I've discussed this topic in a couple blog posts in the past.
Here I pick my favorite, but don't rank them all: https://whateveriwant7.blogspot.com/2024/07/my-fav-tp-album.html
Back in July of 2017 I talk about various TØP related things including my (presumably) earliest album rankings at the bottom of the post: https://whateveriwant7.blogspot.com/2017/07/twenty-one-pilots-list.html
Note: This is primarily based upon how I feel -- not strictly looking at the data of seeing how the songs stack up against each other on the tier list; however, I will reference my current tier list as data. Writing this (alongside working on an upcoming project "My Fav 10 Seconds From Every TØP Song") has brought to my attention various shifts I would make to my tier list, so it's not like my current tier list is perfectly reflective of my current feelings anyway.
1. Vessel
Vessel's still the GOAT, what can I say? How much of this is just a legacy pick? I am unsure. But this album has fundamentally shifted what type of music I love more than any piece of media, so it's kind of a big deal to me. It's had such a big impact in my life musically, but also just in general as well.
It is simply jam-packed with songs that I consider all-time greats. Car Radio, Holding Onto You, Guns for Hands, Ode to Sleep, and, of course, Migraine and Trees, which both have topped every one of my Twenty One Pilots tier lists for as long as I can remember.
Additionally, I feel I would be remiss if I also didn't mention how powerful Truce is and how much I enjoy Fake You Out as well.
Does the album have some weaker songs in my mind? Yeah, absolutely. But, man, I don't know bro, like, I just love this album so much.
2. Clancy
Clancy coming in at number 2! I feel like this is not something I would have expected, but this album has carved out a spot in my heart over the past couple of years since its release. I love this album.
Once again, does this album have some weaker songs on it in my opinion? Absolutely. But even those songs still just work so well in the context of the album somehow. I don't know how to describe it exactly.
Next Semester and Vignette being two absolute GOATs of all time. Two songs in my top 5? Very impressive. Feat only matched by Vessel. Oldies Station here as an emotional powerhouse. Paladin Strait -- so good.
Oh, and shoutout to Lavish for being the slowest grower I have ever seen -- I kind of hated the song when I first listened to it (debuting in the bottom 10), but every listen, I enjoy it just a smidgen more (now still bottom half, but, you know, much that's much better than bottom 10).
3. Trench
In a vacuum, does Trench beat out Clancy? I think so, yes. Trench is a masterpiece, the production quality is insane, and the music is incredible. This album is generally considered their magnum opus for a reason. But we don't live in a vacuum. And so for some reason I prefer Clancy right now.
But, like, golly, when is the last time you listened to Neon Gravestones and Morph? Those songs are freaking perfect, man. And holy guacamole, the flow in Levitate is insane and Bandito and Chlorine and, man, this album is soooo good. Writing this out makes me question just a tad if Clancy really should be above it, haha, but I'm going to leave it as is for now.
If you asked me what Twenty One Pilots best album is, Trench is my pick. I agree that it's their magnum opus. But what their best and what my favorite are are two different questions.
4. Breach
After my first listen of Breach, I would have said it was in contention with Vessel for number one. Unfortunately, I have cooled off significantly on a lot of the songs on it since then.
I do think this album is the most polarized out the albums I've talked about so far. Garbage and One Way just aren't my favorites, and Days Lie Dormant belongs right where I put it in F-Tier.
But it also has it's fair share of heavy hitters, which is evidenced by the fact that Breach is currently tied with Vessel for most songs in my top 10 (each having 3).
Like, golly, if I liked the rap cadence in City Walls just a little more, it would be my favorite song oat. And Downstairs' conclusion part with the two parts overlapping is quite possibly my favorite section of any song in their entire discography. And Center Mass is peak.
Clancy and Trench are clearly 2/3 for me, but I think Breach deserves to be chucked into those conversations.
5. Self-Titled
I think lyrically Self-Titled can easily go toe-to-toe with any album and has some stellar songs on it that stand the test of time.
Taxi Cab has made several appearances in my top 10 for good reason, even peaking at #5. I love The Pantaloon (and I don't care if it turns out a lot of the TØP community doesn't, haha). Fall Away is fantastic. Friend, Please is powerful. Oh Ms Believer is peaceful. Addict With a Pen is amazing.
However, the older sound/lower production quality makes me want to listen to this album less often, and over time I've just been enjoying specific songs not so much.
6. Blurryface
Interesting thing about Blurryface when compared to Clancy -- Like I referenced earlier, even the weaker songs on Clancy still feel great in the unit that is that album. Blurryface, on the other hand, I much prefer as individual songs. As an album, the songs just kind of blur and feel very samey to me. I don't know, maybe that's just me.
That being said, I do overall enjoy the individual songs. The Judge is the only song that strikes into S-Tier, but the album does have a solid presence in A-Tier.
7. Scaled and Icy
Interesting thing about Scaled and Icy when compared to Blurryface/Clancy: Clancy feels great as a unit. Blurryface kind of just blurs together as a unit. Scaled and Icy feels actively worse as a unit. Every time I listen to Scaled and Icy, I can't help but wish it was something different than it is. Is that entirely fair to Scaled and Icy? Not really, no. But I can't help but be caught in that feeling.
When I listen to the songs individually strewn throughout other songs, it helps me just view them as alright songs (some great (Shy Away, Redecorate, Choker, Formidable), some not so great (*cough* Bounce Man *cough*)), but when I listen to the songs as an album, it's hard to escape the feeling of "This is the album after Trench. Sad days."
Reminder these are just my opinions, and I don't mean this to reflect in any way personally onto Tyler or Josh; I love them and their music (as evidenced by the existence of this post in the first place (and numerous other posts)). Don't hate me, please and thanks.
8. Regional At Best
Oh, how my opinions have shifted. In the past, I heralded RAB as my favorite album (which you can see in my post from 2017 linked at the top). And now I just, like, really don't like the sound on almost all the songs.
Now, now, to be fair to RAB, when I think of this album, I don't include the songs that got put onto Vessel. Having those heavy hitters would probably help. Although, in a couple-few of those cases, being an active detriment instead, haha, so maybe it would just balance out.
Final Note:
It wouldn't surprise me if 1-4 swap in any way down the road (with Trench and Clancy (2 and 3) being the closest right now). Same with 5-7 (with Self-Titled and Blurryface (5 and 6) being the closest right now). RAB could climb up for sure, but less likely than 5-7 swapping around. Pretty clear stable divide between 4 and 5, though.
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