📰 Rock Meets Pop: Tony Iommi Announces Surprising Collaboration With Imagine Dragons
July 16, 2025 — Birmingham, UK
In a crossover few saw coming, legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has officially announced a collaboration with chart-topping pop-rock band Imagine Dragons, sparking excitement and curiosity across both rock and mainstream music circles.
The unlikely pairing will see Iommi, a founding father of heavy metal, step into unfamiliar territory alongside one of today’s most commercially successful alternative rock groups. The project, set to release this fall, is reportedly a single that blends heavy riffs with cinematic, anthemic pop, and will feature both Iommi’s signature guitar sound and Imagine Dragons’ modern production flair.
“A New Chapter”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Radio 2, Iommi said the collaboration came about during the early sessions for his long-awaited solo album.
“It’s something I never imagined doing, honestly,” said the 76-year-old guitarist. “But when we started talking and trading ideas, it just clicked. They’ve got a huge sound, and I thought, why not? Music is about exploring.”
He described the track as “dark but uplifting”, with lyrics centered around resilience, inner conflict, and personal reinvention. While the title remains under wraps, sources close to the project say it showcases Dan Reynolds’ soaring vocals set against Iommi’s brooding, atmospheric guitar work, creating a “haunting but powerful fusion.”
Mutual Respect
For their part, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds called the collaboration “a dream come true.”
“Tony Iommi is one of the architects of everything we love about rock music,” Reynolds said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “To write and record with him has been surreal. The energy in the studio was electric we all pushed each other in ways that felt exciting and raw.”
The band, known for megahits like “Radioactive”, “Demons”, and “Believer”, has previously dabbled in darker musical themes and heavier tones, but this marks their first collaboration with a metal icon of Iommi’s caliber.
A Fusion of Generations
Critics and fans alike have already started speculating on how the fusion of genres will sound. Will the song lean more toward Iommi’s doom-laden roots, or will Imagine Dragons’ polished, stadium-ready production take the lead?
Longtime Black Sabbath fans have expressed surprise but many are cautiously optimistic. On Reddit and X, fans have praised Iommi’s willingness to continue experimenting well into his fifth decade of music-making.
“I never thought I’d see Tony Iommi and Imagine Dragons in the same sentence,” wrote one fan. “But if anyone can make it work, it’s the riff master.”
What’s Next?
The upcoming single is expected to drop in October 2025, with a music video rumored to be in production. Both artists have hinted that this might not be a one-off, depending on the response.
Tony Iommi also confirmed that his long-gestating solo album his first since 2000’s Iommi is nearing completion, and that the Imagine Dragons track may appear on it as a bonus collaboration.
Whether it becomes a hit or a head-scratcher, this unexpected partnership is a testament to music’s evolving landscape where even the darkest riffs can find light in the most unexpected places.
