fans did not know who might appear on stage with Su-metal and Moametal.

One of these Avengers, Momometal, became a permanent member in the renewed core trio in 2023. Though she doesn't sing on the band's fourth album, The Other One, that was released that same year, she's become an integral part of the group's live show.

When it comes to their live performances, Su-metal takes lead vocals and does some dancing (known as "vocal and dance"), while Moametal and Momometal serve up vocal harmonies and the majority of the highly stylized dance moves ("scream and dance"). Their shows also feature four more musicians known as Kami Band — two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer — whose roster has rotated over the years.

They're Crossing Genres And Borders

While much of BABYMETAL's music is heavy metal, they have flexed their versatility on stage and in the studio. They've performed with an array of stars, including alt-rock icons the Red Hot Chili Peppers, prog metallers DragonForce, dubstep icon Skrillex, and Rob Halford of metal vets Judas Priest. BABYMETAL have also recorded collaborations with a number of different artists, including British metalcore rockers Bring Me the Horizon, Thai rapper F. HERO and iconic heavy rock guitarist Tom Morello.

Their most successful team-up to date was with German electronicore group Electric Callboy on a track called "Ratatata," which topped Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart — BABYMETAL's first No. 1 on a Billboard tally.

Further expanding their cross-cultural efforts, the group's 2020 single "Shanti Shanti Shanti" has a strong Indian music influence, and their brand new collaboration with raucous Indian metal band Bloodywood, "Bekhauf," features lyrics sung in Hindi, Japanese and English.

They've Also Expanded Into Gaming, Film & Television

BABYMETAL's quickly rising popularity spawned a unique homage in 2016: they became playable characters in the Japanese version of the video game "Super Mario Maker." They are a downloadable Mystery Mushroom character in one sequence; when Mario grabs the right mushroom, he transforms into them!

A year later, BABYMETAL composed and performed the theme song to the American animated series "Unikitty!," which aired from 2017 to 2020 on the Cartoon Network. The song starts off as a peppy, '60s pop-inflected ditty before it unfurls a quick burst of metal at the end. (Funnily enough, one of the characters on the show is named Dr. Fox.)

Just this year, BABYMETAL made their big-screen debut in Heavier Trip, the sequel to the 2018 Finnish black metal comedy Heavy Trip. The trio makes a few cameos in the movie, including a scene that sees them performing "Gimme Chocolate!!"

Their Japan Shows Are A Festive, Larger-Than-Life Event

As captured in BABYMETAL Legend - 43 The Movie, the trio's intricate, precise stage show includes lasers, high-tech lighting, video screens, moving platforms, and pyrotechnics. And when they bring the show back home to Japan, the spectacle becomes a full-on celebration. Former metal journalist and BABYMETAL aficionado Mark Kohler has witnessed the magic four times in Japan, entrenched in the crowd full of face-painted fans and girls dressed in cosplay.

Kohler noted that the fans' interaction with the band is like a performance in itself, as the audience knows which cues to follow in each song. (Near the end of BABYMETAL Legend - 43, it's remarkable how many male fans literally bow down and worship their metal goddesses during their performance of "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!")

"It's not so much a concert as it is a full performance with an audience and a band. It's truly special," Kohler tells GRAMMY.com. And while he notes that the culture surrounding BABYMETAL's shows "takes time to get used to," it's an experience like no other.

"BABYMETAL is a continuing story and each concert has to do with that exposition... And it's just fun," he adds. "A crashing, splashing display of dance, singing, visual effects, and musical virtuosity coming at you all at once. Delivered with a smile, of course."

"U2 is an original species," frontman Bono once declared. "There are colors and feelings and emotional terrain that we occupy that is ours and ours alone."

Indeed, while Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and every other stadium rock band with a messianic figure have tried to muscle in on their territory, the world-conquering, world-saving quartet remain kings of their own frontier.

It was bassist Adam Clayton who set the wheels in motion for their remarkable rock 'n' roll journey, posting a bulletin board callout for like-minded musicians at his Dublin high school in 1976. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr., guitarist Dave "The Edge" Evans, and singer Paul "Bono" Hewson all successfully auditioned for what was initially a Rolling Stones/Beatles cover band, and after several changes in names, lineups and musical directions, the quartet eventually settled on pursuing a post-punk sound under the guise of U2.

