Bonadies - Imagine Dragons

In my introductory blog I listed Imagine Dragons as one of my favorite bands. For this final blog, I am going full circle and listing them as one of the most influential bands of our generation. Imagine Dragons is considered an alternative pop rock band; however, they incorporate many other musical genres in their songs. Imagine Dragons was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada. The band currently consists of the following four members: Dan Reynolds (lead vocalist), Wayne Sermon (lead guitarist), Ben McKee (bassist), and Daniel Platzman (drummer). The band gained instant popularity with two singles from their 2012 debut album, Night Visions. These two chart-topping singles were "Radioactive" (I've included a clip of this song) and "Demons." Imagine Dragons represents the energy, innovation, craft and concerns of our generation because of their versatility, originality, and artistry. There music resonates with people in the U.S. and throughout the world. In 2013, Rolling Stone magazine declared Imagine Dragons "the biggest rock band of the year." Since their debut in 2012, the band has gone on to win numerous awards including: several American Music Awards, a World Music Award, numerous Billboard Top 100 awards, and a Grammy! They won their Grammy for Best Rock Performance for "Radioactive." Their commercial success illustrates that people like and connect with the band; however, I think there is much more to this band than simply a desire for commercial profit. In an interview with lead singer Dan Reynolds, he said that the band has been influenced by so many former bands. These influences are diverse but can definitely be heard in the band's music. The influences Reynolds noted included: Nirvana, The Beatles, Paul Simon, and Coldplay. Throughout our History of Rock course, it seems as though every singer/songwriter or successful band has taken influences from previous bands and incorporated it into their own style. I think Imagine Dragons is a perfect example of this borrowing from former influences and creating something completely original. Although they are considered a pop rock band, there are so many other musical genres incorporated in their music. "For Imagine Dragons, innovation and genre-blending are just natural ways to put music together."(Rolling Stone magazine, 2017). Some of their songs have a folk element while in others there are rhythm and blues influences. I think the band's willingness not to adhere to any strict musical formula and just "play their music" is characteristic of our generation. They are not afraid to just be who they are. Although they've achieved major commercial success, that doesn't appear to be what motivates the band. As Reynolds said: "We just love to play music and make our own sound. We will play music for the rest of our lives." Also, they are considered an amazing arena rock band, the genre that developed in the 1980's. I have never seen Imagine Dragons in concert but I would love to see them in an arena atmosphere. In addition to "Radioactive," I've included a clip of one of my go-to Imagine Dragons songs - "On Top of the World."