Smoke + Mirrors

File:Imagine Dragons - Ilosaarirock 2013 2.jpg in 2013. The band's experiences on the tour served as an inspiration for their second album.]]

In 2012, Imagine Dragons released their debut studio album Night Visions. The album, produced by the band along with Alexander Grant and Brandon Darner, launched the band into international mainstream commercial success, charting within the top ten of 14 national record charts, in addition to charting on eight others. Certified Platinum by seven national music associations, including 2× Platinum in the United States by the RIAA{{cite web|title=Imagine Dragons - Night Visions|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Night+Visions%22|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=October 25, 2014}} and 3× Platinum in Canada by Music Canada,{{cite web|title=Gold Platinum Database - Imagine Drgaons - Night Visions|url=http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Night+Visions&sa=Imagine+Dragons&smt=0|publisher=Music Canada|access-date=October 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109115444/http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Night+Visions&sa=Imagine+Dragons&smt=0|archive-date=2013-11-09|url-status=dead}} the album was initially met with first week sales in excess of 83,000 copies, the highest charting for a debut rock album since 2006.{{cite web|last1=Kaufman|first1=Gil|title=Imagine Dragons Blaze Into #2 Spot On Billboard Chart|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1693686/imagine-dragons-billboard-charts/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130011617/http://www.mtv.com/news/1693686/imagine-dragons-billboard-charts/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 30, 2014|website=MTV News|publisher=Viacom Media Networks|date=September 12, 2013|access-date=October 25, 2014}} The album was also nominated for the 2014 Juno Award for International Album of the Year.{{cite web|author=ABC News Radio|author-link=ABC News (United States)|title=Imagine Dragons, Arcade Fire Receive Juno Award Nominations|url=http://krro.com/news/articles/2014/feb/05/imagine-dragons-arcade-fire-receive-juno-award-nominations/|website=KRRO|publisher=Midwest Communications|date=February 4, 2014|access-date=October 25, 2014|archive-date=December 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214235838/http://krro.com/news/articles/2014/feb/05/imagine-dragons-arcade-fire-receive-juno-award-nominations/|url-status=dead}}

The band released six singles during the Night Visions album cycle in 2012 and 2013, five of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100. "Radioactive," a 2013 single, sold more than nine million singles in the United States, spending more than one year consecutively on the Billboard Hot 100. Peaking at no. 3 on the chart, it also broke the record for the longest run into the top five and is the best-selling rock single on the Nielsen SoundScan running list of best-selling rock tracks in digital history.{{cite web|last1=Grein|first1=Paul|title=Can You Believe "Don't Stop Believin'" Loses Spot as Best-Selling Rock Song?|url=https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/music-news/chart-watch-radioactive-sets-rock-record-001439867.html|website=Yahoo! Music|publisher=Yahoo! Inc.|date=January 2, 2014|access-date=October 25, 2014}} Billboard listed the band as one of "2012's Brightest New Stars"{{cite magazine|author=Billboard staff|title=2012's Brightest New Stars (So Far): Page 2|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/billboard-lists/482145/2012s-brightest-new-stars-so-far-page-2|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=June 1, 2012|access-date=October 25, 2014}} and later "The Breakout Band of 2013."{{cite magazine|last1=Waddell|first1=Ray|title=Imagine Dragons: The Billboard Cover Story|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1572960/imagine-dragons-the-billboard-cover-story|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|date=July 12, 2013|access-date=October 25, 2014}}

To further promote the already-successful Night Visions, the band set out on a year-long concert tour beginning in early 2013 and ending in mid-2014, dubbed the "Night Visions Tour." The tour spanned for over 170 dates, and visited North America, South America, Europe and Oceania. An additional tour of North America, dubbed the "Into the Night Tour," was also executed. The conclusion of the Into the Night Tour signaled the end of the Night Visions album cycle, with Night Visions Live, a live album, serving as the last release in the cycle. Lead singer Dan Reynolds joked about the end of the Night Visions cycle, saying that "We're always writing on the road, [so] that second album will come, unless we die at the age of 27 next year. Hopefully we don't die and there will be a second album. I don't know when it will be, but it may come."{{cite web|last=Montgomery|first=James|title=Imagine Dragons To Begin Work On New Album Next Year ... 'Unless We Die'|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1717527/imagine-dragons-night-visions-into-the-night-tour.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118203910/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1717527/imagine-dragons-night-visions-into-the-night-tour.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 18, 2013|work=MTV.com|publisher=Viacom Media Networks|access-date=6 April 2014}} The band were also inspired greatly by their experiences on the Night Visions Tour. Dan Reynolds told New Orleans–based newspaper The Times-Picayune that the world tour had "a lot of inspiration to be drawn," and further stating, "You kind of realize that you're a lot smaller than you think."{{cite web|last=Cave|first=Anthony|title=Imagine Dragons talk success, new album and upcoming Grammy performance|url=http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2014/01/imagine_dragons_talk_success_n.html|work=The Times-Picayune|date=2 January 2014 |publisher=Advance Publications|access-date=6 April 2014}}

