# Tickets to My Downfall
**Tickets to My Downfall** is the fifth studio album by the American musician [Machine Gun Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/machine-gun-kelly-musician) (Colson Baker), released on September 25, 2020 through [Interscope Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/interscope-records). It marks his full move from rap into pop-punk, with Blink-182's drummer [Travis Barker](https://www.edgepedia.org/travis-barker) producing the album and playing drums on every track.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) • [2](https://www.grammy.com/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-my-downfall-video-interview-travis-barker-up-close-personal/) The album reached number one on the Billboard 200, Baker's first chart-topping album.[3](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-pop-punk-megan-fox)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist / album | Fifth studio album by Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) |
| Released | September 25, 2020, Interscope Records[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) |
| Length / format | 36:05, 15 tracks[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) |
| Production | Travis Barker produced the album and contributed drums[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) • [2](https://www.grammy.com/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-my-downfall-video-interview-travis-barker-up-close-personal/) |
| Chart peak | No. 1 on the US Billboard 200, Baker's first No. 1 album[3](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-pop-punk-megan-fox) • [4](https://www.uhd.edu/documents/academics/humanities/about/departments/english/dateline/issue65-4.pdf) |
| Guest artists | Halsey, Blackbear, Trippie Redd, Iann Dior, Yungblud, and Bert McCracken of The Used[5](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-transcend-genre/12734790) |
| Critical scores | Metacritic Metascore 72; AllMusic 70; Music Critic 69[6](https://www.metacritic.com/publication/pitchfork?dist=positive&filter=albums&num_items=30&page=68&sort_options=date) • [7](https://musiccritic.com/machine-gun-kelly/tickets-to-my-downfall/) |
## Background and recording
The album grew out of a first studio session between Baker and Travis Barker on December 1, 2019, during which "Bloody Valentine" began coming together; Baker later said the whole album was pretty much spawned from that session.[8](https://www.kerrang.com/heres-how-machine-gun-kelly-made-bloody-valentine-with-travis-barker) After a chance 2 a.m. meeting on [Sunset Boulevard](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunset-boulevard), where Barker was leaving a tattoo shop and Baker was walking to a bar, the two locked themselves in a Los Angeles studio for almost two months, not stopping recording for a month and a half straight.[5](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-transcend-genre/12734790) Baker described the album as unplanned: "'Bloody Valentine' just happened, that was the first thing we did. It's hard to switch lanes when that's the first thing that comes out."[5](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-transcend-genre/12734790)
The pivot followed the closing track of his 2019 rap album *Hotel Diablo*, "I Think I'm Okay", a melodic rock collaboration with Yungblud and Barker that became a huge hit and hinted at the pop-punk style he would commit to fully here.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) Baker said much of the album came from "being a little lost in the sauce, trying to figure out what he was doing with his life", and that despite the success of *Hotel Diablo* he felt he had not yet made the project that "rang through the universe".[5](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-transcend-genre/12734790)
## Music and themes
The record is built on the early-2000s pop-punk template: distorted guitar, uptempo drums, and vocal harmonies, with most songs under three minutes and many sitting in the same 85-to-110 bpm range as Blink-182's singles.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) • [9](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall/) Reviewers noted the debt to [Blink-182](https://www.edgepedia.org/blink-182) in particular; "concert for aliens" was described by Pitchfork's Pete Tosiello, a critic whose work has appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post, as the most faithful *[Enema of the State](https://www.edgepedia.org/enema-of-the-state)* homage.[9](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall/) Rap elements were not fully removed: trap drums appear on "drunk face", and [Trippie Redd](https://www.edgepedia.org/trippie-redd) and Blackbear make cameo appearances.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798)
Thematically the album continues the self-destruction, tainted romance, and depression of Baker's earlier rap records, translated into pop-punk.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) "lonely" mourns his father, who died a few months before the album's release; "kiss kiss" and "forget me too" deal with breaking bad habits such as toxic relationships, booze, and drugs.[10](https://music.apple.com/us/album/tickets-to-my-downfall/1526411768) Baker called "Lonely" the first and only song he had ever cried while recording.[11](https://www.nme.com/big-reads/machine-gun-kelly-cover-interview-2020-tickets-to-my-downfall-2795566) Barker later recounted that "My Ex's Best Friend" nearly missed the album: he reworked its chorus into a repeated "I'll never fall in love" hook and told Baker it could be his crossover pop song, and it became the biggest song on the album.[12](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/if-i-wasnt-recording-albums-every-month-multiple-albums-and-i-wasnt-playing-on-everyones-songs-i-wouldnt-need-any-of-this-travis-barker-reveals-his-production-tricks-and-gear-in-a-new-studio-tour)
## Release and commercial performance
The album claimed the number 1 spot on the US Billboard 200, Baker's first No. 1 album.[3](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-pop-punk-megan-fox) • [4](https://www.uhd.edu/documents/academics/humanities/about/departments/english/dateline/issue65-4.pdf) Multiple editions followed, including a "SOLD OUT" deluxe version and a later "All Access" edition that adds six tracks to the original 15.[13](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/286009-mgk-tickets-to-my-downfall-sold-out-deluxe/similar/) • [14](https://www.soundi.fi/levyarviot/arvio-mgk-juhlisti-tickets-to-my-downfall-levyaan-overiksi-paisutetulla-versiolla-joka-aiheuttaa-lahinna-paansisaista-jomotusta/) The music video for "bloody valentine", released May 1, features actress [Megan Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-fox), Baker's girlfriend.[4](https://www.uhd.edu/documents/academics/humanities/about/departments/english/dateline/issue65-4.pdf)
