Breach is the eighth studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, released on September 12, 2025, through Fueled by Ramen. It is a follow-up to the duo's previous album Clancy (2024), and concludes a conceptual series also consisting of Blurryface (2015), Trench (2018), and Scaled and Icy (2021). Primarily written by vocalist Tyler Joseph and co-produced with Paul Meany and Mike Elizondo, the album received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, becoming the duo's second record to debut atop the Billboard 200, and the biggest opening week vinyl sales for a rock album since tracking began in 1991.
On May 21, 2025, nearly a year since the release of their previous studio album Clancy (2024), Twenty One Pilots announced a follow-up titled Breach.[1][2] The announcement followed a series of cryptic clues and Easter eggs shared across social media and during the final shows of The Clancy World Tour. Among these Easter eggs were several bits of morse code scattered throughout the final letters of the Fan Premiere Exhibits.[3]
Breach continued the narrative arcs established in their previous works, particularly Blurryface (2015), Trench (2018), Scaled and Icy (2021), and Clancy.[4] The duo stated that the album would serve as the final installment in their decade-long "lore" first established in Blurryface, alluding to "Paladin Strait"—the closing track of Clancy—whose music video had acted as a cliff-hanger.[5][6]Tyler Joseph previously teased the record in an interview, stating they were entering a "gap of nothingness" he could only describe as "not nothing".[7]
The artwork depicts the duo dressed in mostly black attire, similar to the cover art of Clancy, further supporting the idea of a continued narrative.[8] In announcing the album, Twenty One Pilots revealed that the lead single, "The Contract", would be released on June 12, 2025.[9] Following the announcement, the first pressings of Breach on vinyl and CD became available for pre-order.[10] The album was released on September 12.[11] On July 15, the album's track listing was revealed.[12] The second single, "Drum Show", was released on August 18, with "City Walls" following as the third on the parent album's release date.[13] "City Walls" was accompanied by a music video, which was described by Joseph as "the end of [the lore]".[14] On the same day, the band released Breach – Digital Remains, an online-only collection of new photos and "artifacts" in relation to the making of the album that includes a bonus song, "Drag Path".[15]
A 23-show North American concert tour, The Clancy Tour: Breach, was announced alongside the release of "The Contract". As an extension of the Clancy World Tour and supporting both Clancy and Breach, it commenced on September 18, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and concluded on October 26 in Los Angeles, California.[16]
It is the duo's first album to feature drummer Josh Dun on lead vocals, with him singing the bridge of "Drum Show".[24] He had previously sung background vocals on three songs on Blurryface,[25] as well as certain songs during live performances. In an interview with Clash, Dun described "Drum Show" as an exploration of his life through Joseph's perspective, which he found "interesting".[26] The last song of the album, "Intentions", is a backmasked version of the song "Truce" (the last song from the band's 2013 major-label debut album, Vessel).[27]
The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic wrote, "For those diehard fans who have been consumed by the deep...lore, Breach will be a satisfying hit that adds fuel to the fire of fandom."[19] Tom Carr, writing for The Arts Desk, called the album "earnest and often captivating".[28]Billboard's Jason Lipshutz wrote that Breach offered some of the duo's "most bruising riffs and immediate hooks to date," climaxing with the centerpiece standout "Downstairs".[31] Amrit Virdi of Clash praised Breach as a strong and appropriate conclusion to the duo's conceptual series, highlighting its lyrical callbacks, varied instrumentation, and maturity in sound.[23] Dan Harrison of Dork praised the mixing and the sound of the album writing, "Rock provides backbone, synths add lift, rap cadences appear where they fit a phrase rather than as a badge. When it clicks, you get that signature blend: choruses both grounded and weightless, drums demanding motion while melodies hold poise."[29]
Josh Balogh of Jesus Freak Hideout called it "thrilling, uncomfortable, and necessary" and "a soundscape that refuses closure, demanding attention with nearly every turn."[22] Vicky Greer of Louder Sound wrote, "Breach may be a celebratory goodbye for the most diehard fans, but those who are less involved in the story of Clancy...won’t feel left out - it’s still an album chock-full of Twenty One Pilots’ showstopping theatricality."[20] In a mixed-to-positive review, Hannah Jocelyn of Pitchfork called Breach a "maximalist pop-rock record that no one else could make, mostly because no one else would consider it." She also called the duo's "attempts at hip-hop frustrating".[18] Kayla Kerridge of Square One Magazine wrote, "With fearless experimentation and unflinching vulnerability, Joseph and Dun have created one of their most cohesive and lasting works yet."[30]
Commercial
In the United States, Breach debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 200,000 album-equivalent units, consisting of 40.68 million on-demand streams and 169,000 pure album copies. It marked Twenty One Pilots' second number-one album in the country, following Blurryface, and the biggest opening week of their career, besting Trench. Breach also registered the largest debut for any rock album on the Billboard 200 since Tool's Fear Inoculum (2019), as well as the largest vinyl sales week for a rock album since tracking started in 1991.[32] All thirteen tracks from the album charted within the top 40 of the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.
Breach entered the OCC UK Albums Update at number two before its initial chart entry,[33] but debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart.[34] On the ARIA Albums Chart, it debuted at number two, making it their fourth consecutive top three album in Australia.[35] The album debuted at number one in Scotland,[36] Hungary, Croatia and the Netherlands.[37]
Tyler Joseph – lead and backing vocals, bass, piano, keyboards, guitar, programming, samples, ukulele (8), synthesizers, production, executive production
12Kerridge, Kayla (September 12, 2025). "Twenty One Pilots - Breach". Square One. Archived from the original on February 17, 2026. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
12Dickens, Evan; Balogh, Josh; Tremaine, Chase; Fryberger, Scott (December 30, 2025). "2025 Staff Picks". Jesus Freak Hideout. Archived from the original on February 7, 2026. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
↑Fryberger, Scott; Graber, Grace; Adam, Christopher; Trout, Dave; Hyde, Paul; Hawkins, Phil; Smith, Micah; Close, Clifford; Miller, Chris; Schlereth, Kevin; Lytle, Aiden; Harp, Loyd (January 16, 2026). "Friends of JFH Picks 2025". Jesus Freak Hideout. Archived from the original on February 7, 2026. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
↑Beebee, Steve; Garner, Emily; Hickie, James; Law, Sam; Morton, Luke; Roberts, Rachel; Ruskell, Nick; Thomas, Olly; Wilkes, Emma (December 8, 2025). "The 50 best albums of 2025". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
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