The idea behind the second studio album, dubbed as their "new year's resolution,"{{cite web|title=3:19 PM - 27 Dec 2013|url=https://twitter.com/Imaginedragons/status/416423171768602625|publisher=Twitter|access-date=6 April 2014}} was to create music and finish it when the band feels that their work is done. Reynolds told MTV in 2014 that the band wanted to "put out an album that [they're] really happy with". He further said that "we tend to be perfectionists, too hard on ourselves at times, and we don't want to rush anything because we know how we are with things. We don't want to put a record out until we really feel good about it, you know, and who knows how long that will take."{{cite web|last=Montgomery|first=James|title=Imagine Dragons Aim For 'Perfection' On New Album ... And That Might Take A While|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1719914/imagine-dragons-new-album.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140406091520/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1719914/imagine-dragons-new-album.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 6, 2014|work=MTV.com|publisher=Viacom Media Networks|access-date=6 April 2014}}

Reynolds stated to music magazine Rolling Stone that the album would be "different" from Night Visions, and that the band intended it to be "stripped back quite a bit." He added that "we embraced a lot of hip-hop influences with 'Night Visions', but I think the next record will be more rock-driven. It's too early to say, but there is some weird stuff going on in these songs."

The creative process for the album began long before the conclusion of the Night Visions cycle. Since the beginning of the Night Visions Tour in 2012, the band had been writing new material for an upcoming album, and, even as early as the start of the tour, had been recording demos for the album, before entering the studio.{{cite magazine|last=Graff|first=Gary|title=Imagine Dragons Stacking Demos for Album No. 2: 'We'll Continue to Evolve'|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5719189/imagine-dragons-stacking-demos-for-album-no-2-well-continue-to-evolve|magazine=Billboard|access-date=6 April 2014}} By the time that they entered the studio to work on the album, they had amassed 50 demos to work from.{{cite magazine|last=Browne|first=David|title=Imagine Dragons 'Not Counting on Winning' Any Grammys Sunday Night|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/imagine-dragons-not-counting-on-winning-any-grammys-sunday-night-20140121|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=6 April 2014}} The demos had been described by Reynolds as "definitely different," but added that "it's still Imagine Dragons, but we've got a lot of growth and maturing to do as a band. I think [the new material] is going to hopefully be a step in the right direction. We're just trying to create and do what comes out and what feels right." The band also were self-critical throughout the sessions, with Drummer Daniel Platzman stating that there was "no room for external pressure" during the recording of the album.{{cite magazine|last=Graff|first=Gary|title=Imagine Dragons Talk New Music at SXSW|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/sxsw/5930468/imagine-dragons-talk-new-music-at-sxsw|magazine=Billboard|access-date=6 April 2014}}

The band announced a rest at the end of the Night Visions Tour at Lollapalooza in São Paulo, Brazil.{{cite web|last=Dias|first=Tiago|title=No Lollapalooza, Imagine Dragons arrasta multidão e anuncia "descanso"|url=http://musica.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2014/04/05/no-lollapalooza-imagine-dragons-anuncia-que-banda-vai-fazer-pausa.htm#fotoNav=104|work=UOL Entretenimento|publisher=Universo Online|access-date=6 April 2014|date=5 April 2014}}

The Smoke + Mirrors album cycle featured three singles and two promotional singles. Regional releases from the album feature different track listings. Target has made available an exclusive deluxe version of the album featuring four bonus tracks, available online internationally.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