Boasting a revolutionary spirit, unwavering self-belief, and near-universal ability to connect on an intimate level — even when holding court in front of packed-out stadiums — the group soon outgrew their humble beginnings. In fact, by the mid-'80s, spearheaded by the double whammy of a triumphant Live Aid set and chart-topping blockbuster The Joshua Tree, they'd established themselves as the biggest band in the world.

But U2 never rested on their laurels. Throughout the '90s, they continually pushed themselves and their loyal fans outside their comfort zones, embracing everything from alt-rock to electronica (and usually with a knowing wink, too) while also changing the game as a live act with numerous multimedia spectacles.

A celebrated return to the echo-laden, chest-beating antics of their '80s imperial phase on 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind, meanwhile, reminded everyone of their uniting powers and introduced their signature sound to a whole new generation. Their 2004 set, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb — and its string of hit singles — ensured they maintained their cultural relevance well into the 21st century, too.

For the 20th anniversary of the latter, U2 released How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, an outtakes collection self-described as a "shadow album" of "unreleased gems" from that era. On the heels of the release, take a deep dive into the 22-time GRAMMY winners' massive career by decade.

The 1980s

After a handful of Ireland-only releases in the late 1970s, U2 announced themselves on the world stage in 1980 with their debut album, Boy, a typically confident coming-of-age whose literary references ("Shadows and Tall Trees" is named in honor of Lord of the Flies) and nods to concrete musique ("I Will Follow" is adorned with the sounds of bicycle spokes, bottle smashing and cutlery) instantly set the quartet apart from their post-punk peers.

A last-minute replacement for Joy Division producer Martin Hannett, Steve Lillywhite also steered 1981 follow-up October, a heavily improvised record that leaned much further into their spiritual beliefs. Their first MTV hit, "Gloria," for example, borrows the Latin chorus from Christian hymn "Gloria in Excelsis Deo," while "Tomorrow" is a heartbreaking prayer to God begging for the return of Bono's late mother.

But it wasn't until 1983's highly political War that the future world-conquerors began hitting the charts; it even knocked Michael Jackson's Thriller off the UK top spot. Surely the only Billboard Hot 100 hit inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement, "New Year's Day" has since become part of the U2 canon, as has "Sunday Bloody Sunday," a fervent protest song based on the Troubles of Northern Ireland ("The trenches dug within our hearts/ And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart").

Bittersweet love song "Two Hearts Beat As One" also helped the timely named record ("War seemed to be the motif for '82," Bono later remarked) shift an eventual total of 11 million copies, while a triumphant performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre captured on classic live album Under a Blood Red Sky capped off their Lillywhite era in 1983.

The band kickstarted their second phase in 1984 by teaming up with Daniel Lanois, and much to their label's despair, avant-garde maestro Brian Eno. Island Records needn't have worried, however. Although undoubtedly more experimental and atmospheric than their early oeuvre — see the ambient instrumental "4th of July" — The Unforgettable Fire equaled its predecessor's chart positions on both sides of the Atlantic and spawned their first U.S. Top 40 hit, the Martin Luther King Jr. tribute "Pride (In the Name of Love)." In fact, thanks to a triumphant set at Live Aid matched only by Queen's, U2 ended the album's campaign bigger than ever.

U2 built on its momentum by reuniting with the same producers for what would prove to be their first genuine blockbuster. Inspired by both the physical and cultural deserts of America, 1987's The Joshua Tree produced two Hot 100 number ones ("With or Without You," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"), sold an astonishing 25 million copies worldwide, and enabled the Dubliners to embark on their first of many sold-out stadium tours. It also won two golden gramophones, including the coveted Album Of The Year in 1988; it has since been inducted into the GRAMMYs Hall of Fame and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the U.S. Library of Congress (in 2014 and 2013, respectively).

