Warriors

Background and Release

The creation of "Warriors" was an organic collaboration between Imagine Dragons and Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends. The band members were fans of the game and worked on the song while taking a break from recording their second studio album, Smoke + Mirrors. It was designed specifically as the anthem for the 2014 World Championship, marking the first time a song was commissioned for this annual esports event. This initiative started a lasting tradition for the game.

Riot Games officially released the single on September 18, 2014, framing it as a war cry for competitors. In a later interview, lead singer Dan Reynolds recalled that playing at the 2014 World Championship in Seoul provided some of his favorite memories, highlighting the natural and enjoyable partnership with Riot Games.

The song was written by all four members of Imagine Dragons, Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman, along with Josh Mosser and British record producer Alex da Kid. The band and Alex da Kid also produced the track. Upon release, Riot Games posted on their site that the song was crafted as a war cry to rally behind, whether for a solo queue player or a professional facing competitive jitters.

Musical Composition and Lyrics

"Warriors" is an anthemic rock song that builds in intensity over its two-minute-and-fifty-second runtime. It features a driving tempo in the key of E minor, with hard-hitting pianos and symphonic orchestral elements. The song includes a guitar solo, a feature not found in other World Championship anthems as of 2024. Dan Reynolds' vocals span two octaves, from B3 to B5, contributing to the track's grandiose feel.

Lyrically, the song tells a story about heroes who built a town from dust. Its words are noted for speaking directly to both professional players and the broader League of Legends community. Opening lines like "As a child, you would wait / And watch from far away" have been praised for their power. The lyrics about rising up and building from nothing have been interpreted as a reflection of the game's grassroots competitive scene at the time.

Music critics described the song as constantly building and having the vibe of a tournament anthem. It was characterized as a let's get pumped up jam due to its grandiose nature and driving 2 feel rhythm at 152 beats per minute. The lyrical focus on heroes and building from dust was seen as what set it apart from other championship songs, as it spoke to the journey of all players.

Music Video and Viewership Milestones

The official music video for "Warriors" premiered on the League of Legends YouTube channel on September 17, 2014. It depicts a competitive gaming team facing losses but persevering until they reach the final match. A notable scene shows two teams competing across a table on Summoner's Rift, evoking 1990s LAN gaming culture. This scene aligns with the song's second verse.

The video was the most-viewed on the League of Legends channel for years. It was surpassed in April 2019 by the music video for K/DA's "Pop/Stars", which had over 215 million views against "Warriors" 214 million at that time. By 2021, the "Warriors" video had over 336 million views, maintaining its position as the most-viewed World Championship song video. As of October 2024, it still held that record, and by March 2026, its view count had exceeded 451 million.

The video's narrative of persistence against defeat was called inspirational by critics. Its long-standing viewership record confirmed its place within the League of Legends community and the wider esports audience.

Critical Reception and Rankings

"Warriors" is consistently ranked as a fan-favorite and one of the best World Championship anthems. Critics and fans describe it as timeless, classic, and perfectly simplistic. Publications have praised its build-up, powerful chorus, and inspirational lyrics that have stood the test of time. It has been called a perfect stadium anthem that invokes goosebumps.

In a 2025 ranking by Esports.gg staff, it was placed third-best among anthems from 2014 to 2024, praised as timeless and a classic anthem. Dot Esports also ranked it third for the same period, highlighting its brooding undertone and undying spirit. Conversely, ONE Esports ranked it first in a 2024 ranking, with a writer stating that even after a decade, fans keep coming back to this classic.

Other outlets echoed this high praise. Fanbyte named it the best of the first six anthems, calling it universally powerful and perfectly simplistic. Esports Insider ranked it first in 2025, stating its lyrics were about as epic as they come, capable of hyping up even the most blasé people. Critics agreed its spirit never dies.

Use in Other Media and Global Events

Beyond League of Legends, "Warriors" has seen wide usage in other media. It was featured in trailers for major films like The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Wonder Woman. A critic noted that the Wonder Woman trailer blended in with other DC films by using the song. It also appears in the South Korean horror series Sweet Home as an anthem for heroic moments.

The song was also adopted as the official anthem for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. In professional wrestling, it served as the theme song for WWE's Survivor Series 2015 and was used as a soundtrack for a match at WWE Backlash 2025. This crossover appeal demonstrated the track's broad, anthemic quality.

The usage in high-profile film trailers and global sporting events underscored the song's recognition beyond its esports origins, marking it as a piece of mainstream pop culture with a powerful, motivational tone.

Covers and Performances by Other Artists

In 2020, to mark the tenth season of League of Legends, a cinematic cover version was produced by the German composer team 2WEI featuring vocalist Edda Hayes. This version was described as grim, choral, and melodramatic. Its music video wove together mini-stories featuring nine League of Legends champions, including Jayce, Lux, and Galio teaming up against Sylas, and was praised for its high-quality animation. A reviewer called the video absolutely spine-tingling and the composition an eargasm.

Other notable performances include a powerful dance performance by San of the K-pop group Ateez in 2023, which fans compared to a standalone music video. San's performance featured powerful moves and facial expressions, with choreography by BBtrippin and Tarzan. Furthermore, at the 2025 World Championship final, singer Chrissy Costanza opened the event with a medley that included "Warriors" alongside the anthems "Phoenix" and "Legends Never Die".

These reinterpretations and performances highlight the song's enduring relevance and its ability to inspire artists across different genres and formats, from cinematic covers to live esports ceremonies.

Credits and Personnel

The credits for "Warriors" list the four members of Imagine Dragons, Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman, as songwriters and producers. Additional songwriting and production came from Josh Mosser and Alex da Kid, credited as A. Grant.

Additional personnel contributed to the final track. Christian Linke handled string instruments and engineering. Sebastien Najand served as the orchestrator. The mixing was done by Manny Marroquin, while Joe LaPorta mastered the song. Robert Root was also credited for engineering work.

This collaborative effort between the band, a notable producer, and skilled engineers resulted in the polished, anthemic sound that became synonymous with the World Championship.