Thunder (Imagine Dragons song)
2017 single by Imagine Dragons
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"Thunder" is a song by American rock band Imagine Dragons. It was released by Interscope Records and Kidinakorner on April 27, 2017, as the second single from their third studio album, Evolve (2017).[5] Written by band members Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman, and its producers Alex Da Kid and Jayson DeZuzio, "Thunder" peaked at number four, tying with "Believer" on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song became the band's fourth single in that country to reach the top ten after "Radioactive", "Demons" and "Believer". It also reached the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the Netherlands. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
| "Thunder" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Imagine Dragons | ||||
| from the album Evolve | ||||
| Released | April 27, 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:07 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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| Imagine Dragons singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Thunder" on YouTube | ||||
Music video
The official music video for the song was released on Imagine Dragons' YouTube channel on May 2, 2017. The video was shot in Dubai, filmed in black and white.[6] It features the band's lead vocalist, Dan Reynolds, singing and dancing among extraterrestrials, portrayed by dancers Haroon Al Abdali, Mamadou Bathily, and Gianna Gi, around Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa. It was directed by Joseph Kahn.[7][8]
As of October 2025, the video has over 2.3 billion views on YouTube, making it the group's second most viewed video, only behind "Believer". It also has over 13 million likes.
Live performances
Imagine Dragons performed the song at the 2017 American Music Awards, in a medley with singer Khalid's "Young Dumb & Broke", with Khalid joining them for the performance.[9] A little over a month later, on December 20, a studio version of the mash-up was released.[10]
Chart performance
"Thunder" peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100.[11][12] The single has also reached number one in Belarus, the Czech Republic and the top ten in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland. It topped the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart for 21 weeks,[11][13] Alternative Songs (three weeks),[14] Adult Top 40 (seven weeks), and the Mainstream Top 40 (for one week) charts.[15]
It became the ninth best-selling song of 2017 in the United States, with 1,189,000 copies sold in the year.[16]
Critical reception
Critics from Billboard magazine placed the song at number 84 on its list of best songs of 2017, stating "'Thunder' is relatively stripped down, and between its soldierly cadence and a bouncy, helium-inflated, one-word hook, it makes for a curious pop gem".[17] In a review of the band's live performance at London's O2 Arena, The Guardian wrote of the song: "...the irresistible, hiccupping electro-pop of Thunder, a tune that could sit equally happily in a set by Pink or Rihanna".[18]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thunder" | 3:07 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thunder / Young Dumb & Broke" (medley) (with Khalid) | 4:11 |
Charts
Weekly chartsMedley version
|
Year-end charts
Medley version
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[115] | 17× Platinum | 1,190,000‡ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[116] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Belgium (BRMA)[117] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[118] | 6× Diamond | 1,500,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[119] Medley Version |
Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[120] | 6× Platinum | 480,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[121] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[122] | Diamond | 233,333‡ |
| Germany (BVMI)[123] | 3× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[124] | 5× Platinum | 250,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[125] | 9× Platinum | 270,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[126] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[127] | Diamond | 100,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP)[128] | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| South Korea | — | 2,500,000[129] |
| Spain (Promusicae)[130] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[131] | 3× Platinum | 1,800,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[132] | 13× Platinum | 13,000,000‡ |
| Streaming | ||
| Sweden (GLF)[133] | 5× Platinum | 40,000,000† |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | April 27, 2017 | Digital download | [19] | |
| Italy | May 26, 2017 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [134] |
| United States | September 8, 2017 | Digital download – official remix |
|
[20] |
| September 11, 2017 | Hot adult contemporary radio | [135] | ||
| September 19, 2017 | Contemporary hit radio | [136] | ||
| December 20, 2017 | Digital download – medley | [10] |