Maps of Music

Origins (2018)

Where the lyrics of Origins take you, and where it was really made.

Released less than a year and a half after Evolve, Origins was described by frontman Dan Reynolds as a 'sister album' that completes one cycle of the band's music.

Key places

Recorded at Ragged Insomnia Studio, Las Vegas (2018)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — Credits list Ragged Insomnia Studio in Las Vegas as one of the album's recording locations. The pin is set at city-center level, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Wolf Cousins Studios, Stockholm (2018)

Recording site Master Plan — Credits list Wolf Cousins Studios in Stockholm as a recording location for several tracks, including Natural and Only. The pin is set at city-center level, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Origins: fourth studio album by the American pop rock band Imagine Dragons
• Released 9 November 2018 by KIDinaKORNER, Polydor Records and Interscope Records
• Produced by the band members with Alex da Kid, Mattman & Robin, John Hill, Joel Little, Tim Randolph, Jayson DeZuzio and Jorgen Odegard
• Released in three editions: standard (12 songs), deluxe (15 songs) and international deluxe (16 songs)
• Frontman Dan Reynolds called it a sister album to Evolve that completes a cycle of the band's music

Background

• The Evolve World Tour ended in September 2018, which closed the Evolve album cycle and began the Origins cycle
• Reynolds said the band had already written songs that felt right to release immediately, even though bands usually take a break after touring
• The album cover and related merchandise leaked online on 2 October 2018
• The band officially announced the album with a trailer on 3 October 2018, the same day the title was revealed and pre-orders opened
• The track listing for the standard version was revealed on 20 October 2018

Recording

• Recording credits list Ragged Insomnia Studio in Las Vegas, Wolf Cousins Studios in Stockholm, #TheKampus, Rodeo Recording, Golden Age Recording and Sargent Recorders
• Mixing credits include MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Larrabee North and Red Oak Studios
• Mastering was done at Sterling Sound in New York by Randy Merrill

Cover

• Cover art by Beeple
• Design and layout by Dina Hovsepian, photography by Eric Ray Davidson

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band formed in 2008 and based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Dan Reynolds met drummer Andrew Tolman at Brigham Young University in 2008; the two recruited other members to form the band.
• The band's lineup changed several times; Wayne Sermon and Ben McKee completed the core line-up by 2009.
• The band released their first EPs in Las Vegas and signed with Interscope Records in November 2011.

Members

• The current lineup consists of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, and bassist Ben McKee.
• Daniel Platzman joined as drummer in 2011 and was later absent from the band; Andrew Tolman served as touring drummer.

Career

• Debut album Night Visions (2012) peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200; the single "Radioactive" topped the Hot Rock Songs chart for 23 weeks.
• Smoke + Mirrors (2015) became the band's first album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
• Evolve (2017) produced the chart-topping singles "Believer", "Thunder", and "Whatever It Takes".
• Origins (2018) debuted at No. 2 in the US; Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 (2022) and Loom (2024) followed.
• The band has sold more than 74 million albums and won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance for "Radioactive".
• Critical reception of their albums has been mixed, though the band remains commercially successful.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic: average score 59 out of 100 from 10 reviews, which indicates mixed or average reviews
• The Independent: positive review; said Origins is further proof of Reynolds' pop songwriting and his ambition to push important messages onto the charts
• Newsday: positive review; said the album sounds like the start of something even bigger for the band
• Digital Journal: highly positive review; called the album highly eclectic, with something for every music fan
• The Heights: positive review; said the eclectic song list would please crowds and impress on a future stadium tour
• The Daily Campus: positive review; said the album includes many contagious rock-pop anthems
• AllMusic: mixed review; said the group tries to fit every kind of playlist and that everything sounds vaguely familiar
• Pitchfork: mixed review; said Reynolds has a story to tell but the music fails to be the ideal delivery system
• The Guardian: negative review; said the band's mainstream formula does not change despite its claims to be angry philosophers
• NME: negative review; called the album scattershot and uninspired, making for a grueling listen
• The Irish Times: strongly critical; called the album a muddled and incoherent mess

Reappraisal

• Many critics said the album improved on Evolve even though the reviews overall were mixed
• AllMusic's criticism focused on the album being designed to work as a soundtrack to any task

Records

• Debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 91,000 album-equivalent units, including 61,000 pure album sales
• Fourth top-two album for the band and third to debut at number 2
• Certified Platinum in the United States by the RIAA for sales of 1 million units, as of 31 August 2021
• Natural peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100
• Zero peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart
• Bad Liar peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'Zero' is featured in the Disney animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet and was included in the film's second official trailer, along with its ending credits.
• The international deluxe edition includes a collaboration with Norwegian DJ Kygo and the group Born To Be Yours as the 16th and final track.
• The standard version comes in a jewel case with a clear tray and an 8-page foldout inlay.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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