Mercury – Acts 1 & 2

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Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
The artwork for Mercury – Acts 1 & 2. Target exclusive artwork inverts the colors and Mercury – Act 2 artwork adds "Act 2" below "Mercury".
Studio album / reissue by
Imagine Dragons
ReleasedJuly 1, 2022
Recorded2018–2022
Length102:40
44:57 (Act 1)
57:43 (Act 2)
Label
Producer
Imagine Dragons chronology
Mercury – Act 1
(2021) 		Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
(2022) 		Loom
(2024)
Singles from Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
  1. "Bones"
    Released: March 11, 2022
  2. "Sharks"
    Released: June 24, 2022
  3. "I Don't Like Myself"
    Released: October 10, 2022
  4. "Symphony"
    Released: November 25, 2022
  5. "Crushed"
    Released: May 10, 2023
  6. "Waves"
    Released: May 19, 2023[1]

Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 is the full fifth studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, released through Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. It is a double album consisting of 32 tracks, with the first half, Mercury – Act 1, released separately on September 3, 2021, and Mercury – Act 2, the second half, released on July 1, 2022, as part of Mercury – Acts 1 & 2. Mercury – Act 2 was only released separately on vinyl. The album was executive produced by Rick Rubin.

Background and concept[edit]

Imagine Dragons released their fifth studio album Mercury – Act 1 on September 3, 2021. Upon its release, the band confirmed that they would be releasing a sequel album.[2] The band stated that Rick Rubin would executive produce the album. In January 2022, frontman Dan Reynolds claimed the album was "almost done" and would likely be released following the first leg of the Mercury Tour. In an interview released through Apple Music in late March, Reynolds stated that the album was different sonically than their previous albums and said it was influenced by hip hop.[3]

Reynolds, in an interview with Consequence, described the creative process behind the two albums:[4]

We worked with Rick Rubin on these records, and we knew really early on that it was going to be two records. As we went through the songs on the first record, Rick sat me down and we really talked about the theme of it. We realized early on that Act I was focused on death and kind of those shell-shocked feelings that accompany that, whereas Act II is really post-grief and waking up the next day after you've lost someone that you loved.

— Dan Reynolds

Singles and promotion[edit]

"Bones" was released as the lead single to Mercury – Act 2 on March 11, 2022.[5] The song was used to promote the upcoming third season of the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. The release of the song's music video on April 6 coincided with the pre-order of the album.

The album's second single, "Sharks", was released on June 24, 2022, along with an accompanying music video. It was sent to Italian radio on July 1, 2022.[6]

The third single for the album, "I Don't Like Myself", was released on October 10, 2022, along with an accompanying music video for World Mental Health Day. For the occasion, the band partnered with Crisis Text Line for a fundraising campaign.[7]

"Symphony" was sent to radio in Italy on November 25, 2022, as the fourth single from the album.[8]

"Crushed" was announced as the fifth single with a release date of May 10, 2023. An accompanying music video was released on the same date. The video was filmed in Ukraine and is in partnership with United24.[9]

"Waves" was sent to radio in Italy on May 19, 2023,[1] as the sixth single from the album, and got also its live debut on August 5, in Rome gig of their Mercury World Tour.

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The Arts Desk[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
The Telegraph[13]

Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic was critical of Act 2's unfocused nature and length, stating, "There's simply too much going on and not enough editorial trimming to make this as impactful an experience as Act 1."[10]

Reviewing Act 2, Ali Shutler of The Telegraph was unenthusiastic of the more downtempo songs, claiming they "all trudge towards the same big, emotional finale that's less impactful every time and quickly sucks the joy from the record."[13] Shutler also deemed it forgettable, stating, "In a bid to appeal to everyone, the band have removed anything that would make them stand out. There's no doubt you'll hear Imagine Dragons' music everywhere over the next few months, but you'll be hard pushed to remember it."[13]

Track listing[edit]

Mercury – Act 1 track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Enemy" (with JID)
Mattman & Robin2:53
2."My Life"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
3:44
3."Lonely"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
Mattman & Robin2:39
4."Wrecked"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons4:04
5."Monday"
  • Imagine Dragons
  • Goldwiing
3:07
6."#1"
3:25
7."Easy Come Easy Go"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Jayson DeZuzio
DeZuzio2:59
8."Giants"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
Goldwiing3:30
9."It's Ok"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
  • Imagine Dragons
  • Goldwiing
3:22
10."Dull Knives"
Imagine Dragons3:33
11."Follow You"
Little2:55
12."Cutthroat"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
2:49
13."No Time for Toxic People"
Suwito3:27
14."One Day"
  • Shatkin
  • Wiggins
2:31
Total length:44:57
Mercury – Act 2 track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Bones"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
Mattman & Robin2:46
2."Symphony"
Little2:55
3."Sharks"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
Mattman & Robin3:10
4."I Don't Like Myself"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Marco Borrero
MAG3:05
5."Blur"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Graham Andrew Muron
  • Mick Coogan
  • Nick Scapa
  • KillaGraham
  • Coogan
  • Nicky Blitz
2:55
6."Higher Ground"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
Goldwiing2:41
7."Crushed"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons3:08
8."Take It Easy"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons2:38
9."Waves"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Fredriksson
  • Larsson
  • Tranter
Mattman & Robin3:45
10."I'm Happy"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
Goldwiing3:05
11."Ferris Wheel"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons3:23
12."Peace of Mind"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Suwito
Suwito2:53
13."Sirens"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • DeZuzio
DeZuzio2:35
14."Tied"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons4:01
15."Younger"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
Goldwiing3:11
16."I Wish"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
Imagine Dragons3:27
17."Continual" (featuring Cory Henry)
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Henry
Rubin3:49
18."They Don't Know You Like I Do"
  • Reynolds
  • Sermon
  • McKee
  • Platzman
  • Tolman
  • Imagine Dragons
  • Goldwiing
4:17
Total length:57:43

