Finding bands like Twenty One Pilots is a bit of a nightmare. Seriously. You start with "Stressed Out" or "Chlorine," and suddenly you’re chasing a high that involves ukulele, heavy synth-pop, screeching rap verses, and lyrics about dissociation. It's a mess. But it's a beautiful mess. Most recommendation algorithms fail here because they see "Alternative" and just throw Imagine Dragons or Panic! At The Disco at you. While those are great, they don't always hit that specific "Tyler Joseph screaming about his kitchen sink" vibe.
Twenty One Pilots (TØP) essentially created their own genre, often dubbed "Schizoid Pop" by early fans. It’s a mix of hip-hop, electronic, indie rock, and reggae. To find something similar, you have to look for the spirit of the music—that raw, often frantic exploration of mental health—rather than just a similar drum beat.
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If you’re looking for that specific blend of high-energy production and crushing existential dread, Half Alive is usually the first stop. Their breakout hit "Still Feel" has that funky, rhythmic complexity that Trench era fans love. They use syncopated beats and bass lines that feel like they were ripped straight out of Josh Dun’s playbook. But unlike TØP, Half Alive tends to lean a bit more into the disco-funk side of things. It’s less "scary basement" and more "art school dance party."
Then there’s IDKHOW (I Dont Know How But They Found Me). Dallon Weekes, formerly of Panic! At The Disco, understands the power of a concept. Much like the lore of Dema or the character of Blurryface, IDKHOW operates under the guise of being a "forgotten" band from the 80s. The music is catchy, but it’s got this biting, cynical edge. It captures the theatricality of Twenty One Pilots without needing the masks and the yellow tape.
The Dark Horse: Arrested Youth
I’ve spent a lot of time digging through Spotify radios, and Arrested Youth (Ian Johnson) is probably the closest I’ve found to the Vessel era. It’s that suburban frustration. It's the "I’m 20-something and I have no idea what I’m doing" energy. His track "Brightside" features a cadence that is undeniably influenced by Tyler Joseph’s flow. He switches from melodic singing to rhythmic spoken-word in a way that feels frantic. It’s honest.
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Understanding the "Genre-less" Appeal
Why do we even look for bands like Twenty One Pilots? It’s because they represent the death of the genre wall. Back in the early 2000s, you were a punk kid, a rap kid, or an emo kid. TØP told us we could be all of it at once.
MisterWives is a great example of this crossover. While they lean more toward "indie pop," their live energy and the way they tackle heavy emotional themes through upbeat melodies is very much in line with the Skeleton Clique’s tastes. They’ve even toured together. When you hear Mandy Lee belt out a bridge, it has that same "cathartic release" feel that makes "Car Radio" so iconic.
Then you have Grandson. If the part of Twenty One Pilots you like most is the aggression—the heavy bass and the "quiet-loud-quiet" dynamic—Grandson is your guy. He’s more overtly political, focusing on social issues rather than internal monologues, but the sonic texture is there. It’s distorted. It’s loud. It’s meant to make you jump.
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The Lore Factor
We can't talk about these bands without mentioning the "lore." Part of the obsession with TØP is the world-building. Sleep Token has been doing something similar lately in the metal scene. They’re masked, they have a mysterious deity called "Sleep," and fans spend hours dissecting their lyrics for clues. It’s a different sound—much heavier, tech-metal meets R&B—but the experience of being a fan is almost identical. You aren't just listening to songs; you're solving a puzzle.
Why Some Recommendations Fail
You’ll see AJR pop up in every "similar artists" list. Honestly? It’s a hit or miss. AJR has the DIY production and the quirky sounds, but they lack the darkness that defines Twenty One Pilots. AJR is bright; TØP is monochromatic with splashes of neon. If you want the "fun" side of "Ride," AJR works. If you want the "I’m terrified of my own mind" side of "Goner," they probably won’t do it for you.
Similarly, Waterparks gets lumped in here a lot. Awsten Knight is a brilliant songwriter who also plays with genre—moving from pop-punk to glitch-pop effortlessly. Their album Greatest Hits (which wasn't actually a greatest hits album, classic Awsten move) is a wild ride. It’s chaotic. It’s colorful. But it’s more "unhinged breakup" than "theological crisis."
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The British Connection: Glass Animals and Nothing But Thieves
Sometimes the "vibe" isn't in the instruments, it's in the atmosphere. Glass Animals (specifically the How To Be A Human Being album) captures that intricate, layered production that Twenty One Pilots fans crave. Every sound feels intentional. It's "weird" pop that actually made it to the radio.
Nothing But Thieves, on the other hand, captures the vocal intensity. Conor Mason has a vocal range that rivals Tyler’s, moving from a delicate falsetto to a powerful, gritty belt. Songs like "Impossible" or "Amsterdam" have that epic, arena-filling sound that TØP mastered during the Trench world tour. They are a bit more "rock" in a traditional sense, but the emotional weight is heavy enough to satisfy any Clique member.
Actionable Ways to Expand Your Playlist
Finding new music is a chore, so don't just rely on a single playlist. If you really want to find bands like Twenty One Pilots, you have to look at the producers and the collaborators.
- Look at Mutemath: Paul Meany, the frontman of Mutemath, co-produced Trench and Scales and Icy. If you haven't listened to Mutemath’s self-titled album or Vitals, you are missing the literal blueprint for the TØP sound. "Typical" is a masterpiece of alt-rock percussion.
- Check out Joywave: They have a sarcastic, synth-heavy approach to alternative music. They don't take themselves as seriously as TØP, but the musicality is top-tier. Try "Destruction" or "It’s A Trip!"
- Dive into Vinyl Theatre: They were signed to Fueled By Ramen (TØP’s label) and have that upbeat, synth-driven indie sound. They’ve since gone independent, but their early stuff like "Breaking Up My Bones" is pure 2014-era nostalgia.
- Explore The Band CAMINO: They lean more into the "pop" side of indie-pop, but their songwriting is incredibly tight. They capture that feeling of longing and late-night driving.
The reality is that nobody is going to sound exactly like Twenty One Pilots. That’s why they’re famous. They’re an anomaly. But by looking for artists who prioritize emotional transparency, genre-bending, and high-concept storytelling, you can build a library that feels just as intentional. Start with Half Alive for the rhythm, Arrested Youth for the angst, and Mutemath for the technical brilliance. You’ll find that the "Schizoid Pop" universe is a lot bigger than just two guys from Ohio.
Go listen to "The Fall" by Half Alive right now. Pay attention to the bridge. If that doesn't give you the same chills as a TØP breakdown, nothing will. Afterward, track down the "TOPxMM" (Twenty One Pilots x Mutemath) reimagined tracks on YouTube to hear how much of a difference a production partner makes. It’ll change how you hear Trench forever.