Dan Reynolds Says Critics' 'Vile' Comments Have Added To His Depression

Dan Reynolds is known as the happy-go-lucky frontman of Imagine Dragons, but behind the smile is a man who's been struggling with depression for most of his life. And the constant criticism of his band isn't helping his mental state.

The last frivolous attack was made by Slipknot's Corey Taylor, who recently said ID has taken Nickelback's place as the world's worst band. On Thursday (February 28), Reynolds took to Instagram to let the world know how the "words filled with vile and hate" have been affecting him.

“For a decade now I’ve dealt with critics and other bands saying extremely harsh things about my band,” he wrote in a series of three posts. “Not what I would call ‘fair criticism’ (which I always try my best to receive and learn from) but actual click-bait horse s***. Words filled with vile and hate meant to feed humanities need to laugh at each other’s imperfections and fails.”

“I’ve stood silently and taken it for years. It has added to the depression I’ve dealt with since youth," he confessed. "I don’t say this in search of sympathy, but just as a fact. It’s not the person that causes me the feelings of stress and depression, but what it does to the world we as a band have created. How it could possibly make a kid feel ‘not cool’ listening to Imagine Dragons. I hate that thought. Wondering if my kids will be made fun of as they grow older because someone thinks my band isn’t cool.”

He then name drops bands that have slammed his band, but in true Dan Reynolds fashion doesn't shame them but rather admits he's not mad at them. “I’ve gotten over the fact that guys in other bands (The 1975, Foster the People, Smashing Pumpkins, Slipknot, etc) feel a need to talk badly about my band for whatever reason,” he wrote. “I don’t feel anger towards them actually, just more of a sadness that this industry embraces, even celebrates this mentality,” he said, “I wish it felt like a place where artists stood by each other and supported one another — regardless of our different tastes and voices.”

Check out Reynolds' compassionate posts below.

Photo: Getty Images