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Arcanes Full Intro Lets Imagine Dragons Get the Final Word In
For three years,Arcaneviewers have become used to the hit series intro song, Enemy by Imagine Dragons and JID. Like any good opening, the song quickly implanted itself in their hearts, and whether through the visuals or just being a pretty good listen in its own right, its one of the handful of songs from the pop-rock band many would openly cop to liking. With the show now over, Riots gone and released the full version of the tune that started it all. The Enemy that plays inArcanes opening isnt entirely the same as the official track that released on digital platforms in 2021. Where the latter is unashamedly pop and like just about any other Imagine Dragons song, the shows version has more of what can only really be called a League of Legends energy. The orginals drums and plucky bass strings are replaced with an orchestral strings and trumpets, plus a ticking clock underneath JIDs verse. It all works in making this feel like a proper Arcanesong rather than a song that happens to be featured in the show. (And if not that, then a track that would open Riots now-annual Worlds championship.) Ever since their 2011 single Radioactive gained popularity, Imagine Dragons has been a punching bag of the pop music space. Their music really was basically everywhere, from car commercials to movie trailers and CW shows. Eventually, this led them to Riot Games, and they made Warriors to promote Leagues first-ever Worlds championship in 2014. According to Arcane co-creator Christian Linke last year, the team actively courted artists they were interested when it came time to build Arcanes season one soundtrack. Back then, record labels were initially uneasy about associating their artists with a cartoon from a studio no one heard of based on a game also considered niche. But as he tells it, Imagine Dragons was one of several artists who fought with their record to be included, and it paid off: Linke said Enemy was a massive streaming hit, and the band performed Enemy at the 2021 Game Awards. It defines both the show and the band, and theres a decent chance some Arcane fans were turned onto it through that song and that specific performance. By getting into bed with Riot a decade ago, Imagine Dragons set the stage for Riot and its larger transmedia ventures with League. Several artists entered Arcaneby doing Worlds songs: Pvris did 2021s Burn It All Down, and its remix featured Denzel Curry, which resulted in both subsequently joining the season one soundtrack. That trend didnt continue for the shows sophomore outing, but the reborn Linkin Parks recent Heavy is the Crown pulls double duty as a season two needle drop and the song for Worlds 2024. More substantially, Alexander Mako Seaver first featured in 2017s Legends Never Die and 2018s Rise before making his debut as a composer for the series. Alongside Alexander Temple, the two made a soundtrack that drives the shows biggest moments and which fans cant stop listening towhich likely wouldnt have existed if the Nickelback of the 2010s hadnt been the first major band Riot collaborated with for its musical endeavors.None of this is to say you should suddenly bow down at the altar of Imagine Dragons; even as someone who went through a phase with them in the 2010s, Ive pulled back from listening to them. (Their music is perfectly fine and good to have on as background noise.) Unless youre already deep in the Arcane paint, this new rendition of Enemy isnt going to be life-changing, but it does bring the band and its relationship with Riots flagship game full circle. Only question now is, what bands leading the charge for whatever the next show is? Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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