Nico and the Niners was released in July 2018 as a single from Twenty One Pilots album Trench, alongside Jumpsuit. In the band lore, Nico is one of the nine bishops who rule Dema, and the Niners refers to that ruling group, giving fans layers of lyrics to decode. The track spread through clique fandom edits, lyric breakdowns and streaming playlists, and short clips still circulate on soundboards because the chorus and bass line are recognisable within seconds to fans of the era.