Car Radio (song)

"Car Radio" is a song written and recorded by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, originally released in 2010 as a single, and was included on their second studio album, Regional at Best. It was re-released on March 18, 2014 as the fifth and final single from their third studio album, Vessel.[2]

"Car Radio"
Single by Twenty One Pilots
from the album Regional at Best
Released2010
Recorded2010
Genre
Length4:49
LabelSelf-released
Songwriter(s)Tyler Joseph
Producer(s)Twenty One Pilots
"Car Radio"
Single by Twenty One Pilots
from the album Vessel
ReleasedMarch 18, 2014
Recorded2012
Genre
Length4:27
LabelFueled by Ramen
Songwriter(s)Tyler Joseph
Producer(s)Greg Wells[1]
Twenty One Pilots singles chronology
"Fake You Out"
(2013)		 "Car Radio"
(2014)		 "Fairly Local"
(2015)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Car Radio" on YouTube

Background

The song was inspired by an event which had happened to frontman Tyler Joseph during college.[3] In an interview with Rock Sound, he explained that one day he arrived to class late and forgot to lock his car's door. After class, he returned to discover that someone had broken into his car and stolen everything inside, including the radio, GPS and his CDs. At the time, Joseph didn't have the finances necessary to afford to replace what was lost. The subsequent experience of going on without his car radio made him realise "music can act as a distraction and can get in the way of where your mind wants to go."[3]

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, "Car Radio" is written in the time signature of common time, with a slow tempo of 65 beats per minute.[4] "Car Radio" is composed in the key of A minor, while Tyler Joseph's vocal range spans four notes, from a low of C5 to a high of G5.[4] The song has a basic sequence of F–G–Am–G during the verses and interludes and follows Fmaj7–G6–Am–G6 at the refrain as its chord progression.[4] One of the band's more streamlined numbers, "Car Radio" starts off as a brooding alt-pop and rap rock anthem before exploding into existential rave-hop and electronic rock at its euphoric climax.[5][6][7][8] Its musical composition has a song structure that is "way out in left field" due to the fact it contains no chorus and no hook.[3] The song's verses talk about a true story of Tyler Joseph being late to a class at college and losing his car radio.[3]

Music video

The music video was uploaded to YouTube on April 19, 2013 and was directed by Mark C. Eshleman of Reel Bear Media.[9][10] It was shot at a concert. Tyler Joseph sits in a bathroom singing the song, he then shaves off all of his hair, puts on a ski mask, and heads out to the stage where Josh Dun is seen playing drums. Joseph walks into the crowd which is standing still, and once Joseph jumps the crowd jumps with him. Joseph surfs the crowd to the platform and performs the rest of the song on stage with Dun. As the song ends, Joseph is seen by himself on the stage and the crowd is gone. He takes off his mask, revealing his face once again (as well as his full head of hair, as if it were never shaven). Joseph then sings the final lyrics to the song, in which he falls backwards off the stage and the screen turns to black, ending the video.

As of December 2020, the video has garnered over 258 million views on YouTube.

Live performances

On April 13, 2014, Twenty One Pilots performed the song at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards.[11] On the 28th of the same month, the band performed the song on Late Night with Seth Meyers.[12] They also performed the song at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend 2016 on May 28.[13]

Track listing
Digital download / stream
No.TitleLength
1."Car Radio"4:27

Personnel
  • Tyler Joseph – lead vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizers, programming, keyboard, bass
  • Josh Dun – drums, percussion

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[19] 2× Platinum 2,000,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format Label
Worldwide[2] 2010
self-released
Worldwide[2] March 18, 2014 Digital download · stream Fueled by Ramen

References
  1. "Twenty One Pilots Music, Biography, Credits and Discography". All Music. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  2. "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014.
  3. "Track-By-Track: Twenty One Pilots - Vessel". Rock Sound. September 4, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  4. Joseph, Tyler (November 10, 2014). "Twenty One Pilots 'Car Radio' Sheet Music in A Minor (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Publishing. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  5. "Twenty One Pilots May Not Be For You (Because They're For Everyone)". Stereogum. October 11, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  6. "twenty one pilots - Vessel". Alternative Press. January 22, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  7. "Review: Twenty One Pilots goes all-out". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  8. Steve Baltin. "Why Twenty One Pilots Are Such A Vital Band For Rock". Forbes. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  9. "New Video: twenty one pilots, 'Car Radio'". MTV. April 22, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  10. Fueled by Ramen (April 19, 2013). twenty one pilots: Car Radio [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. YouTube. Google. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  11. "twenty one pilots live at the MTV Movie Awards 2014". MTV. April 13, 2014.
  12. "Watch twenty one pilots perform "Car Radio" on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers'". altpress.com. Alternative Press. April 29, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  13. "2016 - twenty one pilots". BBC Music Events. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  14. "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  15. "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  16. "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  17. "Twenty One Pilots Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  18. "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  19. "American single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – Car Radio". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 28, 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  20. "British single certifications – Twenty One Pilots – Car Radio". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 28, 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Car Radio in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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