Target teamed with the band to air the first ever live commercial performance during the Grammy Awards. On February 8, 2015, the band performed "Shots" from Las Vegas' Freemont Street under the direction of Jonas Åkerlund.{{cite web|author=Sarah Whitten |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2015/02/09/target-hits-bulls-eye-with-8m-grammy-commercial.html |title=Target hits bull's-eye with $8M Grammy commercial |publisher=CNBC |date=2015-02-09 |access-date=2017-05-03}} Billboard estimated the commercial cost $8 million in airtime.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/grammys-2015/6465640/target-imagine-dragons-commercial-break-8-million-grammys-2015|title=Grammys 2015: Target's Imagine Dragons Commercial Break Cost About $8 Million|magazine=Billboard}}

Hard Rock Cafe teamed with the band, granting them the first ever full access to take control of Hard Rock Cafe's internal video system (more than 20,000 screens at all 151 locations worldwide) on February 17, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?H=Imagine-Dragons-to-takeover-Hard-Rock-Cafe&nItemID=87115|title=Imagine Dragons to takeover Hard Rock Cafe - Music-News.com|work=music-news.com}} Also, autographed T-shirts will be hidden throughout the Hard Rock Cafe shops supporting the Tyler Robinson Foundation, benefiting the families of children with cancer.

On December 12, 2014, Imagine Dragons posted on social media a request that fans look around Las Vegas Valley for hidden clues to upcoming songs. The band gave 13 fans puzzle pieces of the artwork for the album. When combined, the puzzle pieces revealed the cover art and album title. On December 15, 2014, "Gold" was released as a single with a video being released later. On the cover art for the album were a set of numbers that provided specific coordinates to prizes hidden in the Nevada desert, including an autographed guitar, drumsticks, Polaroid pictures, and a master pass for free concert tickets for the entire tour.{{cite web|url=http://guitar.com/articles/imagine-dragons-fan-finds-hidden-treasure-nevada-desert|title=Imagine Dragons Fan Finds Hidden Treasure in Nevada Desert|work=guitar.com|access-date=2015-02-15|archive-date=2015-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216014942/http://guitar.com/articles/imagine-dragons-fan-finds-hidden-treasure-nevada-desert|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865618770/Utah-teen-figures-out-Imagine-Dragons-riddle-finds-treasure.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150216083330/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865618770/Utah-teen-figures-out-Imagine-Dragons-riddle-finds-treasure.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2015|title=Utah teen figures out Imagine Dragons riddle, finds treasure|author=Alex Cabrero|date=31 December 2014|work=DeseretNews.com}}

On January 24, 2015, the band flew in 200 prize winning fans from around the world to attend a special listening event at the P3 Studio Art Gallery in the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.{{cite web|url=http://vegasseven.com/2015/01/29/imagine-dragons-sophomore-album-just-smoke-mirrors/|title=Imagine Dragons' Sophomore Album Is More Than Just Smoke + Mirrors - Vegas Seven|work=Vegas Seven|access-date=2015-02-09|archive-date=2015-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209214638/http://vegasseven.com/2015/01/29/imagine-dragons-sophomore-album-just-smoke-mirrors/|url-status=dead}} The event included an art exhibition of Tim Cantor's work for the album and attendees were allowed to listen to the full album through Beats headphones. Then the band arrived for an interview and private performance.

February 20 through February 26, 2015, the band, partnering with Southwest Airlines, flew over 30 winners from all over the U.S. from coast to coast on what they called the "Destination Dragons" Tour. The Destination Dragons tour consisted of all the winners being flown from their hometowns, to small clubs in Los Angeles, Provo, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. This tour was a promotion for Smoke + Mirrors, and a chance for the band to road test their new music live, in preparation for their Smoke + Mirrors World Tour. They paid homage to the clubs they got their start in by playing small, private shows for the Destination Dragons winners, as well as local winners in each city. They played The Troubadour in Los Angeles, Velour in Provo, Utah, Vinyl in Las Vegas, and wrapped up the tour at Terminal West in Atlanta, Georgia. During the Southwest flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta, fans were treated to an acoustic concert in what the airline calls "Live at 35" where artists play for airplane passengers after the airplane reaches 35,000 feet. All winners flew to all 4 cities, were given tickets to all 4 private shows, were able to attend the "Live at 35" event, and were given a meet and greet.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

