Provo bands receiving national recognition used to be a far-fetched dream before Neon Trees’ “Animal” came out. Now this small town is being recognized for what it is: a muse for music.
Last Thursday night two alternative bands that started in Provo: Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees, cracked the Billboard Top 20 alternative songs list. Neon Trees was No. 14 for “Everybody Talks” and Imagine Dragons hit No. 20., with “It’s Time.”
Kaneischa Johnson, manager at Velour Live Music Gallery in downtown Provo, said she was thrilled when she first found out the news.
“I looked it up and I discovered they (Imagine Dragons) were No. 20 on the alternative chart, Neon Trees on 14,” Johnson said. “I thought how weird is that, two major players in the radio music industry are from Provo. It is an incredible representation of what we have here.”
Branden Campbell, bass player for Neon Trees, has been thrilled with the success of his band as well as others here in Provo.
“I think it’s great,” Campbell said. “People should take the good music scene serious. I think a lot of people might undermine Provo, but it is a blossoming music scene.”
Dan Reynolds, lead singer with Imagine Dragons, said he cannot believe the success they have experienced.
“It’s been incredible to start to hear our music play on the radio,” Reynolds. “It’s a very surreal thing to experience. We owe any and all success to our fans.”
Johnson mentioned that cities producing great music around the country are incredibly large compared to Provo. Both bands agree Provo is producing arguably some of the best music in the country.
“It just goes to show that good talent can be anywhere and it’s just a matter of time that more and more bands start getting recognized,” Campbell said. “And hopefully does a tribute to all the good artists that are here, not just the ones who are getting national recognition.”
The moral of the story: All things are possible and Provo can get people places.
“Provo is more than just a college town, more than just a small city,” Johnson said. “It is a significant player in the music industry and it’s fun to wait and see what else happens.”