## Critical reception
Reception was generally favorable. The album holds a Metascore of 72 on Metacritic.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/publication/pitchfork?dist=positive&filter=albums&num_items=30&page=68&sort_options=date) AllMusic's Fred Thomas scored it 70, calling it a sincere, nostalgic embrace of Myspace-era pop-punk that succeeds more than it falters, while noting some songs lean too close to Blink-182 worship.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798) Pitchfork praised the record for embracing its source material without hedging, and observed that thematically it was hardly a departure from Baker's past work, but that the new surroundings lightened his music considerably.[9](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall/) NME called it "a highly charged, deeply emotive record of punk rock excellence" and a love letter to pop-punk that pays homage to [Green Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/green-day) and [Jawbreaker](https://www.edgepedia.org/jawbreaker-band) without being trapped by nostalgia.[15](https://www.nme.com/reviews/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-review-2763375) Popdust argued Baker was the first mainstream celebrity to give the genre a splash of rock chords and mass appeal, with its best moments being the guitar-laden "bloody valentine" and "title track".[16](https://www.popdust.com/mgk-tickets-to-my-downfall-review-2648105741)
## Legacy
The album is widely credited with helping revive mainstream interest in pop-punk; Popdust noted that features from stars like Blackbear and Halsey drew in pop fans while its guitar-driven best moments reignited nostalgia among listeners who grew up with [Warped Tour](https://www.edgepedia.org/warped-tour).[16](https://www.popdust.com/mgk-tickets-to-my-downfall-review-2648105741) In 2022 Baker followed it with the pop-punk album *Mainstream Sellout*, which Pitchfork reviewed less favorably, writing that *Tickets to My Downfall* was memorable for treating pop-punk like a natural palette for his emotions.[17](https://www.metacritic.com/music/mainstream-sellout/machine-gun-kelly/user-reviews?num_items=30&page=1&sort-by=most-helpful) For the album's fifth anniversary, mgk announced a limited 2026 tour performing the album live from front to back, running from November 15 to December 19 with stops including Warped Tour Orlando, the [Kia Forum](https://www.edgepedia.org/kia-forum), and [Barclays Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/barclays-center), alongside vault tracks released daily starting with "no cell phones in rehab".[18](https://news.pollstar.com/2025/10/22/mgk-celebrates-5-years-of-tickets-to-my-downfall-with-2026-tour/)
## References
1. [Tickets to My Downfall Review by Fred Thomas, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0003414798)
2. [Up Close & Personal: Machine Gun Kelly On Working With Travis Barker, Grammy.com](https://www.grammy.com/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-my-downfall-video-interview-travis-barker-up-close-personal/)
3. [Machine Gun Kelly Talks 'Tickets To My Downfall,' His Pop Punk Pivot, Nylon](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-pop-punk-megan-fox)
4. [Album Review: MGK's "Tickets to My Downfall", UHD Dateline Issue 65-4](https://www.uhd.edu/documents/academics/humanities/about/departments/english/dateline/issue65-4.pdf)
5. [Tickets To My Downfall 'transcends genre', says Machine Gun Kelly, triple j](https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/news/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-transcend-genre/12734790)
6. [Pitchfork profile page with Tickets to My Downfall Metascore, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/publication/pitchfork?dist=positive&filter=albums&num_items=30&page=68&sort_options=date)
7. [Album Review: Tickets to My Downfall by Machine Gun Kelly, MusicCritic](https://musiccritic.com/machine-gun-kelly/tickets-to-my-downfall/)
8. [Here's How Machine Gun Kelly Made Bloody Valentine With Travis Barker, Kerrang!](https://www.kerrang.com/heres-how-machine-gun-kelly-made-bloody-valentine-with-travis-barker)
9. [MGK: Tickets to My Downfall Album Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall/)
10. [Tickets To My Downfall, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/tickets-to-my-downfall/1526411768)
11. [On The Cover – Machine Gun Kelly, NME](https://www.nme.com/big-reads/machine-gun-kelly-cover-interview-2020-tickets-to-my-downfall-2795566)
12. [Travis Barker reveals his production tricks and gear in a new studio tour, MusicRadar](https://www.musicradar.com/artists/if-i-wasnt-recording-albums-every-month-multiple-albums-and-i-wasnt-playing-on-everyones-songs-i-wouldnt-need-any-of-this-travis-barker-reveals-his-production-tricks-and-gear-in-a-new-studio-tour)
13. [Albums Similar to Tickets To My Downfall (SOLD OUT Deluxe) by mgk, Album of the Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/286009-mgk-tickets-to-my-downfall-sold-out-deluxe/similar/)
14. [Arvio: Mgk juhlisti Tickets to My Downfall -levyään, Soundi.fi](https://www.soundi.fi/levyarviot/arvio-mgk-juhlisti-tickets-to-my-downfall-levyaan-overiksi-paisutetulla-versiolla-joka-aiheuttaa-lahinna-paansisaista-jomotusta/)
15. [Machine Gun Kelly – 'Tickets To My Downfall' review, NME](https://www.nme.com/reviews/machine-gun-kelly-tickets-to-my-downfall-review-2763375)
16. [Is MGK's "Tickets To My Downfall" a Good Pop-Punk Record?, Popdust](https://www.popdust.com/mgk-tickets-to-my-downfall-review-2648105741)
17. [Mainstream Sellout user reviews with Pitchfork quote, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/music/mainstream-sellout/machine-gun-kelly/user-reviews?num_items=30&page=1&sort-by=most-helpful)
18. [mgk Celebrates 5 Years Of 'Tickets To My Downfall' With 2026 Tour, Pollstar News](https://news.pollstar.com/2025/10/22/mgk-celebrates-5-years-of-tickets-to-my-downfall-with-2026-tour/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Albums and recorded releases › Studio albums › Punk and emo albums › Pop punk albums*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license