Singer Machine Gun Kelly released an album titled “Tickets to my Downfall” on September 25, 2020, which earned him awards and became a major hit. This album is a coping method for the negative environment and wrong-doings surrounding him.

This is considered his most successful album, hitting 120,000 units sold and was awarded the title of certified platinum by the Recording Industry of America, 24 days before the album’s 1 year anniversary. 

When I first listened to this album I thought it was very exciting and upbeat, I never really took the time to understand the lyrics but this album is about his depression and the way he copes with it. 

A similarity between most of the tracks is how he leaves comments in the beginning or end of his songs. It gives the listeners a more in-depth view of what he had to say and kept each song new and unique. 

Tracks like “My Ex’s Best Friend” have been heard on the radio with over 6.2 million streams in the U.S, winning Kelly an award for “Best Alternative Video” featuring another well-known artist, Blackbear. It’s a consistent mix of alternative and indie rock, written about finding someone new after his breakup, but with his ex-girlfriend’s best friend. This is a very enjoyable song, from the way his voice sounds to how he sang it. From the first verse, the track gradually got more exciting and energetic leading into the chorus.  

Another great song on the album is “Bloody Valentine”, winning “Best Alternative” at the MTV Video Music awards. The music video also featured his girlfriend Megan Fox. His lyrics are always well thought-out, and his songs generally tend to start out quietly in order to build up, which is one of the reasons his songs are so energetic and fun to listen to. It’s about wanting to love someone but knowing it wouldn’t be good for him. 

“Like handprints in wet cement, She touched me, it’s permanent”, Kelly says in “Bloody Valentine.” 

Halsey was featured in “Forget me too” which was about two people who love each other but can’t be together because of their toxic tendencies and messy life. It’s written well with each verse and chorus, but the best part is the bridge. 

Listening to his songs for the first time, it’s easy to get blinded by his energy and excitement. When you actually try to understand his lyrics you find out they’re about pain and struggle. 

“My life on the outside’s fun to them, but the person on the inside is crumblin,” Kelly says in “All    I Know” ft. Trippie Redd. 

In songs like “Kiss Kiss” and “Drunk Face”, he reveals how he copes with struggle. He puts so much emotion into his songs, making them real. 

“Get me out of my head, get me a drink and cigarette,” Kelly says. “I’m back on those drugs I quit I kept my dealer’s number”

Lonely was a tough song to record, it was about the death of his father and he let his emotions lead in writing that track. It is about how he misses his dad and wishes he could have said goodbye. 

“He said goodbye way too soon,” Kelly says in “Lonely”.

“Tickets to my downfall” was also then inspired by Machine Gun Kelly to do a film, “Downfalls High”, promoting his songs and basing this film off of what he wrote about. 

Overall this album has a lot of meaning, it’s very passionate and enthusiastic with every beat and word, it’s a great album to listen to when something is bothering you or if you just wanted to have fun.