Roots (Imagine Dragons song)

"Roots"
Single by Imagine Dragons
Released	August 27, 2015
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2015
Genre	Pop rock alternative dance trip hop
Length	2:54
Label	KIDinaKORNER Interscope
Writer(s)	Ben McKee Daniel Platzman Dan Reynolds Wayne Sermon
Producer(s)	Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons singles chronology
"I'm So Sorry" (2015) "Roots" (2015) "I Was Me" (2015)

"Roots" is a song by American alternative rock band Imagine Dragons. It was written by band members Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Dan Reynolds and Wayne Sermon and released as a non-album single. They performed the song for the first time on September 2, 2015 at their Melbourne, Australia show for the Smoke + Mirrors Tour. The music video was released on September 29, 2015 and was filmed in New Zealand. The song debuted atop the Billboard Rock Digital Songs chart.^[1]

Composition

Guitarist Wayne Sermon stated that the song was written on the road during their Smoke + Mirrors Tour, and that it talks about the highs and lows of their lives as musicians. The short track features a distorted drum beat over a prominent piano riff. The track is dedicated to the support they’ve received from their fanbase.^[2]

Music video

The music video for "Roots" was released on September 29, 2015. It was filmed in New Zealand, and directed by Matt Eastin, who previously directed the video for On Top of the World and the Broiler remix of Shots.

The video follows lead singer Dan Reynolds as he finds a way to escape, and remember who he is, during his hectic tour lifestyle. Throughout the video, home videos of a young Reynolds are shown ranging from infant to young adult.

Promotion

On August 19, 2015, Imagine Dragons began teasing the single when they changed their social profiles to all black, with the caption “My Roots.” The social media post foreshadowed and promoted the impending release of "Roots." The next day, the band began posting pictures of themselves as children on to social media with a hashtag (#MYROOTS). Twitter and Instagram users began submitting pictures of themselves when they were younger with the same hashtag. All pictures were used to form a collage.^[3] The single was released on iTunes August 27, 2015.

The single's artwork is by Louis Lander Deacon, who did the artwork for the band's 2012 EP, Continued Silence.

Chart performance

Peak positions Chart (2015) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100[4] 77 US Digital Songs (Billboard)[5] 20 US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[6] 13 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[7] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position US Billboard Hot Rock Songs[8] 57 US Billboard Rock Digital Songs[9] 48

References

1. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6692482/hot-100-chart-moves-tori-kelly-shouldve-been-us-vmas
2. "Imagine Dragons Release - Roots". 70mack.co.
3. "Imagine Dragons Release New Single "Roots"". Radio.com.
4. "Imagine Dragons – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Imagine Dragons. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
5. "Imagine Dragons – Chart history" Billboard Digital Songs for Imagine Dragons. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
6. "Imagine Dragons – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Imagine Dragons. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
7. "Imagine Dragons – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Imagine Dragons. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
8. "Hot Rock Songs : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. billboard.com. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
9. "Rock Digital Songs : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. billboard.com. Retrieved January 3, 2016.

External links

• Imagine Dragons official website