Imagine Dragons Darker Album Tops Charts

Imagine Dragons’ second album has already topped charts in the United States. It was released two weeks ago, and focuses on a much darker sound compared to the band’s first album Night Visions.

According to Variety, 195,000 copies of Smoke + Mirror have sold since its release up until the week ending February 22. The publication likened the fight for the number one spot to Game of Thrones, as Imagine Dragons fought to knock Drake off the top spot.

Drake hit the number one spot last week with If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, knocking Taylor Swift from the top spot. During its debut week, he sold 535,000 copies, but only sold 187,000 this week. Swift was knocked further this week, as the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, featuring the likes of Ellie Goulding and Beyonce, took the number three spot in the Billboard Top 200 chart.

Many wonder how Imagine Dragons managed to pull off the success with such a darker album. Many believe that the first live ad during the Grammys had something to do with it. During the four-minute ad, the band aired its live performance of Shots in Las Vegas, perfectly targeting the right people. The band’s first album never made it to the top of the Billboard Top 200.

Imagine Dragons also encouraged fans to do a little scavenger hunt with the new album. Album content clues were placed around select cities. This type of connection to fans may have helped the band considerably.

Petyon Baker from Great Falls Tribune explained why the new album is so great, saying that Shots is one of her favorite tracks on the album. While the band’s debut album was about the journey to fame, the second is about how life is difficult. It also includes more guitar and percussion, infusing rock and rap together.

Imagine Dragons also took the number one spot in the UK album chart this week with Smoke + Mirror. It will be good news for the band, which only gained the number two spot with the 2012 Night Visions. The band knocked Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran from number one and two respectively, both down one place each. Drake is sitting at number four in the UK now.

These results do not include the number of time the songs have been streamed online. The American band allows its tracks on Spotify, reaching out to people all over the world. That may have led to Imagine Dragons fans going out to buy the album afterwards to help it top the charts.

[Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images]