Evolve (Imagine Dragons album)

Evolve
Studio album by Imagine Dragons
Released June 23, 2017 (2017-06-23)
Genre Pop rock
Length 39:12
Label
Producer
Imagine Dragons chronology
Smoke + Mirrors
(2015)		 Evolve
(2017)		 Live at AllSaints Studios
(2017)
Singles from Evolve
  1. "Believer"
    Released: February 1, 2017
  2. "Thunder"
    Released: April 27, 2017
  3. "Whatever It Takes"
    Released: October 6, 2017
  4. "Next to Me"
    Released: February 21, 2018

Evolve (stylized as ƎVOLVE) is the third studio album by American rock band Imagine Dragons, released on June 23, 2017 by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. After the release of their previous album Smoke + Mirrors (2015) and its respective world tour, a self-imposed hiatus for 2016 and cryptic messages from the band through their social media gained anticipation for their third album; it was finally announced on May 9, 2017, along with the initiation of its pre-order. In comparison to Smoke + Mirrors and their 2012 debut Night Visions, frontman Dan Reynolds called the album an "evolution" for the band.

Evolve peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, and received mixed reviews from critics. It was promoted with the singles "Believer", "Thunder", "Whatever It Takes", and "Next to Me", as well as a world tour produced by Live Nation and supported with Grouplove and K.Flay that started in September 2017. The album was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.[1]

Background

In February 2016, after the success of their second album Smoke + Mirrors and a ten month long world tour, the members of Imagine Dragons vowed to take time off from the band. In an interview with Billboard, lead singer Dan Reynolds stated that the group would be on hiatus for the remainder of the year, explaining "We [Imagine Dragons] haven't stopped in, like, six years, so we've forced ourselves to at least take a year off."[2] Throughout 2016, the band contributed songs to the soundtracks for Me Before You, Suicide Squad and Passengers, as well as playing at several shows.

The band first began teasing their third album on September 13, 2016, with a picture of guitarist Wayne Sermon in the band's recording studio and continued releasing cryptic messages over the next four months. On January 24, 2017, the band tweeted "goodnight +",[3] effectively ending the Smoke + Mirrors album cycle.

Composition

Reynolds had noted that the album, compared to Night Visions and Smoke + Mirrors, is "an evolution for Imagine Dragons".[4] The album's sound has been described as pop rock[5] while containing elements of R&B, hip hop and EDM.[6][7]

Promotion

In the months leading up to the album's release, Imagine Dragons used the caption "ƎE" in multiple social media posts. The group announced the title of their third album on May 8, and started the album pre-order along with the release of "Whatever It Takes" at 9 PM PT.

Singles

Starting on January 28, 2017, the band tweeted a series of four videos to tease the album's first single. The time-lapse videos featured lead singer Dan Reynolds drawing surreal images on a drawing pad. Morse code was hidden in the videos and translated to "objects of same color". On February 1, 2017, "Believer" was released as the lead single. To promote the single, it was used in a Super Bowl LI commercial for the Nintendo Switch. It was also used in the trailer for the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express. The song has since peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] Its music video starring Reynolds and actor Dolph Lundgren was released on March 7, 2017.[9]

On April 27, 2017, "Thunder" was released as the second single. It has so far peaked at number four on the Hot 100.[8] The music video was filmed in Dubai and directed by Joseph Kahn, and was released on May 2, 2017.[10]

On October 6, 2017, "Whatever It Takes" was released as the third single in UK and later in the US.[11] It has so far peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] It was initially released as the album's first promotional single.

On February 21, 2018, "Next to Me" was released as the fourth single, alongside the announcement of extended summer tour dates.[12]

Promotional singles

On June 15, "Walking the Wire" was made available for download with any purchase from the band's online shop.[13]

Tour and film

On May 9, 2017, the band announced on Twitter the Evolve World Tour,[14] which started on September 26, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The tour was produced by Live Nation, with Grouplove and K.Flay as special guests.[15]

