15 Years Of Regional At Best: The Forgotten Twenty One Pilots Album

By Kayla Harper

Although most of the tracklist will sound familiar to any twenty øne piløts listener, Regional At Best is a rare glimpse of tøp history and lore that has been forgotten or was never even known to most after it’s attempt to be erased.

Regional At Best was the Ohio-duo’s second album together, released on July 8th, 15 years ago today containing hits like “Holding On To You”, “Car Radio” and “Guns For Hands”, it was touring this record that Tyler Joseph (vocals, keys, strings) and Josh Dun (percussion) would get signed to Fuelled By Ramen.

Distribution and promotion of Regional At Best was halted almost immediately so the band could work on their label debut, Vessel, which would replace Regional At Best as their sophomore record, erasing it from memory almost entirely.

The majority of Regional At Best’s tracklist would be re-recorded and appear on Vessel in higher quality versions, “Ode To Sleep”, “Holding On To You”, “Car Radio”, “House Of Gold” and the infamous “Trees”. Alongside some new tracks, “Migraine”, “Semi-Automatic”, “Screen”, “The Run and Go”, “Fake You Out” and “Truce”. However, some fan-favourites would be left behind to fade away with Regional At Best, “Lovely”, “Forest”, “Slowtown”, “Glowing Eyes”, “Kitchen Sink”, “Anathema”, “Clear”, “Ruby” and “Be Concerned”.

Despite the album becoming virtually inaccessible, fans continued to distribute it online, sharing it with each other through links and burned CDs. Although Tyler and Josh haven’t directly commented on ever releasing these tracks officially, they’ve recognized what they mean to the fans and allow them to live on, playing them live at shows, most recently “Forest” made the setlist at the North American leg of the Clancy World Tour in 2024.

For the ten year anniversary of Vessel, the band released a vinyl boxset featuring a couple Regional At Best bonus tracks and they don’t seem to adamant on preventing fans from sharing these tracks online.

Regional At Best may never become an “official” tøp release, but it will always be special within the community regardless.