The new album by rockers Imagine Dragons opened at number one on the US chart on Wednesday, after an elaborate roll-out for the sequel to the band’s blockbuster debut.
The album Smoke + Mirrors sold the equivalent of 195,000 units when including streaming for the week that ended on Sunday, displacing rapper Drake’s surprise work If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late at number one on the Billboard chart.
The Las Vegas-based band, which plays radio-friendly rock with occasional hip-hop influences, sold 2.5 million copies of its 2012 debut Night Visions.
The work generated a series of hit singles and won the Grammy for Best Rock Album, although it never went to number one on the Billboard list.
Imagine Dragons spent months generating excitement about Smoke + Mirrors, with the band encouraging fans to find clues to the album’s content put up randomly in select cities.
The band also asked fans to submit artwork to be featured on social media and on Imagine Dragons merchandise.
