Imagine Dragons
| RPF Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name(s): | Imagine Dragons |
| Scope/Focus: | Music |
| Date(s): | 2008 - Present |
| See also: | Bandom |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
This article or section needs expansion. |
Imagine Dragons are a band comprising of Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee and Daniel Platzman.
Animated versions of the band members appear in both Ralph Breaks the Internet and Arcane.
Fandom
Fans of the band are known as Firebreathers.
Their songs are often used in vids, "Radioactive"[1][2] was a very popular choice, see:
- Radioactive (Walking Dead vid)
- Welcome to the new age (Avengers vid)
- The apocalypse (Supernatural vid)
- Welcome to the new age (Revolution vid).
Other popular song choices for vids are "Natural"[3][4][5], "Battle Cry", see Battle cry and Do or Die., and "Warrior", see Warriors (Marvel DC fanvid).
Reputation
In wider fandom spaces, as well as in more mainstream outlets, the band have gained a similiar reputation as Nickelback in recent years, with similiar jabs directed at them. In 2019, Corey Taylor - frontman of Slipknot - stated:
They're awful, so that's cool. And they're from Vegas, so I'm gonna go home to protests. Can't show my face in this town now. Yeah, people are slowly coming back to appreciate Nickelback and then just turning their irksome ire towards Imagine Dragons.[6]
The Hawkeye TV series also has a quick jab at the band.
Some of this may be the result of their commercial success and how their music is often thought of as overused in trailers for upcoming movies[7] One reddit thread discussing the phenomenon in 2017:
[Reddit poster to r/Imaginedragons]
I love believer but it's on the radio every day, on commercials, movie trailers, and TV shows. It's kinda losing it's punch if you get what I mean
[response 1]
The same way Radioactive was overused. It's nothing unusual.
A different fan from the same thread had a different perspective:
let ID have their spotlight instead of criticizing them over their success [8]
A reddit discussion about the use of Imagine Dragons songs in the TV Series Sweet Home in 2020 illustrating how the band has become seen as a meme:
[Reddit commenter]
I legit burst out laughing because Imagine Dragons is bit of a meme now in the US and it was such a serious, badass moment.
[response]
Yea same lol I was like... Imagine Dragons? The most generic ass movie trailer music possible. And they just keep using it. I’m not even finished with the series. I’m wondering how many more times they use it lol
Overall, responses to these type comments from fans have been mixed.
A Tumblr thread beginning in 2021 accusing the band of being conservative propaganda became infamous on the site after even non-fans were quick to debunk the idea:
[headspace-hotel]
I was thinking of this thread just the other day!!! because I was thinking about how people hate Imagine Dragons for being overplayed
and I abruptly remembered how there was a tumblr post where a bunch of people decided that Imagine Dragons was regressive cult propaganda music that was only popular because of a malicious political agenda
And like sure, it's scary how people will make themselves see nonexistent ideological agendas in the music of a band they just...don't like, but to me it's even scarier how people will see a general aesthetic trend in art they don't like and think there has to be an evil ideology behind that aesthetic, because otherwise, how could art that suck be popular?!!1!??[9]
Resources & External Links
References
- ^ Raven Reyes | Radioactive
- ^ The Witcher || Radioactive
- ^ Dean Winchester || Natural
- ^ Daredevil (Matt Murdock) // Natural
- ^ Marvel Tribute | Imagine Dragons - Natural
- ^ Are Imagine Dragons The New Nickelback? Corey Taylor Thinks So on Kerrang
- ^ "The New Trend in Movie Trailers: Imagine Dragons Songs". Archived from the original on 2023-04-21.
- ^ a b Anyone think believer is overused? posted to r/Imginedragons, Sept 22, 2017
- ^ [1]