The song "Friction" appeared in the NBA 2K17 soundtrack, the trailer for Mission: Impossible – Fallout and in the third and final season for Crossing Lines.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/02/27/tom-cruises-mission-impossible-fallout-has-the-years-best-trailer/#4ed3fd33ebc5|title=Tom Cruise's 'Mission: Impossible: Fallout' Has The Year's Best Trailer|work=Forbed|access-date=December 4, 2018|date=February 27, 2018|author=Scott Mendelson}}

"I Bet My Life" was released as the lead single from Smoke + Mirrors and debuted at number 15 on the Canadian Hot 100, number 27 on the UK Singles Chart, and 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-bet-my-life-single/id933047157 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6TeVDWqNi?url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-bet-my-life-single/id933047157 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 October 2014 |title=iTunes Store |work=apple.com |access-date=4 February 2015 }} It also topped the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs, a first for the band.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6472850/bob-dylan-number-one|title=Bob Dylan|magazine=Billboard}} The band performed the song live on American Music Awards (2014),{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/american-music-awards-2014s-20-best-and-worst-moments-20141124/best-imagine-dragons-secure-next-years-victory-20141124|title=Best: Imagine Dragons Secure Next Year's Victory|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=24 November 2014|access-date=4 February 2015}} Good Morning America (2015), The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2015),{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4QQ3S8dKbM|title=Imagine Dragons Perform 'I Bet My Life'|date=20 February 2015|work=YouTube}} VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live (2015).{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/shows/big_morning_buzz_live/i-bet-my-life-big-morning-buzz-live/1163344/video/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225135631/http://www.vh1.com/shows/big_morning_buzz_live/i-bet-my-life-big-morning-buzz-live/1163344/video/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 25, 2015|title=I Bet My Life (Big Morning Buzz Live)|work=VH1}}

"Gold" was released as the second single from Smoke + Mirrors on December 16, 2014, and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.{{cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303738/Imagine+Dragons/chart?f=902 | title=Imagine Dragons - Hot Rock Songs Chart history | magazine=Billboard | access-date=July 1, 2015}}

"Shots" was released as the third and final single from Smoke + Mirrors and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as reaching No. 3 on the Norway Singles chart. The band performed the song live during the Grammy Awards (2015), a first ever live commercial performance, directed by Jonas Åkerlund. They also performed the song live on Good Morning America (2015), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2015),{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/segments/112871 |title=Imagine Dragons: Shots |work=NBC.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508020642/http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/segments/112871 |archive-date=2015-05-08 }} The Howard Stern Show (2015), Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2015), and Today (2015).{{cite web|url=http://www.today.com/video/imagine-dragons-are-radioactive-on-the-today-plaza-471727171619|title=Imagine Dragons are 'Radioactive' on the TODAY plaza|work=TODAY.com}}

"Smoke and Mirrors" and "I'm So Sorry" were released as promotional singles in 2015.

On February 5, 2015, the band played a live streaming concert for Live Nation and Yahoo! during which they announced the North American leg of the arena tour.{{cite web|url=http://radio.com/2015/02/06/imagine-dragons-announce-2015-smoke-mirrors-tour/|title=Imagine Dragons Announce 2015 Tour Dates « Radio.com|work=radio.com|access-date=2015-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208225928/http://radio.com/2015/02/06/imagine-dragons-announce-2015-smoke-mirrors-tour/|archive-date=2015-02-08|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/6472705/imagine-dragons-cover-smoke-and-mirrors-touring-grammys|title=Imagine Dragons on Fame, Depression and Conflicts With Mormon Faith Billboard|magazine=Billboard|date=13 February 2015}} The band embarked on a world tour, Smoke + Mirrors Tour, in promotion of the worldwide release of Smoke + Mirrors. The tour began on began April 12, 2015 and concluded on February 5, 2016.

