Enemy - From the series Arcane League of Legends

"Enemy" delves into the complex themes of conflict, betrayal, and self-preservation, viewed through both an internal and external lens. On a personal level, the song, particularly Dan Reynolds' verses, articulates the paranoia and loneliness that can accompany public life or success. It speaks to the experience of facing duplicity, where praise is quickly replaced by hatred the moment vulnerability is shown. The recurring line, "Everybody wants to be my enemy," captures a feeling of being besieged and misunderstood by a world that seems to thrive on division.

Specifically created for the animated series Arcane: League of Legends, the song's meaning is deeply intertwined with the show's narrative. The series explores the fractured relationship between two sisters, Vi and Jinx, who find themselves on opposing sides of a conflict between the utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. The song mirrors this central conflict, reflecting the characters' struggles with their inner demons and their battles against each other and the societal forces that tore them apart. Reynolds stated the song is about "reconciling internal conflict in a world where sometimes it feels impossible to trust even yourself," which directly applies to Jinx's volatile mental state and Vi's struggle with her past.

JID's rap verse adds another dimension, focusing on resilience and determination in the face of adversity. His lyrics speak of staying focused, pushing forward despite the obstacles, and the internal drive required to succeed against the odds. Ultimately, "Enemy" serves as both a personal anthem for anyone feeling isolated and a powerful commentary on a society that often fosters division and conflict.

The narrative opens with a sense of pervasive unease and paranoia. The protagonist is constantly on high alert, listening to the silence for whispers of stories and plots being formed behind their back. There's a stark acknowledgment of the fickle nature of admiration; people who praise you to your face are the same ones who will celebrate your downfall. This creates a deeply isolating reality where trust is a liability.

This feeling crescendos into a powerful, recurring declaration: everyone seems to want to be the enemy. It's a miserable state of being, surrounded by animosity, where pleas for sympathy are useless because the world appears united against you. The only advice that seems to hold any weight is to "look out for yourself," a mantra of self-preservation in a hostile environment. The protagonist sees the insincerity in others, observing them praying for their failure and hearing the mocking laughter. These slights and insults are collected and stored away, fueling a desire to one day demonstrate the power and pain that words can inflict.

A second voice enters, adding a new layer to this struggle. This perspective speaks to the immense pressure of maintaining success while navigating a treacherous path. There's a plea for prayers and hope from some genuine corner of the world, even while occupying a space of emotional turmoil and wreckage. This voice is always ready for a confrontation, understanding that the journey is long and requires relentless forward momentum. The strategy is not to panic but to always be ready to face the next challenge, to be the "baddest" in the fight. The focus is on internal drive and ambition, blasting off from the planet of conventional expectations and ignoring the ensuing chaos. This defiance is a survival mechanism. It acknowledges the emotional toll of ambition and the necessity of being single-minded, even if it means being misunderstood. The final sentiment is a raw admission of imperfection—a declaration that they will never be a saint, which serves as both a self-acceptance and a warning to those who stand against them.

"Enemy" was written and recorded specifically for the Netflix animated series Arcane, which is set in the League of Legends universe. The song was a collaboration between the American pop-rock band Imagine Dragons and the American rapper JID. It was released on October 28, 2021, serving as the lead single for the series' soundtrack and its opening theme. The creation involved key songwriters including the band members (Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, Daniel Platzman), JID (Destin Route), Justin Tranter, and the song's producers, the Swedish duo Mattman & Robin (Robin Fredriksson and Mattias Larsson).

This was not Imagine Dragons' first collaboration with Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends; they had previously recorded the anthem "Warriors" for the 2014 League of Legends World Championship. Riot Games approached the band years before the song's release, presenting them with early conceptual work for Arcane. The band was drawn to the story's themes, particularly the rebellious spirit of the undercity's characters.

An interesting detail about JID's contribution is that he had written the opening lines of his verse a couple of years prior for a song he started with the late rapper Mac Miller. Miller suggested the lines would be a better fit for "Enemy," leading JID to incorporate them into this track. The song was mixed by 14-time Grammy winner Serban Ghenea.

"Enemy" features a driving, rhythmic structure that is central to its aggressive and anthemic feel. The song is set to a moderately fast tempo, creating a sense of urgency and relentless forward motion.

Rhythm and Meter: The song is built on a strong, pulsing beat with elements of hip-hop and industrial music. The rhythm is characterized by a heavy emphasis on the downbeat, particularly in the chorus, which makes it feel forceful and declarative. The verses utilize a more syncopated vocal rhythm, creating a conversational yet tense feel that contrasts with the straightforward power of the chorus. JID's verse introduces a significant rhythmic shift, employing complex, fast-paced triplets and syncopations that showcase his technical skill and add a layer of chaotic energy to the track.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme in the verses is relatively consistent, often following an AABB pattern that gives the lyrics a structured, memorable quality. For example: "I wake up to the sounds of the silence that allows (A) / For my mind to run around with my ear up to the ground (A)." The pre-chorus uses a couplet rhyme ("Tell you you're the greatest / But once you turn, they hate us"), which serves as a powerful, punchy transition into the chorus. The chorus itself relies more on repetition than a complex rhyme scheme, with the key phrase "my enemy" serving as the anchor. The song also makes effective use of partial or slant rhymes (e.g., greatest/hate us) which adds a subtle dissonance that fits the song's unsettling theme.

"Enemy" employs a range of stylistic techniques, both musically and lyrically, to create its aggressive and emotionally charged atmosphere.