Notes

  • The originally released standard version of Mercury – Act 1 does not include "Enemy". The song was added onto the album as an additional track on digital retailers and streaming platforms.
  • "I Wish" appears as a bonus track on digital, streaming, and Target Exclusive CD versions of Mercury – Acts 1 & 2, but is omitted from the standard physical version.
  • The Japanese edition of Mercury – Act 1 features the bonus track "Follow You (Summer '21 Version)", produced by Brandon Darner.
  • The Japanese edition of Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 features acoustic versions of "Believer" and "Follow You", a live rendition of "Wrecked" (dubbed 'From The Bunker'), a solo mix of "Enemy" with a new verse from Dan Reynolds instead of JID, and a live rendition of "Bones" performed at the Climate Pledge Arena.

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[42] 3× Platinum 300,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[43] 2× Platinum+Gold 350,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[44] 4× Platinum 80,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release history for Mercury – Acts 1 & 2
Region Date Format Version Label
Various July 1, 2022
  • 2-CD
  • digital download
  • streaming
  • Deluxe
  • Target exclusive
  • Kidinakorner
  • Interscope
2-CD Standard
Japan 2-CD Japanese exclusive Universal Music Japan

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Eleonara Fusi (May 15, 2023). "Imagine Dragons - Waves (Radio Date: 19-05-2023)". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Imagine Dragons [@Imaginedragons] (September 3, 2021). "Yes no lotr w out the hobbit" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Peacock, Tim (June 24, 2022). "Imagine Dragons Discuss New Single 'Sharks' In Apple Music 1 Interview". uDiscover Music. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  4. ^ Park, Kelly (July 1, 2022). "Imagine Dragons on Upcoming Stadium Tour, Mercury – Act II Album and Why a Bruce Springsteen Collab "Would Be Amazing"". Consequence. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  5. ^ Zemler, Emily (March 11, 2022). "Hear Imagine Dragons Reflect on Mortality in New Single 'Bones'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  6. ^ "Imagine Dragons "Sharks" | (Radio Date: 01/07/2022)".
  7. ^ Imagine Dragons [@Imaginedragons] (October 10, 2022). "our music video for I Don't Like Myself is out today in honor of #worldmentalhealthday (thread)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2024 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "IMAGINE DRAGONS "Symphony" | (Radio Date: 25/11/2022)".
  9. ^ Imagine Dragons [@Imaginedragons] (May 10, 2023). "Our video for Crushed, filmed on the front lines of Ukraine, is out now. It follows Sasha, a young boy who endured months of shelling in his town. Sasha's story is heartbreaking, and there are thousands more like him who desperately need help. Even today, his family is without electricity and other basic utilities. Please consider donating to @U24_gov_ua and raising your voice for this cause: imaginedragons.lnk.to/crushed" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2024 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ a b Yeung, Neil Z. (July 1, 2022). "Imagine Dragons – Mercury: Acts 1 & 2 Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  11. ^ "Album: Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 2". The Arts Desk. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  12. ^ Johnston, Maura (July 1, 2022). "Imagine Dragons Still Know How to Efficiently Stomp Stadiums Into Rubble". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c "Paolo Nutini makes a wildly eccentric comeback, and Nick Cave calls to God – the week's best albums". The Telegraph. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  15. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "Ultratop.be – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "Ultratop.be – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "Ultratop.be – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Act 2" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  19. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 28.Týden 2022 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  20. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  21. ^ "Imagine Dragons: Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  22. ^ "Lescharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Acts 1 & 2" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  24. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 33. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  25. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 27 (dal 01.07.2022 al 07.07.2022)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  26. ^ "2022 28-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  27. ^ "Charts.nz – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  28. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  29. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  30. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  31. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  32. ^ "Rapports annuels 2022" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  33. ^ "2022 metų klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  34. ^ "OLiS 2022 – roczne podsumowanie sprzedaży płyt na nośnikach fizycznych" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  35. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2022". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  36. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  37. ^ "Rapports annuels 2023" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  38. ^ "Album Top 100 - digitális és fizikai értékesítés alapján - 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  39. ^ "Classifica annuale 2023 (dal 30.12.2022 al 28.12.2023)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  40. ^ "Top 100 | OLiS – albumy | 2023" (PDF) (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  41. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2023". hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  42. ^ "French album certifications – Imagine Dragons – Mercury - Acts 1 & 2" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  43. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved May 16, 2023. Type Imagine Dragons in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  44. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 28, 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 in the search box.
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