After tons of criticism for years now from around the music community, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds is apparently feeling the heat.
Having his band be judged over the years to be overly superficial, bland, and underwhelming — like Nickelback, for some, and Coldplay or Maroon 5 for others — Reynolds took offense to all the characterizations earlier this week when he penned an open letter and posted it to Twitter for the whole world to see.
Related: No Hate, Imagine Dragons Got Us Feeling The Thunder!
Clearly emotional about how he saw fans and other rock musicians viewing the Dragons, Reynolds LIT UP the two-page open letter, calling out other bands and people while asking for sympathy and, eventually, promising that his bandmates would keep doing exactly what they’ve been doing — which is playing the music they love.
Um… OK!
Here’s the open letter, in full across Notes pages on two of Reynold’s tweets (below):
“For a decade now I’ve dealt with critics and other bands saying extremely harsh things about my band. Not what I would call ‘fair criticism’ (which I always try my best to receive and learn from) but actual click-bait horse sh*t. Words filled with vile and hate meant to feed humanities need to laugh at other’s imperfections and fails.
I’ve stood silently and taken it for years. It has added to the depression I’ve dealt with since youth. I don’t say this in search of sympathy, but just as a fact.
It’s not the person that causes me the feelings of stress and depression, but what it does to the world we as a band have created. How it could possibly make a kid feel ‘not cool’ to listen to imagine dragons. I hate that thought. Wondering if my kids will be made fun of as they grow up because someone thinks my band isn’t cool.
I’ve gotten over the fact that guys in other bands (the 1975, foster the people, smashing pumpkins, slipknot etc) feel a need to talk badly about my band for whatever reason. I don’t feel anger towards them actually, just more a sadness that this industry embraces, even celebrates this mentality. I wish it felt like a place where artists stood by each other and supported one another – regardless of our different tastes and voices.
My band mates are some of my best friends. We are authentically ourselves and strive to bring positivity and empowerment to the world.
We’ll continue to do just that.
X DR”
Wow. That, uh, that is an intense way to address your critics!
And maybe it lends a little unwanted credence to your group being one of the worst bands of all time if, you know, you address that fact?! Ignoring it all might have been better. Just sayin’!!!
Thoughts, Perezcious readers?! Do U think Imagine Dragons is a good band? Do they suck?! Sound OFF in the comments (below)…
[Image via WENN.]