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Enemy (Imagine Dragons and JID song)
2021 song by Imagine Dragons and JID From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Enemy" is a song by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons and American rapper JID. It was released through Interscope Records and Kidinakorner on October 28, 2021, as the lead single of the soundtrack to the Netflix animated series Arcane, to which it also serves as the opening theme. The song was written by the artists alongside Justin Tranter and the producers Mattman & Robin.[1] The song was also included on the band's fifth studio album Mercury – Act 1 (2021) and its reissue, Mercury – Acts 1 & 2 (2022). The song became JID's first song to reach the top 5 in the US, and became the band's first song to reach the top 5 since the 2017 song "Thunder". In 2023, for the 35th anniversary of Alternative Airplay – where "Enemy" charted for 54 weeks, of which 9 were spent at the top spot – Billboard ranked the song as the 14th-most successful in the chart's history.[2][3][4]
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Background
"Enemy" was recorded for the Netflix animated series Arcane, which premiered on November 6, 2021. The inspiration behind the song was the video game League of Legends, with the band having previously recorded the song "Warriors" for the 2014 League of Legends World Championship.[5] On Instagram, JID said "I wrote this verse a couple years ago but initially the opening lines were from a song I started with Mac [Miller], he told me it would fit better on this song and I’m glad he did."[6]
The opening title version, featuring a more orchestrated instrumental and slightly extended length, was released on November 23, 2024. It serves as the closing track of the album Arcane League of Legends: Season 2 (Soundtrack from the Animated Series).[7]
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Content
In a press release, the band's vocalist Dan Reynolds explained: "'Enemy' is about reconciling internal conflict in a world where it feels impossible to trust even yourself. In Arcane, two sisters' lives take them on different paths and leads to a division that threatens to tear an entire city apart. Like the series, the song is meant to be both personal and a critique of a society that seems intent on creating division."[8]
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Music video
An accompanying animated video was released alongside the song, and produced by Riot Games and Fortiche Production. It features the League of Legends character Jinx in a story about "the parts of her childhood that led her to a life of crime" and several scenes of "the falling out between Jinx and her sister Vi".[9]
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[10]
- Mattman & Robin – producer, composer, lyricist, associated performer, background vocalist, bass, brass band, drums, guitar, programming, synthesizer
- Justin Tranter – composer, lyricist, associated performer, background vocalist
- Imagine Dragons – composer, lyricist, engineer, studio personnel
- John Hanes – additional engineer, mix engineer, studio personnel
- JID – associated performer, vocals
- Dan Reynolds – associated performer, background vocals
- Ben Sedano – engineer, studio personnel
- Serban Ghenea – engineer, mixer, studio personnel
- Randy Merrill – mastering engineer, studio personnel
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Charts
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Certifications
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Release history
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Cover Versions
“Enemy,” the lead single for the acclaimed animated series Arcane, released on October 28, 2021, became a global hit as part of the series’ soundtrack, which amassed over 5.6 billion streams.[128] The song’s prominence, tied to Arcane’s distinctive 2D/3D animation by Fortiche Production, inspired several artists to create cover versions.[129]
Kryzern: In June 2025, music artist Kryzern [130] released an instrumental cover titled “ENEMY - FROM THE SERIES ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS (instrumental),” available on Spotify, reflecting the enduring influence of Arcane’s animated storytelling.[131]
Jonatan King: In 2021, Jonatan King released an instrumental cover of “Enemy,” available on Spotify and Apple Music, capitalizing on the song’s popularity following Arcane’s debut.[132][133]
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See also
References
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