Imagine Dragons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Imagine Dragons
|
|
|---|---|
Imagine Dragons at Mohegan Sun in 2017. Left to right: Wayne Sermon, Dan Reynolds, former drummer Daniel Platzman, and Ben McKee.
|
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels |
|
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
Imagine Dragons is a popular American pop rock band that started in 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band's main members are lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, and bassist Ben McKee. They became famous with their song "It's Time".
Their first album, Night Visions (2012), had huge hits like "Radioactive" and "Demons". Rolling Stone magazine even called "Radioactive" the "biggest rock hit of the year". Imagine Dragons has won many awards, including a Grammy Award, and they are known for their energetic live shows. They have sold millions of albums and songs worldwide, making them one of the most successful music groups.
Contents
History of Imagine Dragons
How the Band Started (2008–2011)
In 2008, Dan Reynolds met drummer Andrew Tolman at Brigham Young University. They decided to form a band. The band's name, "Imagine Dragons," is actually a secret anagram (a word or phrase made by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase) that only the band members know!
They released their first EPs (short albums) called Imagine Dragons (2009) and Hell and Silence (2010). In 2011, they signed a big record deal with Interscope Records. A big moment for them was filling in for the band Train at a festival, playing for over 26,000 people! Soon after, Daniel Platzman joined as the drummer, and the band became the four-piece we know today.
Night Visions and Big Hits (2012–2014)
Imagine Dragons released their first major album, Night Visions, on September 4, 2012. It quickly became very popular, reaching number 2 on the Billboard charts. The album featured their hit song "It's Time", which was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award.
The album's second single, "Radioactive", was a massive success. It broke records for how long it stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. Another huge song from the album was "Demons", which also topped the charts. Imagine Dragons won several Billboard Music Awards in 2014, including Top Duo/Group.
Smoke + Mirrors (2014–2016)
The band worked hard on their second album, Smoke + Mirrors. They had written about 50 songs before choosing the best ones for the album. Before the album came out, they released songs for movies and video games, like "Battle Cry" for Transformers: Age of Extinction and "Warriors" for the League of Legends video game championship.
Smoke + Mirrors was released on February 17, 2015, and became their first album to reach number one in the US. They went on a big world tour to support the album. After the tour, the band took a short break.
Evolve and Origins (2016–2020)
Imagine Dragons started working on their third album in 2016. They released "Believer" as the first song from the album in February 2017. This song was even used in a Super Bowl ad for the Nintendo Switch! They followed up with "Thunder" and "Whatever It Takes".
Their third album, Evolve, came out on June 23, 2017. It was very successful, reaching the top five in many countries. "Whatever It Takes" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rock Video in 2018.
In 2018, they released "Natural", which became the anthem for the ESPN College Football season. On October 3, 2018, they announced their fourth album, Origins, which they described as a "sister album" to Evolve. Origins was released on November 9, 2018, and included "Natural" and "Zero" (from the movie Ralph Breaks the Internet).
In 2019, Imagine Dragons performed at the College Football Championship game with rapper Lil Wayne. Later that year, lead singer Dan Reynolds announced he was taking a break to spend time with his family.
Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 (2021–2023)
In March 2021, Imagine Dragons released two new songs, "Follow You" and "Cutthroat". Their fifth album, Mercury – Act 1, was released on September 3, 2021.
They also released "Enemy" with rapper JID for the Netflix show Arcane. This was their second song for the League of Legends world.
In 2022, they released Mercury – Act 2, which included the song "Bones". Both Mercury albums were combined into one big album. In 2023, drummer Daniel Platzman took a break for health reasons, and former drummer Andrew Tolman filled in for him on tour. A concert film, Imagine Dragons: Live in Vegas, was released on Hulu in July 2023. They also released "Children of the Sky" for the video game Starfield.
Loom and Daniel Platzman's Departure (2024–present)
The band started teasing new music in March 2024. Their new song "Eyes Closed" came out on April 3, 2024. This song is the first single from their sixth album, Loom, which was released on June 28, 2024. They also announced the Loom World Tour.
Loom is their first album without drummer Daniel Platzman, who officially left the band in August 2024. Andrew Tolman continues to be their touring drummer.
Imagine Dragons' Music Style
Imagine Dragons' music is a mix of different styles. It's mostly described as pop rock, electropop, and alternative rock. You can also hear influences from synth-pop, dance-pop, and even hip hop in their songs.
The band members have said that artists like Arcade Fire, Nirvana, Muse, and Coldplay have inspired their music.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
Imagine Dragons are very active in charity work.
- In 2013, they started the Tyler Robinson Foundation with the family of Tyler Robinson. This charity helps young people who are battling cancer.
- They performed for "Playing It Forward" to raise money for school music programs.
- In 2015, they released the song "I Was Me" to help refugees through the UN Refugee Agency.
- They also covered a song to support victims of the 2015 Paris attacks.
- In 2017, the band helped organize the LoveLoud Festival. This festival raises awareness and money for LGBTQ+ youth organizations like the Trevor Project.
- In 2018, lead singer Dan Reynolds released a song called "Skipping Stones" to support LGBTQ charities.
- In July 2022, Imagine Dragons became official ambassadors for the United24 platform. They helped raise over $6 million to buy ambulances for medics in Ukraine.
- In May 2023, they released a music video for their song "Crushed." The video tells the true story of a 14-year-old boy named Sasha from Ukraine whose village was destroyed by conflict. It shows his strength and hope to rebuild his home.
Band Members
|
Current members
|
Former members
Former touring musicians
|
Timeline
Discography
- Night Visions (2012)
- Smoke + Mirrors (2015)
- Evolve (2017)
- Origins (2018)
- Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 (2022)
- Mercury – Act 1 (2021)
- Mercury – Act 2 (2022)
- Loom (2024)
Awards and Nominations
Imagine Dragons has won many awards throughout their career. Some of their notable wins include:
- Three American Music Awards
- Nine Billboard Music Awards
- One Grammy Award
- One MTV Video Music Award
- One World Music Award
They have been recognized as top artists and groups by Billboard magazine multiple times.
Tours
Imagine Dragons is known for their exciting live performances. They have toured all over the world:
- Imagine Dragons on Tour (2011–2012)
- Fall Tour 2012 (2012)
- Night Visions Tour (2013–2014)
- Smoke + Mirrors Tour (2015–2016)
- Evolve World Tour (2017–2019)
- Mercury World Tour (2022–2023)
- Loom World Tour (2024–2025)
See also
In Spanish: Imagine Dragons para niños
