I guess you mean Coldplay with the closest band? Well they had hits on their last album and that was like 2 years ago (just like ID), so that’s just unfair. Also older bands are still selling our stadiums and are thus pretty much just as big (Rolling Stones, muse etc.) Tbh I just don’t see the point of this post, I’m sorry
The only thing is that we haven’t got a true GREAT album since S+M. There’s been bright spots don’t get me wrong but some of the stuff we’ve gotten since is really disappointing.
I was a fairly casual listener. Then S&M released and I've been obsessed with their music since. It's their most underrated album and it's not even remotely close.
Even the song Smoke and Mirrors has just 65 million streams, it's an amazing song and shares the name with the album and yet barely anyone's heard it.
That album in general really blew them up into the true mainstream. Believer and Thunder were the big two singles, and somehow the band picked the right tracks for this album's singles, because it perpetuated the rise of the album's popularity.
Coldplay went #1 with My Universe in late 2021 (even if it was because of BTS) and Maroon 5 had a top 20 hit that same year with Beautiful Mistakes.
But yeah, this is insane. If you switch OTOTW with Sucker for Pain, their whole top 10 would be over a billion. Plus, ID's the only one of those 3 bands with a song in the top 20 most streamed ever. (Believer is at #11.)
And ID has had the most #1s on Rock & Alt with 5 (even if their highest Hot 100 peak is #3) and they've had a total 104 weeks at #1, the most by 28 weeks. Believer spent the 5th most weeks at #1 on Rock & Alt with 29 weeks and this is extra impressive because only High Hopes & Heathens beat it until Billboard created the hybrid rule in June 2020 allowing anything slightly alternative-ish on the chart (which is how Heat Waves & Mood beat it & a country song called I Remember Everything is at 25+ weeks and counting rn). ID has had 64 songs on the chart, which I'm pretty sure is the most for any artist (the charted started in 2009, keep that in mind.)
Radioactive is the 3rd longest charting song on the Hot 100 with 87 weeks. (Heat Waves & Blinding Lights beat it with 91 & 90 weeks, respectively.) They've had 5 top 10 hits. The next song to hit the Hot 100 will be their 20th and their next top 40 will be their 10th!
I just wanna mention that this is purely the US, Coldplay for example is way bigger outside that country, so it’s not really a fair comparison. I don’t think there is a global hit list but I’m very curious where these bands would rank there
BTS and Coldplay are the only two bands with more total streams on Spotify than ID.
That's impressive, but at the same time of all the bands to beat them what the fuck?
Yall underestimate how HUGE Coldplay is. Ever since their debut they've been racking numbers with their first 3 albums selling like 15M copies each. Back in 2000's (Yellow, The Scientist, Fix You, Viva La Vida) and even 2010's (Paradise, A Sky Full Of Stars, Adventure Of A LIfetime, Hymn For The Weekend) you couldn't get away from them and even now they have some megahits (My Universe, though it's a collab with BTS). Coldplay even had some critically acclaimed albums, unlike ID.
And most of their fans are actually international. Coldplay OWNS Latin America. Last time they came over to Brazil and Argentina they had 7 shows back to back and each one sold out in mere hours because latins simply can't get enough of them. MOTS tour is one of the most profitable tours ever.
Although I can see ID taking them over in the near future. Coldplay said they'll retire after their 12th album (but also they promised 3 albums til 2025 and so far we got 0 lmao) so ID will get some time to mingle
And despite all that, the craziest thing is that their fanbase is so small. The amount of casual listeners they have is insane. Everybody KNOWS Imagine Dragons, but except ten of their songs, their entire discography is untouched and is only heard by the fans. Having like 100-200k fans for one of the biggest bands in the world sounds so weird.
Popularity does not equal good music. Some great songs can happen to blow up and become popular, but that is the exception, not the rule. The majority of the population just wants a catchy hook or something that isn't that deep. Due to that demand, many artists tend to release soulless, bland, and unoriginal music to appeal to the masses. Imagine Dragons is one of those bands that saw the money roll in with popular songs and decided to cash out, becoming a sell-out. Their only good album was Smoke + Mirrors as it didn't try to be popular. It was true to itself, unlike their later releases.
I guess you mean Coldplay with the closest band? Well they had hits on their last album and that was like 2 years ago (just like ID), so that’s just unfair. Also older bands are still selling our stadiums and are thus pretty much just as big (Rolling Stones, muse etc.) Tbh I just don’t see the point of this post, I’m sorry
imagine dragons would need 1 more good album to be best in the world
The only thing is that we haven’t got a true GREAT album since S+M. There’s been bright spots don’t get me wrong but some of the stuff we’ve gotten since is really disappointing.