Musical Techniques:

• Minimalist Harmony: The song is notable for its use of only two chords throughout its entirety (F# minor and G major 7 in the key of B minor). This harmonic simplicity creates a relentless, driving, and tense foundation, preventing any sense of resolution and mirroring the perpetual conflict in the lyrics and the Arcane narrative.
• Dynamic Contrast: The arrangement uses sharp dynamic shifts. The verses are relatively sparse, focusing on Dan Reynolds' vocals and a pulsing beat, which builds anticipation. This contrasts with the explosive, multi-layered chorus, which features powerful vocals, heavy drums, and industrial synth elements. A particularly effective moment is the near-silence before JID's rap verse, which makes its entrance feel more impactful.
• Vocal Delivery: Dan Reynolds' vocal style shifts from a tense, rhythmic delivery in the verses to a powerful, soaring belt in the chorus. He also utilizes a lighter, atmospheric head voice in the second pre-chorus, adding texture and emotional vulnerability. JID's verse is characterized by his trademark rapid-fire, complex flow, which injects a surge of aggressive energy and technical prowess into the track.

Literary Techniques:

• Repetition (Anaphora): The chorus heavily relies on the repetition of the phrase "Everybody wants to be my enemy," turning it into a powerful, anthemic declaration of the song's central theme.
• Alliteration and Assonance: The lyrics use sound devices to enhance their rhythmic quality. For example, alliteration is present in phrases like "Sounds of the silence" and the chorus's recurring 'm' and 's' sounds in "misery," "sympathy," and "enemy."
• Direct Address: The line "Look out for yourself" acts as both a piece of internal advice and a direct warning to the listener, creating a more engaging and confrontational experience.

"Enemy" achieved massive global success, becoming a significant cultural touchstone at the intersection of music, gaming, and television. Released as the theme for the critically acclaimed Netflix series Arcane, the song's popularity was intrinsically linked to the show's phenomenal reception. It amassed over 5.6 billion streams as part of the series' soundtrack.

The song was a commercial juggernaut for Imagine Dragons and JID. It became the band's first top 5 hit in the US since their 2017 song "Thunder" and was JID's first-ever song to reach that milestone. It performed exceptionally well on various Billboard charts; in 2023, Billboard ranked it the 14th most successful song in the history of the Alternative Airplay chart, where it spent 54 weeks. The track also achieved high chart positions internationally in countries like the UK, Germany, France, and Canada.

Its use in Arcane was pivotal. The song's themes of division and conflict perfectly complemented the show's narrative about the warring cities of Piltover and Zaun and the fractured relationship between sisters Vi and Jinx. The official music video, which featured animated versions of the artists within the world of Arcane, further solidified this connection. The song's success reinforced Imagine Dragons' strong ties with the League of Legends community, following their 2014 anthem "Warriors." Its widespread popularity has led to numerous cover versions, demonstrating its enduring influence.

"Enemy" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that explore themes of internal and external conflict, mirroring the narrative of Arcane.

• The Enemy as Both Other and Self: The most prominent symbol is the 'enemy' itself. While the lyrics explicitly describe external foes ("Everybody wants to be my enemy"), the song's core message, as described by frontman Dan Reynolds, is about "reconciling internal conflict." The enemy therefore symbolizes not just societal opposition or personal rivals, but also one's own inner demons, self-doubt, and destructive tendencies. This duality is central to Arcane's protagonists, especially Jinx, who battles her own trauma and mental instability, effectively becoming her own worst enemy.
• Silence and Paranoia: The opening lines, "I wake up to the sounds of the silence that allows / For my mind to run around with my ear up to the ground," use the metaphor of a deafening silence to symbolize paranoia and isolation. Silence isn't peaceful; it's an empty space where fear and suspicion breed, representing a state of constant vigilance against unseen threats.
• The World as a Performer: The lyric "When my back is to the world that was smiling when I turned" portrays the world as a two-faced performer. This metaphor captures the theme of betrayal and the superficiality of praise. It symbolizes the protagonist's realization that the support they receive is conditional and that animosity lurks just beneath the surface, waiting for a moment of weakness.
• Misery as a Shared Desire: The line "Oh, the misery / Everybody wants to be my enemy" can be interpreted metaphorically. The "misery" is the state of conflict itself. The lyric suggests a cynical worldview where people are drawn to conflict and drama, finding a strange sense of purpose or satisfaction in being an adversary. It speaks to a societal critique of division and the human tendency to create enemies.

"Enemy" is built around several powerful recurring phrases and musical motifs that anchor its meaning and structure.

• "Everybody wants to be my enemy": This is the song's central lyrical motif and its most memorable hook. Repeated insistently throughout each chorus, this phrase encapsulates the song's core themes of paranoia, betrayal, and isolation. Its repetition transforms a personal feeling into a universal, anthemic declaration. It serves as the emotional climax of the song, expressing a sense of being overwhelmed by external hostility.
• "Oh, the misery": This phrase consistently precedes the main hook in the chorus. It acts as an exasperated sigh, setting a tone of weary resignation to the state of conflict. The repetition of "misery" emphasizes the profound unhappiness and emotional weight of the protagonist's situation, highlighting the pain caused by the surrounding animosity.
• "Look out for yourself": This phrase appears at the very beginning of the song and is repeated in the outro, bookending the entire track. It functions as a recurring piece of grim advice—a survival mantra in a world where trust is impossible. Its placement at the start and end reinforces it as the primary takeaway and the ultimate defensive posture one must adopt in the face of universal enmity.
• Musical Motif: The song's primary musical motif is its simple, two-chord progression. This relentless, unresolved harmonic loop recurs throughout the entire track, creating a feeling of inescapable tension and cyclical conflict. It is the musical embodiment of the lyrical themes, providing a constant, underlying sense of unease that never finds a true resolution, much like the conflicts described in the song and in the Arcane series.