{{music ratings

| MC = 60/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/smoke-+-mirrors/imagine-dragons |title=Reviews for Smoke + Mirrors by Imagine Dragons |date=17 February 2015 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=17 February 2015}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/smoke-mirrors-mw0002803699 |title=Smoke + Mirrors – Imagine Dragons |author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |website=AllMusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation |access-date=22 February 2015}}

| rev2 = Billboard

| rev2Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6473071/album-review-imagine-dragons-smoke-mirrors |title=Album Review: Imagine Dragons' 'Smoke + Mirrors' Cherry-Picks Musical Styles |author=Wilson, Carl |date=17 February 2015 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=17 February 2015}}

| rev3 = Consequence of Sound

| rev3Score = D+{{cite magazine |url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/02/album-review-imagine-dragons-smoke-mirrors/ |title=Imagine Dragons – Smoke + Mirrors |author=Brennan, Collin |date=11 February 2015 |magazine=Consequence of Sound |access-date=19 February 2015}}

| rev4 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/11415245/Imagine-Dragons-Smoke-Mirrors-review-thunderous.html |title=Imagine Dragons, Smoke + Mirrors review: Thunderous |work=The Daily Telegraph |date= 17 February 2015 |access-date=17 February 2015 |last=McCormick |first=Neil}}

| rev5 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev5Score = B+{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/11/smoke-mirrors-imagine-dragons-ew-review |title=Smoke + Mirrors Album Review |publisher=Time Inc. |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2015 |last=Anderson |first=Kyle}}

| rev6 = The Guardian

| rev6Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/15/imagine-dragons-smoke-mirrors-observer-review |title=Imagine Dragons: Smoke + Mirrors review – anonymous stadium pop |author=Mardles, Paul |date=15 February 2015 |website=The Guardian |access-date=17 February 2015}}

| rev7 = New York Daily News

| rev7Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/imagine-dragons-win-ugly-bloated-rock-article-1.2117277 |title=Album Review: Imagine Dragons 'Smoke + Mirrors' The band's 'more-is-more' style adds up to less |author=Farber, Jim |date=16 February 2015 |website=New York Daily News |access-date=17 February 2015}}

| rev8 = Q

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Imagine Dragons: Smoke + Mirrors |journal=Q |date=January 2015}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/imagine-dragons-smoke-mirrors-20150217 |title=Album Review: Imagine Dragons, Smoke + Mirrors |author=Dolan, Jon |date=17 February 2015 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=17 February 2015}}

| rev10 = USA Today

| rev10Score = {{rating|3|4}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/reviews/2015/02/16/imagine-dragons-smoke-mirrors-listen-up-album-of-the-week/23355037/ |title=Album of the week: Imagine Dragons' 'Smoke + Mirrors' |author=Mansfield, Brian |date=16 February 2015 |website=USA Today |access-date=17 February 2015}}

}}

Smoke + Mirrors received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 60, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews". Q published a positive review of the album, calling it "[a] modern pop-rock gem" and also noting it as an improvement upon their debut album Night Visions." Entertainment Weekly published a positive review stating, "the group's sophomore effort scales back on the electronic frippery, revealing the tightly focused rock juggernaut they are on stage."{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/11/smoke-mirrors-imagine-dragons-ew-review|title='Smoke + Mirrors', by Imagine Dragons: EW review|work=Entertainment Weekly's EW.com}} Illinois Entertainer published an interview with Reynolds on February 2, 2015, saying the album is "an ambitious, rock-solid effort, with potential hits galore."{{cite web |work=Illinois Entertainer|url=http://illinoisentertainer.com/2015/02/cover-story-imagine-dragons/|title=Cover Story: Imagine Dragons|access-date=February 2, 2015}} The Daily Telegraph published a highly positive review of the album, calling it "thunderous" and saying its "songs are peppered with bright ideas and odd collisions, world music sounds percolating through R&B grooves, stuttering digital breaks interrupting solid rhythms. Lyrics and delivery suggest Imagine Dragons adhere to old-fashioned rock band idealism, but nothing is allowed to get in the way of a sparkling hook."{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/11415245/Imagine-Dragons-Smoke-Mirrors-review-thunderous.html|title=Imagine Dragons, Smoke + Mirrors, review: 'thunderous'|author=Neil McCormick|date=16 February 2015|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}