Read More: GRAMMY Rewind: U2 Win Their First-Ever GRAMMY For 'The Joshua Tree' In 1988

The Joshua Tree's widescreen blend of gospel, folk and blues also solidified both Bono as one of his generation's most accomplished songwriters and, thanks to his pioneering echo-laden technique, The Edge as a bona fide guitar hero. Just seven years after emerging from their small-time hometown scene, U2 had evolved into the biggest rock band in the universe.

Keen to strike while the iron was hot, U2 documented their experiences as new superstars on a rockumentary and half-live/half-studio effort both named Rattle and Hum in 1988. While the former was dismissed as pretentious and self-congratulatory by movie critics, the latter maintained their day job's status quo, producing their first UK No.1, "Desire." Collaborations with legends Bob Dylan and B.B. King, meanwhile, also helped boost the band's credibility. Nevertheless, they appeared burned by the mixed response and at their final show of the decade, Bono hinted at a reset by announcing, "We have to go away and... dream it all up again."

The 1990s

U2 did indeed return both sonically and visually unrecognizable with 1991's Achtung Baby, its title perhaps a literal warning to diehard fans expecting more of the same. Embracing The Edge's newfound love of industrial, electronica and alt-rock and — even more surprisingly for a band previously considered humorless — a streak of semi-irony, its 10 tracks proved the Dubliners could move with the times.

"Mysterious Ways" and "Even Better Than The Real Thing" both tapped into the "baggy" sound that had made Manchester rock's new epicenter. While unlikely lead single "The Fly" — on which Bono adopted a wrap-around sunglasses-clad, skin-tight leather-donning, hell-residing alter-ego — appeared to take its cues from Nine Inch Nails.

"One," an alternative hymn even their biggest detractors had to concede was truly magical, showed that U2 could still play it straight. But it was the album's playfulness, further heightened by the multimedia experience of its accompanying Zoo TV Tour, that helped propel Achtung Baby to sales of 18 million, another No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and a fifth career GRAMMY.

Capitalizing on their momentum, U2 headed straight back into the studio for a similarly experimental follow-up inspired by the sensory overload of their recent arena shows. Co-produced by Eno, Flood and The Edge (who also takes a rare lead vocal on "Numb"), Zooropa is possibly the unsung hero of U2's imperial phase. It was their first album in nearly a decade that didn't provide any U.S. Top 40 hits. And yet, it contains some of their most audacious work; biblical closer "The Wanderer" pairs pulsing synths with the world-weary vocals of country legend Johnny Cash, while Bono — who frequently showcases the falsetto he nicknamed Fat Lady — has hailed "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" as a career best.

"We shall continue to abuse our position and f— up the mainstream," Bono claimed upon accepting the Best Alternative Music Performance GRAMMY in 1994. And they continued to subvert expectations, duetting with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti on "Miss Sarajevo" (the highlight of their 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 recorded with Eno under the guise of Passengers), and unleashing what Bono described as "the most expensive demo session in the history of music" with 1997's Pop.

Rush-recorded to meet a deadline for a tour plagued by technical problems (remember the Spinal Tap-esque moment the band got stuck in a giant mechanical lemon?) Pop has been repeatedly tinkered with since its release. But the propulsive electro-rock of lead single "Discothèque," Underworld-inspired techno of "Mofo," and chiming psychedelia of "Staring at the Sun" were already engaging in their original form.

U2 capped off their roller coaster 1990s with their first official "Best Of" compilation, albeit one that only spanned the previous decade; its re-recording of B-side "The Sweetest Thing" deservedly became a belated hit. But not for the first time, the foursome approached a new decade with a sense of uncertainty about their place in the pop landscape.

The 2000s

Once again, though, U2 proved that you should write them off at your peril by releasing a record that played to their greatest strengths. After a decade of experimentation, 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind took an unapologetically back-to-basics approach no doubt spearheaded by the return of their three-time dream team Lanois and Eno.

Anthemic lead single "Beautiful Day" immediately set the throwback tone, not least for the fact it threatened to burst into A-ha's '80s classic "The Sun Always Shines on TV." And Tomb Raider soundtrack cut "Elevation" as well as "Walk On" each possessed a similar fist-pumping stadium rock quality, too. But their greatest display of songcraft over studio trickery appeared courtesy of its quietest moment, "Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," a poignant tribute to Bono's late friend Michael Hutchence.

