Imagine Dragons

Band

Photo: Despasito · CC BY-SA 4.0
Active 2008-present
Origin Las Vegas, Nevada
Albums 7
Tracks 86
Most frequent collaborator Mattman & Robin · 21 tracks
Genres Pop RockAlternative RockIndie PopElectronic Rock
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 86 of 86 tracks

Did Imagine Dragons write their own songs?

Yes. Imagine Dragons is a self-writing band, and the members hold a writing credit on 100% of their tracks. Frontman Dan Reynolds and the band wrote songs like 'It's Time' and 'I Bet My Life' themselves. Most of their biggest hits, though, including 'Radioactive,' 'Believer,' and 'Thunder,' were co-written with outside producers and songwriters.

By the Numbers

7
Studio Albums
86
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
74M+ albums
Records Sold
18
Years Active
38
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 86 / 86 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 86 tracks: how many Imagine Dragons wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Imagine Dragons has a writing credit100%
34%
66%
Sole author29tracks34%
Co-written57tracks66%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Imagine Dragons's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 86 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer37%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 86 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Dan Reynolds 2008-present
100%
100%
0%
100%
Wayne Sermon 2008-present
100%
100%
0%
100%
Ben McKee 2008-present
100%
100%
0%
100%
Daniel Platzman 2008-present
77%
77%
0%
100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Imagine Dragons's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2012Night Visions
2015Smoke + Mirrors
2017Evolve
2018Origins
2021Mercury - Act 1
2022Mercury - Act 2
2024Loom
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2010s
Night Visions, Smoke + Mirrors +2 more
100%
2020s
Mercury - Act 1, Mercury - Act 2 +1 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Imagine Dragons sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Imagine Dragons
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

EXO8%
Backstreet Boys25%
Kelly Clarkson49%
One Direction57%
Omarion67%
Kesha77%
Miley Cyrus92%
100%Imagine Dragons
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Radioactive
Night Visions
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Alexander Grant, Josh Mosser
Co-wrote
Demons
Night Visions
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Alexander Grant, Josh Mosser
Co-wrote
It's Time
Night Visions
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee
Wrote it
On Top of the World
Night Visions
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Alexander Grant
Co-wrote
I Bet My Life
Smoke + Mirrors
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman
Wrote it
Believer
Evolve
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Robin Fredriksson, Mattias Larsson, Justin Tranter
Co-wrote
Thunder
Evolve
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Alexander Grant, Jayson DeZuzio
Co-wrote
Whatever It Takes
Evolve
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Joel Little
Co-wrote
Natural
Origins
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Robin Fredriksson, Mattias Larsson, Justin Tranter
Co-wrote
Bad Liar
Origins
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Jorgen Odegard, Aja Volkman
Co-wrote
Follow You
Mercury - Act 1
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Elley Duhé, Fran Hall, Joel Little
Co-wrote
Bones
Mercury - Act 2
Written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Robin Fredriksson, Mattias Larsson
Co-wrote

Discography 7 albums

Covers all 7 studio albums.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Imagine Dragons86 tracks
M&21Mattman & Robin, 21 tracks RF19Robin Fredriksson, 19 tracks ML19Mattias Larsson, 19 tracks AG13Alexander Grant, 13 tracks 9Alex da Kid, 9 tracks 9Justin Tranter, 9 tracks AT7Andrew Tolman, 7 tracks G7Goldwiing, 7 tracks JD6Jayson DeZuzio, 6 tracks AD4Alex Da Kid, 4 tracks JM3Josh Mosser, 3 tracks BD3Brandon Darner, 3 tracks JL3Joel Little, 3 tracks TR3Tim Randolph, 3 tracks JH2John Hill, 2 tracks JO2Jorgen Odegard, 2 tracks AV2Aja Volkman, 2 tracks RR2Rick Rubin, 2 tracks JS2Jason Suwito, 2 tracks IZ1Ido Zmishlany, 1 track KB1Kaelyn Behr, 1 track MB1Mark Benedicto, 1 track SF1Styalz Fuego, 1 track NH1New Haven, 1 track ED1Elley Duhé, 1 track FH1Fran Hall, 1 track JS1Jesse Shatkin, 1 track DW1Dylan Wiggins, 1 track TR1Talay Riley, 1 track AM1Adio Marchant, 1 track MB1Marco Borrero, 1 track M1Mag, 1 track GA1Graham Andrew Muron, 1 track MC1Mick Coogan, 1 track NS1Nick Scapa, 1 track K1KillaGraham, 1 track NB1Nicky Blitz, 1 track CH1Cory Henry, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. M& Mattman & Robin · RF Robin Fredriksson · ML Mattias Larsson · AG Alexander Grant

