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Imagine Dragons first broke into the pop singles chart with their hit "It's Time." However, it is "Radioactive" that has become the bigger hit and leaves a more powerful mark on the listener's psyche. It is a heavy rock song that carries a dark singalong chorus that is as catchy as any hit pop song.

 

Pros

• Dan Reynolds' lead vocals
• Alex da Kid's epic production

• Massive singalong chorus

Cons

• No significant missteps

Description

• Written by Imagine Dragons and Alex da Kid
• Produced by Alex da Kid
• Released April 2012 by Interscope

Guide Review - Imagine Dragons - "Radioactive"

 

After a brief introduction, "Radioactive" kicks into a dubstep influenced opening verse complete with the drama of exhalation and dragging beat that promises something intense to come. Instead of a chorus that is clear in meaning, we are left with a vague sense of dread from the lines, "Welcome to the new age," and, "I'm radioactive, radioactive..." It is that lack of explicit threat and the intensely catchy singalong nature of the chorus that makes "Radioactive" work as a pop hit. Producer Alex da Kid brings all of the sonic power he used in a song like "Love the Way You Lie," but leaves out any real lyrical horror.

Imagine Dragons achieve a truly epic sound here. The mix puts lead vocalist Dan Reynolds upfront while backing him with what sounds like a chorus of thousands. As a centerpiece of the band's concert performances, "Radioactive" sounds even larger with crowds chiming in.

The breakdown into a ghostly bridge may actually raise a few goosebumps on the skin as you realize a final huge chorus will come crashing in.

It has been some time since a grandiose rock song has made its way into the upper reaches of the pop singles chart in the US. Imagine Dragons are changing that with "Radioactive." A key to that success is the song is a powerful subject for a singalong. "Radioactive" brings the power of a great rock song back to mainstream pop playlists, and it is the crowning achievement of Imagine Dragons' meteoric rise to the top ranks of current pop and rock bands.