Allison Stewart of The Washington Post wrote that the band "is very good at what it does, even if what it does isn't very good," having "effortlessly achieved" the album's one purpose, "to cram as many popular styles as possible into a mainstream rock album to appeal to as many people as it can."{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/imagine-dragons-new-album-is-good-even-if-no-will-admit-it/2015/02/16/d1fc2fbc-b5f4-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html |title=Imagine Dragons' new album is good, even if no one will admit it |author=Stewart, Allison |date=16 February 2015 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=17 February 2015}} Dave DiMartino of Yahoo! Music wrote that "it is the band's music, and not their faces, or personalities, that resonates with the mass audiences. And this is good. . . This is a pretty solid, surprisingly diverse sounding rock album—not a tuneless screech-fest by any means—and a record the band should be proud of. . . This could have been a shambles, and it's anything but."{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/music/imagine-dragons-unexpected-arrival-elle-kings-111396511141.html|title=Imagine Dragons' Unexpected Arrival, Elle King's Return & More|date=18 February 2015|work=yahoo.com}} Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the album as "overblown" arena rock, with more style than substance, and an overemphasis on reverberation effects such that "the reverb nearly functions as a fifth instrument in the band".

The album's lyrics were nominated for an AML Award.{{cite web |url=http://associationmormonletters.org/blog/2016/02/2015-aml-awards-finalists-4-lyrics-picture-book-and-poetry/ |title=2015 AML Awards Finalists #4: Lyrics, Picture Book, and Poetry |last1=Hall |first1=Andrew |date=4 Feb 2016 |website=Dawning of a Brighter Day |publisher=Association for Mormon Letters |access-date=4 Feb 2016}}

Smoke + Mirrors debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with 195,000 album-equivalent units (172,000 of which were pure album sales).{{cite magazine|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|title=Imagine Dragons Slay at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6480541/imagine-dragons-no-1-billboard-200-chart|magazine=Billboard|date=February 25, 2015|access-date=February 25, 2015}} It more than doubled the group's previous best sales week.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6480541/imagine-dragons-no-1-billboard-200-chart | title=Imagine Dragons Slay at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart | magazine=Billboard }} The album remained in the chart's top twenty for the next several weeks, as of December 2, 2024, the album has sold over 2,000,000 copies in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=IMAGINE+DRAGONS |title=Gold & Platinum - RIAA |publisher=RIAA |access-date=December 2, 2024 }} In the United Kingdom, it became the final album to reach number one on sales alone as streaming became incorporated into the UK Albums Chart the following week.{{Cite web|date=2015-02-23|title=Imagine Dragons score debut UK No 1, while Ellie Goulding breaks streaming record|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/23/imagine-dragons-debut-uk-no-1-ellie-goulding-streaming-record|access-date=2021-08-14|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

All songs written and produced by Imagine Dragons (Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee and Daniel Platzman), except where noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Smoke + Mirrors

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Shots

| length1 = 3:52

| title2 = Gold

| length2 = 3:36

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

• Alexander Grant
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| extra2 = {{flatlist|

• Alex da Kid
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| title3 = Smoke and Mirrors

| length3 = 4:20

| title4 = I'm So Sorry

| length4 = 3:50

| title5 = I Bet My Life

| length5 = 3:14

| title6 = Polaroid

| length6 = 3:50

| title7 = Friction

| length7 = 3:21

| title8 = It Comes Back to You

| length8 = 3:37

| title9 = Dream

| length9 = 4:18

| writer9 = {{flatlist|

• Grant
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| extra9 = {{flatlist|

• Alex da Kid
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| title10 = Trouble

| length10 = 3:12

| title11 = Summer

| length11 = 3:38

| title12 = Hopeless Opus

| length12 = 4:01

| title13 = The Fall

| length13 = 6:05

| total_length = 50:55

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition

| total_length = 64:11

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title14 = Thief

| length14 = 3:47

| title15 = The Unknown

| length15 = 3:24

| title16 = Second Chances

| length16 = 3:37

| title17 = Release

| length17 = 2:28

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = International deluxe edition{{cite web|url=http://store.universalmusic.com/imaginedragons/*/Music/Smoke-Mirrors-Deluxe-CD-Album-Bundle/3MTU04AH000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217014904/http://store.universalmusic.com/imaginedragons/*/Music/Smoke-Mirrors-Deluxe-CD-Album-Bundle/3MTU04AH000|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 December 2014|title=Imagine Dragons|access-date=4 February 2015}}

| total_length = 67:01

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title18 = Warriors

| note18 = from 2014 League of Legends World Championship

| writer18 = {{flatlist|

• Grant
• Josh Mosser
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| extra18 = Alex da Kid