On March 8, 2018, Billboard reported that the band had become the first act in history to "monopolize the top four spots on Billboard's Alternative Digital Song Sales chart, ranking at Nos. 1-4 on the March 10-dated tally."[16] On March 13, Billboard reported that the album had become the "first album to generate at least three No. 1s on Billboard's Alternative Songs airplay chart this decade."[17] Also that day, the band released a cinematic film for the first song off the album.[18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?4.6/10[19]
Metacritic47/100[20]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
The Guardian[21]
The Independent[22]
The Irish Times[5]
London Evening Standard[23]
NewsdayB+[6]
NME[24]
Rolling Stone[25]
State[26]
The Times[27]

Evolve received mixed reviews from critics upon release. On Metacritic, the album received a weighted average score of 47/100 based on seven reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[20] The album received a few positive-leaning reviews. Glenn Gamboa from Newsday gave the album a score of B+, stating that the group, "seem ready to transcend genre labels — they just want to make good music that interests them."[6] In a three-out-of-five-star review from NME, Alex Flood wrote, "This latest effort might represent a small progression, but it's far from an evolution."[24] AllMusic also gave a three-out-of-five review on the album, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine saying, "its bold, colorful textures elbow aside any notions of introspection or reflection."[7] Rob Harvilla from The Ringer gave the album a mixed review, concluding:"All of which is to say that Evolve isn’t great by any means, but it’s awfully shrewd, and you might end up rooting for it if only because there’s nobody else to root for. It’s probably the band’s best album: It is definitely their slickest, their deftest, their shortest."[28]

The album also garnered some negative reviews. In a more negative review, Classic Rock Magazine gave the album one and a half stars out of five, commenting that the band aims for more rock noise, although, "it [Evolve] just comes off like Michael Bolton daddancing to Justin Timberlake at a family wedding."[29] Hannah J. Davies of The Guardian gave the album two stars out of five, calling the album, "lifeless electronic-tinged arena rock."[21] The Independent gave Evolve two-out-of-five stars, describing it as, "mostly devolving back into the hoariest of tired rock cliches (including what sounds like roto-toms), and plodding grimly towards the summer’s festivals."[22]

On Metacritic, Evolve is one of the lowest ranking albums of 2017.[30]

Commercial performance

Evolve debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 147,000 album-equivalent units, of which 109,000 were pure album sales.[31] It is Imagine Dragons' third top five album.[31] On October 31, 2017, the album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[32]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Don't Know Why"
Mattman & Robin3:10
2."Whatever It Takes"
Little3:21
3."Believer"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
Mattman & Robin3:24
4."Walking the Wire"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
Mattman & Robin3:52
5."Rise Up"
Hill3:51
6."I'll Make It Up to You"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tim Randolph
Randolph4:22
7."Yesterday"
3:25
8."Mouth of the River"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tim Randolph
Randolph3:41
9."Thunder"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Grant
  • DeZuzio
  • Alex da Kid
  • DeZuzio
3:07
10."Start Over"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
Mattman & Robin3:06
11."Dancing in the Dark"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Grant
Alex da Kid3:53
Total length:39:12

