# Overcompensate (song)

"Overcompensate" is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, released on February 29, 2024, through Fueled by Ramen as the lead single of their seventh studio album Clancy. It was written and produced by frontman Tyler Joseph alongside Paul Meany. The song peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 34 in the UK, making it their third-highest-charting song there, behind "Heathens" and "Stressed Out".

## Background

On February 15, 2024, the cover art of previous Twenty One Pilots albums Vessel (2013), Blurryface (2015), Trench (2018), and Scaled and Icy (2021) were updated to be partially covered in red tape on streaming services. Additionally, several fans received mail sent by the "Sacred Municipality of Dema", a fictional dystopian city in the storyline introduced in Trench. The mail contained journal pages from the storyline's protagonist Clancy, who declared that with the "new power of psychokinesis", he "no longer feels powerless" and implied he wanted to cross a strait and "create an inferno" together with the "Banditos", a rebellion operating on the metaphorical continent of Trench. A new location called "Paladin Strait", situated between the continent and a small island called "Voldsøy", was revealed on a map attached with the mail, as well as a cryptic 2-2-9 pattern, leading fans to believe a new track would be released on February 29. This date was further supported when a BBC Radio 1 Future Sounds episode called "Twenty One Pilots Hottest Record" was scheduled to air on the same day.
On February 22, the band posted a short video titled "I Am Clancy" on social media, which recapped the storyline, including Clancy's attempts to escape Dema, joining the Banditos, being captured by the bishops of Dema and escaping to Voldsøy before obtaining a special power to take control of recently deceased people. The video ended with Clancy announcing that he would be "returning to Trench".
On February 28, the band officially announced on social media that a new single titled "Overcompensate", along with its music video, would be released the following day at 13:00 ET.

## Music video

The music video, directed by Mark C. Eshleman, and edited by him and Joseph, was primarily filmed at the Athenaeum Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. It premiered with the song on February 29, 2024. The video begins with illustrations and scenery in relation to the lore created by the band (coinciding with the German, French and Spanish voices at the beginning of the song). It then shows the duo playing at the venue, which begins to fill up with people who are known as the "citizens of Dema", all of whom are showing no emotion. Clancy (played by Joseph) then presents images of his journals and maps of the city to the citizens, before passing out as the video reveals the physical body in the venue had already been dead and was of someone else. It was possessed by Clancy, who arrives along with the imaginary Torchbearer (played by Josh Dun) on the continent of "Trench". As of December 25, 2024, the music video has garnered over 25 million views on YouTube.

## Usage in media

"Overcompensate" is included on the soundtrack for the 2024 video game NHL 25.

## Personnel

Credits adapted from Twenty One Pilots' official YouTube channel.
Twenty One Pilots
* Tyler Joseph – lead vocals, bass, piano, synthesizers, sampling, programming, songwriting, production
* Josh Dun – drums, drum engineering, percussion
Additional personnel
* Paul Meany – synthesizers, programming, songwriting, production, backing vocals
* Adam Hawkins – mixing
* Joe LaPorta – mastering

## Lyrics

Earned my stripes, 300 tracks in my Adidas track jacket Bless your ear holes while you react, acting Gobsmacked, don't hesitate But maybe overcompensate I feel like I was just here, same twitchin' in my eyes Don't sleep on a boy who can't fall asleep twice In the same night and won't hesitate To maybe overcompensate I said, I fly by the dangerous bend symbol (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate And then by the time I catch in my peripheral (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate Where I'm from, I was born right here, just now Originated right in front of your eyes If you can't see, I am Clancy, prodigal son Done running, come up with Josh Dun, wanted dead or alive So now you pick who you serve, you bow to the masses Get kicked to the curb for passin' the classes Half empty, half full, save half for your taxes Then overtake your former self I fly by the dangerous bend symbol (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate And then by the time I catch in my peripheral (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate Days feel like a perfect length, I don't need 'em any longer But for goodness sake, do the years seem Way too short for my soul, corazón? Way too short for my soul, corazón Days feel like a perfect length, I don't need them any longer But for goodness' sake, do the years seem Way too short for my soul, corazón? Way too short for my soul, corazón Earned my stripes, 300 tracks in my Adidas track jacket Bless your ear holes while you react, acting Gobsmacked, don't hesitate To maybe overcompensate I said, I fly by the dangerous bend symbol (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate And then by the time I catch in my peripheral (wait, what? Wait, what?) Mm, don't hesitate to maybe overcompensate Source: Musixmatch

## Charts
### Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Overcompensate" :
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 73 |
| Canada Rock (Billboard) | 14 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 77 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 70 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 49 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) | 3 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 34 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 64 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 7 |
| US Rock Airplay (Billboard) | 6 |

### Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Overcompensate" :
| Chart (2024) | Position |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 87 |
| US Rock Airplay (Billboard) | 24 |