Bad Liar (Imagine Dragons song)

"Bad Liar" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. The song was released through Interscope and KIDinaKORNER records on November 6, 2018 as the fourth single from their fourth studio album, Origins (2018). It was written by Imagine Dragons, Aja Volkman and Jorgen Odegard, and produced by Odegard.

"Bad Liar"
Single by Imagine Dragons
from the album Origins
Released	November 6, 2018
Length	4:20
Label	Interscope Kidinakorner
Songwriter(s)	Imagine Dragons Aja Volkman
Producer(s)	Jorgen Odegard
Imagine Dragons singles chronology
"Machine" (2018) "Bad Liar" (2018) "Birds" (2019)
Music video
"Bad Liar" on YouTube

"Bad Liar" peaked at number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It topped the charts in Czech Republic and Latvia, and reached the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, Slovakia and Switzerland; as well as the top 20 in Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore and Sweden. On May 31, 2019 a "stripped" version titled "Bad Liar- Stripped" was released.[1]

Background

"Bad Liar" was co-written by Imagine Dragons lead vocalist Dan Reynolds and his wife Aja Volkman shortly before they separated. However, Reynolds has said the couple did not end up going through with the divorce.[2]

The Norwegian progressive rock band Maraton pointed out that the cover image for their single "Blood Music" is the same as Imagine Dragons’ cover image for "Bad Liar", with only the coloration being different. Maraton’s single was released in February 2018, while Imagine Dragons’ song dropped six months later in November 2018. Despite the undeniable shared artwork, Maraton released a statement revealing they had purchased the artwork from an artist called Beeple_crap, but had no deal giving them exclusive rights to the photo.[3][4][5][6]

Critical reception

Idolator called the song a "brutally honest breakup anthem", and described it as "raw and stripped back".[7] Billboard compared the song's lyrical heaviness to the band's track "Demons".[8]

Music video

A music video for the song was released on January 24, 2019. The video centers around a high school couple, while it cuts to the band performing the song in the parking lot of that school various times throughout the video. The video continues to add an ominous tone with the surrounding dark shadows and use of fictional levitation. It was directed by Ryan Reichenfeld and was filmed at Green Valley High School, in Henderson, Nevada. The video features dancer Autumn Miller with choreography by Marissa Osato.[9] As of July 2020 the music video has received over 200 million views and 2.4 million likes.

Live performances

The song was first performed live at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada.[10] It was also performed at the 2019 National College Football Championship halftime show.[11]

Personnel

• Dan Reynolds – lead vocals, keyboards
• Wayne Sermon – guitar, backing vocals
• Daniel Platzman – drums, viola, backing vocals
• Ben McKee – bass guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals
• Jorgen Odegard – production

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018–19) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 3 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 50 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[17] 1 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] 10 France (SNEP)[20] 41 Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 16 Hungary (Single Top 40)[22] 31 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[23] 5 Ireland (IRMA)[24] 36 Italy (FIMI)[25] 16 Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[26] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] 36 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 16 Norway (VG-lista)[30] 17 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[31] 2 Portugal (AFP)[32] 18 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[33] 82 Singapore (RIAS)[34] 18 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[35] 1 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[36] 2 Slovenia (SloTop50)[37] 9 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[38] 80 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[39] 17 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 4 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[41] 44 US Billboard Hot 100[42] 56 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[43] 11 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[44] 2 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[45] 21 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[46] 9

Year-end charts Chart (2019) Position Australia (ARIA)[47] 66 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[48] 31 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[49] 33 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[50] 21 France (SNEP)[51] 101 Germany (Official German Charts)[52] 32 Italy (FIMI)[53] 50 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[54] 55 Poland (ZPAV)[55] 15 Portugal (AFP)[56] 62 Slovenia (SloTop50)[57] 15 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[58] 13 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[59] 41 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[60] 5

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[61]	Platinum	70,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[62]	Gold	15,000^*
Belgium (BEA)[63]	Gold	20,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[64]	Platinum	80,000
France (SNEP)[65]	Platinum	200,000
Germany (BVMI)[66]	Gold	200,000
Italy (FIMI)[67]	2× Platinum	100,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68]	Gold	15,000^*
Poland (ZPAV)[69]	2× Platinum	40,000^*
Portugal (AFP)[70]	Platinum	20,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[71]	Silver	200,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Various	November 6, 2018	Digital download	Kidinakorner Interscope	[8]
Italy	January 25, 2019	Contemporary hit radio	Interscope	[72]
United States	January 29, 2019	Alternative radio		[73]
	February 5, 2019	Contemporary hit radio		[74]

References

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9. "Imagine Dragons Unleash 'Bad Liar' Video: Watch". billboard. 1 January 2019.
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