In four years, the few, the proud and the emotional have become the many, the loud and the fiercely loyal.

Twenty One Pilots is a unique band that grew from having a small following in the Midwest to being an international sensation. A span of only four years saw them go from Iowa State University’s Maintenance Shop to an international arena tour.

The Columbus-born alternative band does not fit into any one box. It draws from several genres, including rock, hip-hop, reggae and pop.

“They appeal to such a broad variety of demographics, which I think helps them,” said Jim Brockpahler, entertainment programs coordinator for the Student Union Board.

Despite this wide appeal, Twenty One Pilots did not start on a path to mainstream stardom. The band got its grass-roots style start in Columbus, Ohio, with little help from social media.

In 2012, when it performed in the Maintenance Shop, only about 30 people attended, said Brockpahler, who had a hand in organizing the band’s shows in the Maintenance Shop and the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

By the time it came to play at the Great Hall only two years later, it was clear things were taking off for the local stars.

“The thing that I was impressed with was people started lining up for the show that morning,” said Corey Brietzke, SUB national events director at the time.

Fans clad in Twenty One Pilots gear wanted to ensure they had the best spot possible for the show that night.

Twenty One Pilots fans are some of the fiercest in the music scene. 

From buying large amounts of merchandise to following tours to dressing up as the band members, there is little they will not do. 

“They have a very loyal and rabid fan base,” George Micalone, SUB director of student activities, said. 

This year on the Emotional Road Show tour, fans lined up outside of venues two days before the show in order to get a coveted spot on the barricade.

The fan base was once regarded as respectful, but that impression has transformed. 

Fans tell stories of being pushed to the ground, kicked and punched by other fans trying to fight their way to the stage.

This change may be due to the speed with which Twenty One Pilots rose to fame. 

With the scale of the band’s success, fans may be losing touch with the songs’ messages of respect, devotion and pensiveness.

The desperation may, however, also be a reaction to the lyrical content in a different way.

“I think part of that is because Twenty One Pilots’ music is so relatable,” Brietzke said. “I think that’s how they started getting a cult following and then took off from there.”

There are some who view Twenty One Pilots’ mainstream success since the time of that small show in the Maintenance Shop as a pull away from the character of the band. Others see it as an escalation of a mentality that has always existed and as a testament to the way the band’s music can unite a vast number and variety of people.

Twenty One Pilots received a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy Award on Sunday for its hit song “Stressed Out.”