The GRAMMYs were certainly taking note, showering the four-piece with seven awards between 2001 and 2002; the album also helped U2 win Record Of The Year two years in a row ("Beautiful Day" in '01 and "Walk On" in '02). On the promotional trail, Bono had talked of "reapplying for the job of the best band in the world." With such an adulatory critical response, not to mention 12 million sales, no recruiter could turn them down.

Remarkably, U2 bettered their GRAMMY tally with 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, winning all eight of its nominated categories between 2005 and 2006, including Album Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," a gorgeously meditative ballad about the death of Bono's father. Consecutive Best Rock Song winners "Vertigo" and "City of Blinding Lights," however, were more indicative of what was self-described as "our first rock album."

Read More: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch U2 Win Album Of The Year At The 2006 GRAMMY Awards

The band continued to keep their finger on the pulse, lending its lead single, "Vertigo," to help market the iPod and teaming up with American Idiot-era Green Day on a cover of The Skids' "The Saints Are Coming." An induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame upon their first nomination, meanwhile, appeared to perfectly place them between the old and the new.

But the five-year wait for No Line on the Horizon — the longest between albums in U2's career — then left them playing catch-up. Nevertheless, the record still topped the charts in 30 countries and spawned the highest-grossing tour ever at the time where songs such as "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" and "Magnificent" appeared to connect with fans far more effectively.

The 2010s

After providing the songs for troubled Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," Bono and The Edge got back to the day job, firstly winning a Golden Globe for U2's contribution to Mandela: Long Road to Freedom (the uplifting "Ordinary Love"). The band then paid tribute to their musical heroes on 2014's Songs of Innocence alongside a who's who of modern hitmakers (Danger Mouse, Ryan Tedder, Paul Epworth). "This Is Where Can You Reach Me Now," for example, was inspired by seeing The Clash in concert as teens, while opener "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" celebrated the formative influence of the titular punk rocker.

Unfortunately, the album's unorthodox release strategy completely overshadowed its content. Its automatic download to every iTunes account sparked the biggest backlash of U2's career: their fellow musicians, and the industry as a whole, argued that the stunt had devalued music. And in an age where the phone is the ultimate prized possession, most customers were frustrated that their personal libraries had been modified without their consent.

U2 wisely returned to more conventional distribution methods for 2017's Songs of Experience, a semi-conceptual album for which Bono penned musical letters to the most important people in his life. These included wife, Ali ("You're the Best Thing About Me"), daughters Jordan and Eve ("Get Out of Your Own Way") and the band's loyal fans ("The Showman (Little More Better)"), while "Lights of Home" directly addressed God in the wake of the singer's life-saving heart surgery.

Proving they still had their fingers on the pulse, U2 also sought assistance from Lady Gaga,Haim andKendrick Lamar, the latter returning the favor after the group guested on DAMN. track "XXX" earlier in the year. And commercial order was restored when Songs of Experience topped the Billboard 200, making them the first act to achieve such a feat every decade from the 1980s onward.

The 2020s

U2 have largely spent the 2020s looking backward. In 2022, Bono reflected on his remarkable life story with his long-awaited memoir, Surrender, heading out on a national book tour to promote it.

On 2023's Songs of Surrender, the band gave 40 tracks from their vast back catalog — from the ubiquitous ("With or Without You," "Beautiful Day") to the deep cuts ("Stories for Boys," "Cedarwood Road") — the "MTV Unplugged"-esque treatment. They also changed the occasional odd lyric to reflect modern times; "Walk On" was repurposed as a tribute to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That same year, they also appeared in Kiss The Future, Nenad Cicin-Sain's acclaimed documentary that charted their historic 1997 show in war-torn Bosnia.

U2 also revisited their eight-time GRAMMY winning LP with How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, adding 10 previously unreleased tracks to the 2004 original including classicist "Country Mile." But their most awe-inspiring throwback appeared courtesy of their Achtung Baby-focused residency at Las Vegas' The Sphere. Documented on V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film, the show's highly immersive, pioneering production proved that, nearly 50 years since their formation, U2 still possesses the power to transfix.