Musically, "Radioactive" is an indie rock song with elements of electronic rock and dubstep, while containing cryptic lyrics of apocalyptic and revolutionist themes.
The song received acclaim from critics who praised the production, lyrics, and vocals, calling it a highlight on the album. Due to heavy rotation on commercials and trailers, the song has reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming their first top 10 single as well as breaking the record for slowest ascension to the Top 5 in chart history. As of August 2013, it is the third most-downloaded song in the US of 2013, with sales over 4.1 million (behind Blurred Lines and Thrift Shop) The song has also reached No. 1 in Sweden and in the top 20 in several countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, becoming their most successful single to date.
"Radioactive" received two Grammy Awards nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance, winning the latter. This was Imagine Dragons' first time being nominated. During the broadcast, they presented a remix of the song with their Interscope label-mate, rapper Kendrick Lamar. The remix was later released for purchase on iTunes.
Radioactive
Imagine Dragons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Whoa
I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up
Then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
I raise my flags, dye my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa (whoa)
I'm breaking in, shaping up
Then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh-oh-oh-oh, whoa, oh-oh-oh
I'm radioactive, radioactive
"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons is a song that explores society's obsession with destruction and rebirth. The opening lines, "I'm waking up to ash and dust, I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust, I'm breathing in the chemicals," set the tone for the song as one that probes into a dystopian world where people are left to pick up the pieces after a violent uprising. The imagery used in the song portrays a world that has been ravaged by war, and in the aftermath, those who survived are attempting to rebuild society.
The lyrics go on to examine the themes of revolution and change, as the singer claims that he is "breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus." This idea of revolution and transformation is further explored in the chorus, where the singer sings, "Welcome to the new age, to the new age." The song suggests that the end of the world is not necessarily the end of humanity. Instead, it offers the possibility that destruction and chaos can be the catalysts for change and rebirth.
At its core, "Radioactive" is a song that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. It acknowledges the darker aspects of society, but ultimately offers hope that, even in the face of immense challenges, it is possible to rise up and start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa
The singer is expressing an intense feeling of shock and awe as they face the reality of the world they live in.
I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
The singer is waking up in a world that has been destroyed by war and pollution. They are struggling to survive and trying to find a way to cope with the harsh conditions.
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
The singer is rebelling against the oppressive system they live under, trying to change it from within, and is coming to terms with the fact that they live in a world that is very close to collapse.
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
The singer is feeling the weight of the issues in the world they live in on a physical level, and is welcoming the change that they believe is necessary to move on.
I raise my flags, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa
The singer is uniting with others to fight a common cause and using the symbolism of their revolution to make their presence known.
All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside
The singer is fully committed to this change and is feeling it on a deeper level than just the physical symptoms they've been feeling.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Joshua Francis Mosser, Alexander Junior Grant, Benjamin Arthur Mckee, Daniel Coulter Reynolds, Daniel Wayne Sermon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ariel Pimentel
breezy music
@theph3nomenal1
IMAGINE DRAGONS LYRICS
"Radioactive"
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa
I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa oh
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
I raise my flag and dye my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We're painted red to fit right in
Whoa oh
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa oh
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my system blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
@trix.a
lyrics:
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh
Whoa
I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
I raise my flags, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
@cemyesilmen8038
Lycris 😇 throw like for the lycris get on top
I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
I raise my flags, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We'll paint it red to fit right in
Whoa
I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside
I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh, I'm radioactive, radioactive
@juulcat4774
then: wow nice song
now: ah yes im waking up
@kaperskyplays8016
From the 'im waking up' only version of this song, yeah?
@alejandromunoz8011
@@kaperskyplays8016 yes
@avgor3072
I just came from there, too XD
@FayeShawna
Lol I came here too
@mrionzo4843
Same dudes
@Lukiethewesly13
Honestly, this song is very catchy, but also nostalgic. Because this song has been inside my head for 6 years since the first time I saw this video with the stuff animals. And now, it’s just as awesome as I remember.
@saioncomputer2334
yep man nostalgia hits hard
@lottemoltzen4192
Yes it does