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

All four members typically receive co-writing credits across Imagine Dragons albums, giving the band a collective authorship score near 90%. Dan Reynolds dominates as the primary lyricist, but Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman are consistently credited as co-writers on most tracks, reflecting a genuinely collaborative songwriting process unusual for mainstream pop-rock bands.

Quick Facts

  • GrammyWon Best Rock Performance for 'Radioactive' (2014)
  • StreamingOver 160 billion streams; the most-streamed group of 2018 on Spotify
  • Diamond recordThe only group in RIAA history with four songs certified higher than diamond
  • RadioactiveSpent a record 87 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
  • FrontmanFronted by Dan Reynolds

Creative Fingerprint

A band that co-writes with a producer's bench: Imagine Dragons' members write every track, but most of their biggest hits are built with outside producers and songwriters like Alex da Kid and Mattman & Robin rather than by the band alone.

The Story

Imagine Dragons are a Las Vegas rock band formed in 2008 whose anthemic blend of alternative rock and electronic pop broke them through to mainstream success with their 2012 debut album Night Visions. The band's emotive, stadium-scale sound, anchored by Dan Reynolds's powerful vocals and Wayne Sermon's guitar work, earned them Grammy Awards and a run of chart-topping singles. They are one of the best-selling rock acts of the 2010s, with consistent involvement in all aspects of songwriting.

Awards & Recognition

Won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance for 'Radioactive' (2014)
The only group in RIAA history to have four songs certified higher than diamond
'Radioactive' spent a record 87 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
Over 74 million albums sold and more than 160 billion streams worldwide
The most-streamed group of 2018 on Spotify and the first rock act with four songs to pass one billion streams each

Frequently Asked Questions Imagine Dragons

Did Imagine Dragons write their own songs?
Yes. Imagine Dragons is a self-writing band, and the members hold a writing credit on 100% of their tracks. Frontman Dan Reynolds and the band wrote songs like 'It's Time' and 'I Bet My Life' themselves. Most of their biggest hits, though, including 'Radioactive,' 'Believer,' and 'Thunder,' were co-written with outside producers and songwriters.
Who wrote 'Radioactive'?
'Radioactive' (2012) was co-written by Imagine Dragons with producer Alex da Kid. It became their breakthrough, spent a record 87 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance.
Who wrote 'Believer'?
'Believer' (2017) was co-written by Imagine Dragons with the Swedish production team Mattman & Robin and songwriter Justin Tranter. It became one of their most successful and most-streamed songs.
Who is the singer of Imagine Dragons?
Dan Reynolds is the lead singer and a primary songwriter. The band also includes Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman.
How many albums has Imagine Dragons released?
This catalogue covers 7 of their studio albums, from Night Visions (2012) to Loom (2024).
Did Imagine Dragons win a Grammy?
Yes, one, for Best Rock Performance for 'Radioactive' in 2014.
How many records has Imagine Dragons sold?
Over 74 million albums and 65 million digital songs worldwide, with more than 160 billion streams. They are the only group in RIAA history with four songs certified higher than diamond.
Who produces Imagine Dragons?
They have worked with a range of producers, most notably Alex da Kid, who produced their early hits, and the team Mattman & Robin on later albums. These producers usually share the writing credits.
What genre is Imagine Dragons?
They are a pop rock and alternative rock band with strong electronic and pop influences, known for big anthemic choruses and heavy, stomping percussion.
What is Imagine Dragons' biggest song?
'Radioactive' and 'Believer' are their signature songs. 'Radioactive' broke chart-longevity records, and both are among the best-selling and most-streamed rock songs of the 2010s.

Sources

Wikipedia: Imagine Dragons