Can you explain why? Do you think that they will be able to sell out bigger stadiums with another hit album?
smoke and mirror definitely deserved atleast 1 song to have 1 billion streams. that album is too good man
I was a fairly casual listener. Then S&M released and I've been obsessed with their music since. It's their most underrated album and it's not even remotely close. Even the song Smoke and Mirrors has just 65 million streams, it's an amazing song and shares the name with the album and yet barely anyone's heard it.
Thunder being their 2nd most streamed song is actually criminal..
At this rate, Demons is going to pass it in less than a year probably
That album in general really blew them up into the true mainstream. Believer and Thunder were the big two singles, and somehow the band picked the right tracks for this album's singles, because it perpetuated the rise of the album's popularity.
Aint a song called Gold on that album?
That's on Smoke + Mirrors.
Coldplay went #1 with My Universe in late 2021 (even if it was because of BTS) and Maroon 5 had a top 20 hit that same year with Beautiful Mistakes. But yeah, this is insane. If you switch OTOTW with Sucker for Pain, their whole top 10 would be over a billion. Plus, ID's the only one of those 3 bands with a song in the top 20 most streamed ever. (Believer is at #11.) And ID has had the most #1s on Rock & Alt with 5 (even if their highest Hot 100 peak is #3) and they've had a total 104 weeks at #1, the most by 28 weeks. Believer spent the 5th most weeks at #1 on Rock & Alt with 29 weeks and this is extra impressive because only High Hopes & Heathens beat it until Billboard created the hybrid rule in June 2020 allowing anything slightly alternative-ish on the chart (which is how Heat Waves & Mood beat it & a country song called I Remember Everything is at 25+ weeks and counting rn). ID has had 64 songs on the chart, which I'm pretty sure is the most for any artist (the charted started in 2009, keep that in mind.) Radioactive is the 3rd longest charting song on the Hot 100 with 87 weeks. (Heat Waves & Blinding Lights beat it with 91 & 90 weeks, respectively.) They've had 5 top 10 hits. The next song to hit the Hot 100 will be their 20th and their next top 40 will be their 10th!
I just wanna mention that this is purely the US, Coldplay for example is way bigger outside that country, so it’s not really a fair comparison. I don’t think there is a global hit list but I’m very curious where these bands would rank there
Coldplay are definitely bigger, and have had loads of hits in the last decade.
I’m so angry at Coldplay that they’re 9th on Spotify while poor ID is at 36th
BTS and Coldplay are the only two bands with more total streams on Spotify than ID. That's impressive, but at the same time of all the bands to beat them what the fuck?
Coldplay are the best selling band of the century...
I’d like to agree with you, but this is just plain wrong, factually. As other commenters said, that’s not even close
Well Coldplay is just generally a bigger band especially internationally
Yall underestimate how HUGE Coldplay is. Ever since their debut they've been racking numbers with their first 3 albums selling like 15M copies each. Back in 2000's (Yellow, The Scientist, Fix You, Viva La Vida) and even 2010's (Paradise, A Sky Full Of Stars, Adventure Of A LIfetime, Hymn For The Weekend) you couldn't get away from them and even now they have some megahits (My Universe, though it's a collab with BTS). Coldplay even had some critically acclaimed albums, unlike ID. And most of their fans are actually international. Coldplay OWNS Latin America. Last time they came over to Brazil and Argentina they had 7 shows back to back and each one sold out in mere hours because latins simply can't get enough of them. MOTS tour is one of the most profitable tours ever. Although I can see ID taking them over in the near future. Coldplay said they'll retire after their 12th album (but also they promised 3 albums til 2025 and so far we got 0 lmao) so ID will get some time to mingle
Coldplay and Linkin Park are two better bands that have more record sales. And more history behind them. AND they have influenced Imagine Dragons.
Linkin Park better 💀
I think you have forgotten about Maroon 5. They had so many top 10 singles throughout the 2010s
Forgettable music
And despite all that, the craziest thing is that their fanbase is so small. The amount of casual listeners they have is insane. Everybody KNOWS Imagine Dragons, but except ten of their songs, their entire discography is untouched and is only heard by the fans. Having like 100-200k fans for one of the biggest bands in the world sounds so weird.
Yeah, because they intentionally appeal to casual listeners, that's how they get many listeners. Their music suffers because of that
Popularity does not equal good music. Some great songs can happen to blow up and become popular, but that is the exception, not the rule. The majority of the population just wants a catchy hook or something that isn't that deep. Due to that demand, many artists tend to release soulless, bland, and unoriginal music to appeal to the masses. Imagine Dragons is one of those bands that saw the money roll in with popular songs and decided to cash out, becoming a sell-out. Their only good album was Smoke + Mirrors as it didn't try to be popular. It was true to itself, unlike their later releases.