| length18 = 2:50

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Super deluxe edition{{cite web|url=http://store.universalmusic.com/imaginedragons/*/Music/Smoke-Mirrors-Super-Deluxe-Album-Bundle/3MTJ04AH000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217014904/http://store.universalmusic.com/imaginedragons/*/Music/Smoke-Mirrors-Super-Deluxe-Album-Bundle/3MTJ04AH000|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 December 2014|title=Imagine Dragons|access-date=4 February 2015}}

| total_length = 79:55

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title19 = Battle Cry

| note19 = from Transformers: Age of Extinction

| length19 = 4:32

| title20 = Monster

| note20 = from Infinity Blade III

| length20 = 4:09

| writer20 = {{flatlist|

• Imagine Dragons
• Grant

}}

| extra20 = {{flatlist|

• Alex da Kid
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| title21 = Who We Are

| note21 = from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

| length21 = 4:10

| writer21 = {{flatlist|

• Grant
• Josh Mosser
• Imagine Dragons

}}

| extra21 = {{flatlist|

• Grant
• Mosser

}}

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Asia Tour Edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title19 = Shots (Broiler Remix)

| length19 = 3:11

| extra19 = Broiler

| title20 = I Bet My Life (Imagine Dragons Remix)

| length20 = 3:52

| title21 = I Bet My Life (Lost Kings Remix)

| extra21 = Lost Kings

| length21 = 3:59

| total_length = 75:03

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Spotify UK deluxe edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title22 = Shots (Broiler Remix)

| extra22 = Broiler

| length22 = 3:12

| total_length = 83:00

}}

Note

• All bonus tracks on a separate disc on physical versions.

Imagine Dragons

• Dan Reynolds – lead vocals, percussion, piano, keyboards, songwriting, production
• Wayne Sermon – guitar, songwriting, production
• Ben McKee – bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, horns, songwriting, production
• Daniel Platzman – drums, percussion, viola, songwriting, production

{{more sources section|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Reflections (from the Vault of Smoke + Mirrors)

| type = compilation

| artist = Imagine Dragons

| cover = Imagine Dragons Reflections artwork.jpeg

| caption =

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2025|02|21}}

| recorded =

| studio = Imagine Dragons Studio (Las Vegas, Nevada)

| genre =

| length = 41:39

| label = * Interscope

• KidinaKorner

| producer = * Imagine Dragons

• Alex da Kid
• Goldwiing
• Asa Taccone

| prev_title = Loom

| prev_year = 2024

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Reflections (from the Vault of Smoke + Mirrors)

| type = compilation

| single1 = Monica

| single1date = January 27, 2025

}}

}}

Reflections (from the Vault of Smoke + Mirrors) is an compilation album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. Released on February 21, 2025, the album compiles fourteen previously unreleased demos from Smoke + Mirrors for its tenth anniversary.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Abby |date=2025-02-12 |title=Imagine Dragons announce 10th anniversary ‘Reflections (from the Vault of Smoke + Mirrors)’ out Feb. 21 » // MELODIC Magazine |url=https://www.melodicmag.com/2025/02/12/imagine-dragons-announce-10th-anniversary-reflections-from-the-vault-of-smoke-mirrors-out-feb-21/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=www.melodicmag.com |language=en-US}} The album was preceded by one promotional single, "Monica", released on January 27, 2025. It also includes a demo version of the Smoke + Mirrors single "I Bet My Life". In addition to the band and Alex da Kid who produced Smoke + Mirrors, Reflections features production from composer Asa Taccone and the band's former drummer Andrew Tolman (credited alongside guitarist Wayne Sermon as Goldwiing).

On February 4, 2025, Imagine Dragons posted on Twitter and Instagram "scratch the mirror's surface where the game is played - therein lies the treasure, an early look Dan made." The ARG led to a Unity game titled "Reflections" uploaded by Dan Reynolds.{{Cite web |title=Reflections by dancreynolds |url=https://dancreynolds.itch.io/reflections |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=itch.io |language=en}} The game's levels each had one brand new demo by Imagine Dragons playing throughout the level, totaling to 23 unheard demos. Of these 23, twelve of them were songs to be released on Reflections with the exception of "Destroyed" and "I Bet My Life" not being on the soundtrack. The 23 new songs have been unofficially compiled and referred to as "The Itch", with the name stemming from the site name "itch.io" where the songs were first discovered.