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[79] Platinum 15,000*
France (SNEP)[80] 2× Platinum 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[81] Gold 100,000^
Italy (FIMI)[82] Platinum 50,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[83] 2× Platinum 120,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[84] Platinum 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[85] 2× Platinum 30,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[86] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[87] Gold 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[88] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[89] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[90] 2× Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
double-daggersales+streaming figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (November 28, 2017). "Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars Lead 2018 Grammy Nominees". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  2. ↑ Gary Graff (February 23, 2016). "Imagine Dragons Shares Exclusive Clip From Concert Film: Watch It Here". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Imagine Dragons on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Imagine Dragons' Next Album Will Be an "Evolution," Says Dan Reynolds". ABC News Radio. ABC Radio. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  5. 1 2 Murphy, Lauren (June 21, 2017). "Imagine Dragons – Evolve album review: Worthy of the hipster kudos it seeks". The Irish Times. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 Gamboa, Glenn (June 22, 2017). "'Evolve' review: Imagine Dragons blur boundaries of rock and pop, again". Newsday. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen. "Imagine Dragons Evolve AllMusic review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 "Imagine Dragons – Chart history (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  9. ↑ ImagineDragonsVEVO (March 7, 2017). "Imagine Dragons - Believer". Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  10. ↑ ImagineDragonsVEVO (May 2, 2017). "Imagine Dragons - Thunder". Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  11. ↑ "BBC Radio 1 Playlist". BBC. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  12. ↑ Maher, Natalie (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons Release New Single 'Next To Me,' Announce Extended Summer Tour with Grace VanderWaal". Billboard. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  13. ↑ Dragons, Imagine (15 June 2017). "New song Walking The Wire comes out TONIGHT at 12am ET. But you can get it NOW w/ANY merch bundle for a limited time https://shop.imaginedragonsmusic.com/ pic.twitter.com/eQKIN1rIiL". External link in |title= (help)
  14. ↑ "Imagine Dragons on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Imagine Dragons To Release New Album 'Evolve' On June 23rd Via KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records - With Evolve Tour Coming This Fall". PR Newswire. 9 May 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  16. ↑ Rutherford, Kevin (March 8, 2018). "Imagine Dragons First Act to Hold Top Four Spots on Alternative Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  17. ↑ Rutherford, Kevin (March 13, 2018). "Imagine Dragons' 'Evolve' Is First Album With 3 Alternative Songs No. 1s This Decade". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Imagine Dragons premieres cinematic "Next to Me" video". WJBD Radio. March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Evolve by Imagine Dragons". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Reviews and Tracks for Evolve by Imagine Dragons". Metacritic. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  21. 1 2 Davies, Hannah J (June 23, 2017). "Imagine Dragons: Evolve review – lifeless electronic-tinged arena rock". The Guardian. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  22. 1 2 Gill, Andy. "Album reviews: Bedouine – Bedouine, Jeff Tweedy – Together At Last, Big Boi – Boomiverse". The Independent. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  23. ↑ Smyth, David (June 23, 2017). "Imagine Dragons – Evolve review: Breathing fire with a new pop sparkle". London Evening Standard. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  24. 1 2 Flood, Alex. "Imagine Dragons – 'Evolve' Album Review". NME. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  25. ↑ Hermes, Will (June 23, 2017). "Review: Imagine Dragons Meet Swedish Pop Gurus, Self-Flagellation Ensues". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  26. ↑ Hetherington, Nick (June 26, 2017). "Imagine Dragons – Evolve". State. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  27. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (June 23, 2017). "Pop review: Imagine Dragons: Evolve". The Times. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  28. ↑ https://www.theringer.com/2017/6/23/16044442/imagine-dragons-evolve-murder-on-the-orient-express-6ff3de79ce31
  29. ↑ Johnston, Emma. "Imagine Dragons - Evolve album review". Classic Rock Magazine. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  30. ↑ "Album Releases by Score". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  31. 1 2 Caulfield, Keith (July 2, 2017). "DJ Khaled's 'Grateful' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Evolve by Imagine Dragons on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  34. ↑ "JB Hi-Fi | Evolve (Deluxe Edition) – Imagine Dragons". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
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  37. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  39. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201727 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Imagine Dragons: Evolve" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
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  46. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
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  49. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
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  52. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
  53. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  54. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  55. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  56. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  57. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  58. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  59. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  60. ↑ "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  61. ↑ "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  62. ↑ "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  63. ↑ "ARIA End of Year Albums 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  64. ↑ "Ö3 Austria Top 40 – Album-Charts 2017". oe3.orf.at. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  65. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten Albums 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  66. ↑ "Rapports Annuels Albums 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
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  72. ↑ "Los más vendidos 2017" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  73. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 2017". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  74. ↑ "Najlepiej sprzedającym się albumem ubiegłego roku była płyta rapera Quebonafide "Egzotyka"" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  75. ↑ "Årslista Album – År 2017" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  76. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade Alben 2017 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  77. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2017". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  78. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  79. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved December 20, 2017. Enter Imagine Dragons in the field Interpret. Enter Evolve in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  80. ↑ "French album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  81. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Imagine Dragons; 'Evolve')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  82. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  83. ↑ "Certificados Musicales Amprofon - Febrero 2017". Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  84. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved February 16, 2018. Enter Evolve in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  85. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  86. ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  87. ↑ "Polish album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  88. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat" (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved March 9, 2018. Type Imagine Dragons in the top right search bar. Click on "Sok" and select Evolve and see certification.
  89. ↑ "British album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 12, 2018. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Evolve in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  90. ↑ "American album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Evolve". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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