Next to Me (Imagine Dragons song)

"Next to Me" is a song recorded by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. Written by all four members of the band and producer Alex da Kid, it was released through Kidinakorner and Interscope Records on February 21, 2018, as the fourth single from the band's third studio album Evolve, appearing as the first track on a re-issue of the album.

"Next to Me"
Single by Imagine Dragons
from the album Evolve
ReleasedFebruary 21, 2018 (2018-02-21)
RecordedDecember 2017
Genre
Length3:50
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Alex da Kid
Imagine Dragons singles chronology
"Whatever It Takes"
(2017)		 "Next to Me"
(2018)		 "Born to Be Yours"
(2018)
Music video
"Next to Me" on YouTube

Background and release

The band first teased the song on February 14, 2018, with a tweet that contains the cover artwork, which features two people in a canyon. They captioned the picture: "2/21 the evolution begins."[1] The single premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show as the day's "World Record",[2][3] and was released alongside the announcement of extended summer tour dates.[4]

"Next to Me" was referred to as the band's first love song. Dan Reynolds, lead singer of the song, admitted that it was an unexpected theme change in the interview with Lowe, saying: "Yeah I don't typically write love songs. I started writing when I was about 13 years old and it was a source of an escape from school from depression from feeling lost and it was never a romance. So for me this is some of the first times that I've really explored diving into my mind and musicality and sonicality of romance." He regarded it as "something everybody can relate to", which is the "feeling like you are going to fail sometimes in a relationship and the true value of a relationship is what happens then".[5]

Music video

An accompanying short film for the song was released on March 13, 2018. The video stars the lead singer, Dan Reynolds, and his wife, Aja Volkman. In the video, Aja leaves Dan due to his problems, leading to him attempting to sell his wedding ring. The clerk (played by Wayne Sermon) tells him that the ring is not worth much, and in his anger, Dan kills the clerk. The rest of the video features a series of flashbacks while Dan is on death row, and his eventual execution.[6]

Critical reception

Ryan Reed of Rolling Stone opined that the band manages to "blend the experimental and accessible" on the track, writing that it "builds to an arena-worthy chorus with massive, choral-style backing vocals and electronic effects".[7] Scott T. Sterling of CBS Radio deemed the song "a big and powerful ballad that highlights Reynolds soaring and impassioned vocals".[8] Mike Wass of Idolator stated that the song features a "sleepy tempo".[5]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]

Imagine Dragons

  • Wayne Sermon – guitars, composition
  • Dan Reynolds – vocals, composition
  • Ben McKee – bass guitar, composition
  • Daniel Platzman – drums, composition

Additional musician

  • Alex da Kid – composition, production

Technical personnel

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[33] Gold 20,000‡
France (SNEP)[34] Platinum 200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[35] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[36] Platinum 10,000‡
United States (RIAA)[37] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Imagine Dragons teases possible new song, "Next To Me"". ABC News Radio. February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  2. Variety Staff (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons Announce Summer Tour Dates, Drop New Single 'Next To Me' (Listen)". Variety. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  3. McDonnell, Brandy (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons thundering into Oklahoma this summer". NewsOK. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  4. Maher, Natalie (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons Release New Single 'Next To Me,' Announce Extended Summer Tour with Grace VanderWaal". Billboard. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  5. Wass, Mike (February 21, 2018). "The Evolution Of Imagine Dragons Continues With "Next To Me"". Idolator. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  6. "Imagine Dragons Singer Dan Reynolds Dances With Death in Dramatic 11-Minute 'Next to Me' Mini-Movie: Watch". Billboard.
  7. Reed, Ryan (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons Release New Song 'Next To Me,' Plot Summer Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  8. Sterling, Scott (February 21, 2018). "Imagine Dragons Reveal New Song 'Next To Me,' 2018 Tour Dates". CBS Radio. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  9. "Evolve / Imagine Dragons TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  10. "ARIA Chart Watch #462". auspOp. March 3, 2018. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  11. "Imagine Dragons – Next to Me" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  12. "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  13. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201822 into search. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  14. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201816 into search. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  15. "{{{artist}}} – {{{song}}}" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  16. "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 21" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  17. "Imagine Dragons - Next to me". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  18. "Imagine Dragons - Next To Me". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  19. "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  20. "Imagine Dragons – Next to Me". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  22. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201825 into search. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  23. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201809 into search. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  24. "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  25. "Imagine Dragons – Next to Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  27. "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  28. "Imagine Dragons Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  29. "Top 100 Venezuela" (in Spanish). National-Report. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  30. "Classifiche Annuali Top of the Music FIMI/GfK 2018: Protagonista La Musica Italiana" (Download the attachment and open the singles file) (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  31. "Top AFP – Audiogest – Top 200 FTD 2018" (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  32. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  33. "Brazilian single certifications – Imagine Dragons – Next To Me" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  34. "French single certifications – Imagine Dragons – Next to Me" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  35. "Italian single certifications – Imagine Dragons – Next to Me" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved August 6, 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Next to Me" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  36. "Portuguese single certifications – Imagine Dragons – Next to Me" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  37. "American single certifications – Imagine Dragons – Next to Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
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