While the songs on Reflections were advertised as being from the Smoke + Mirrors sessions, fans noticed some errors in the songs dates - "Strange Ways" is from 2019 and can be seen in the background of Dan's Twitch streams; "The Journey" can be partially seen on a whiteboard in some lyric videos from "Mercury - Act 1" in 2021; while "Mayday" is from as early as 2009 and appears on the elusive Velour sampler. Only a few demos on Reflections can be proven to be written during the Smoke + Mirrors sessions, with "Black" and "Destroyed" appearing on whiteboards in the Smoke + Mirrors trailer. "The Ghost Intervention" and "I Get Carried Away" are also known to be Smoke + Mirrors material, being written during 2013 and 2014 respectively.{{Cite web |last=No_Ad_1431 |date=2025-02-22 |title=Reflections is NOT all S+M demos + Proof |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/imaginedragons/comments/1ivad0s/reflections_is_not_all_sm_demos_proof/?rdt=62347 |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=r/imaginedragons}}

In promotional art for Reflections, headshots of each member of Imagine Dragons were posted on the band's social media. Fans were displeased that only headshots of Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, and Ben McKee were posted, with no picture for Daniel Platzman. While the promo art including only three members reflects the band's current lineup as of 2024, Platzman was still in the band during the release of Smoke + Mirrors and credited on several songs.

All tracks were written and produced by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, Alexander Grant, Andrew Tolman and Asa Taccone.

{{Track listing

| headline = Reflections (from the Vault of Smoke + Mirrors)

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Woke

| length1 = 3:40

| title2 = The Ghost Intervention

| length2 = 3:13

| title3 = Monica

| length3 = 3:19

| title4 = Black

| length4 = 3:23

| title5 = Strange Ways

| length5 = 2:31

| title6 = I Get Carried Away

| length6 = 3:14

| title7 = A-OK

| length7 = 2:22

| title8 = Destroyed

| length8 = 3:29

| title9 = Playin' Me

| length9 = 2:42

| title10 = My Car

| length10 = 2:31

| title11 = Cowboy

| length11 = 2:39

| title12 = Mayday

| length12 = 3:11

| title13 = The Journey

| length13 = 2:40

| title14 = I Bet My Life

| length14 = 2:46

| total_length = 41:39

}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|type=album|title=Smoke & Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2016|award=Gold|access-date=March 23, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2018|award=Platinum|access-date=February 21, 2018}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|award=Platinum|relyear=2015|certyear=2021|id=10052|access-date=March 19, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2019|award=Gold|access-date=February 13, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|award=Platinum|id=13763|access-date=December 16, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Mexico|artist=Imagine Dragons|title=Smoke + Mirrors|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|access-date=January 15, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|award=Platinum|number=2|source=radioscope|access-date=March 23, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|award=Gold|access-date=October 26, 2015}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Imagine Dragons|title=Smoke + Mirrors|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2015|certyear=2021|access-date=January 13, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Singapore|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2021|award=Gold|access-date=February 4, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=album|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2015|award=Gold|certweek=83|position=54|access-date=March 16, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title=Smoke & Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|relyear=2015|certyear=2022|award=Platinum|id=13237-2498-2|access-date=June 13, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|type=album|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|access-date=December 2, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|title=Smoke + Mirrors|artist=Imagine Dragons|type=album|nocert=true|salesamount=1,100,000|salesref={{Cite web|url=https://www.rogersplace.com/imagine-dragons-october-10-2017/|title=Imagine Dragons : October 10, 2017|date=May 9, 2017}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{Portal|Rock music}}

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2015
• List of number-one albums of 2015 in Canada
• List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2010s

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9LUD5Kp855LuLkiaykQDxoamUM8KWc5Y Smoke + Mirrors] (Asia Tour Edition) at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
• [http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com Imagine Dragons official site]

{{Imagine Dragons}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smoke and Mirrors (Imagine Dragons album)}}

Category:2015 albums

Category:Albums produced by Alex da Kid

Category:Imagine Dragons albums

Category:Interscope Records albums

Category:Interscope Geffen A&M Records albums

Category:Kidinakorner albums