Meaning of “Believer” by Imagine Dragons

“Believer” is a song performed by Imagine Dragons – an American pop rock band. The lyrics of this song deal with the real life personal struggles of the band’s lead singer Dan Reynolds. Speaking to People Magazine, Reynolds said the song’s lyrics touch on certain specific things in his life which caused him so much trouble and pain. Some of these struggles Reynolds battled with include depression, anxiety, and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Ankylosing spondylitis is a particular type of arthritis which leaves the sufferer with inflamed joints of the spine and other parts of the body.

According to Reynolds, the song explains to the listener that the pains he (Reynolds) faced were blessings in disguise since he not only transformed it to his greatest strength but also used it to move to a “healthier mental space” in his life.

Reynolds believes that the adversity you come across in life is what helps you grow to “become a believer in yourself”. Hence the song’s tittle “Believer”. The inspirational theme of this song is very similar to the theme of the band’s 2018 hit song “Natural“.

Facts about “Believer”

• “Believer” was written by members of Imagine Dragon (Dan Reynolds, Ben McKee, Wayne Sermon and Daniel Platzman). Three other songwriters also contribute to the writing of the song. These writers are: American singer and songwriter Justin Tranter and the award-winning Swedish production and songwriting duo Mattman and Robin (Mattias Larsson and Robin Frediksson).
• Mattman and Robin produced the track.
• The song was recorded at the Imagine Dragons Studio located in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
• None of the band members played a role in the song’s production.
• This track was released on February 1st, 2017 as the first single from the band’s third studio album Evolve. The album also features the song “Thunder”, which is another worldwide hit from Imagine Dragons.
• Having sold more than 1,500,000 copies in the United States alone in 2017, the song is considered one of the band’s most successful songs.
• “Believer” was ranked the fifth best-selling in the United States in 2017.
• The music video of “Believer”, which was directed by music video director Matt Eastin, features iconic Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren.
• On the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at number 4. “Believer” also peaked at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart.

Did “Believer” win a Grammy Award?

No. The album (Evolve) on which the song appears was nominated for a Grammy at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in the Best Pop Vocal Album category but lost to English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (divide) album.

What musical genre is “Believer”?

It is a pop rock song.

Did this song sample any other song(s)?

No, it didn’t.