Imagine Dragons Frontman Reacts To 'Vile' Criticisms

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds has reacted to negative criticism of his band after Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor criticized them in a recent interview.

Taylor made the comment during an interview on Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols radio show Jonesy's Jukebox. Jones commented that Nickelback are "like the scapegoat of rock'n'roll" and Corey responded, "They really are, however, they are passing the baton to Imagine Dragons right now and I love it. I'll tell you what they are, they're awful and they're from Las Vegas, so I'm going home to protests. People are slowly coming back to appreciate Nickelback and turning their irksome ire towards Imagine Dragons."

Reynolds took to social media to responded in a series of tweets. He said, "For a decade now I've dealt with critics and other bands saying extremely harsh things about my band. Not what I would call 'fair criticism' - which I always try my best to receive and learn from - but actual click-bait horse sh*t. Words filled with vile and hate meant to feed humanity's need to laugh at each other's imperfections and fails.

"I've stood silently and taken it for years. It has added to the depression I've dealt with since youth. I don't say this in search of sympathy, but just as a fact.

"It's not the person that causes me the feelings of stress and depression, but what it does to the world we as a band have created. How it could possibly make a kid feel 'not cool' listening to Imagine Dragons? I hate that thought. Wondering if my kids will be made fun of as they grow older because someone thinks my band isn't cool."

Reynolds continued, "I've gotten over the fact that guys in other bands - The 1975, Foster The People, Smashing Pumpkins, Slipknot etc - feel a need to talk badly about my band for whatever reason.

"I don't feel anger towards them, actually, just more of a sadness that this industry embraces, even celebrates, this mentality. I wish it felt like a place where artists stood by each other and supported one another - regardless of our different tastes and voices."

He concluded that he and his bandmates are "authentically ourselves and strive to bring positivity and empowerment to the world. We'll continue to do just that."

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