# Wayne Sermon
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{{Short description|American musician and songwriter (born 1984)}}
{{Not notable|Music|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wayne Sermon
| image = Wayne Sermon.jpg
| caption = Sermon performing in 2016
| birth_name = Daniel Wayne Sermon
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1984|6|15}}
| birth_place = [American Fork, Utah](/source/American_Fork%2C_Utah), U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [Alternative rock](/source/Alternative_rock)
* [indie rock](/source/indie_rock)
* [pop rock](/source/pop_rock)
* [indie pop](/source/indie_pop)
* [electropop](/source/electropop)
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
* [Electric guitar](/source/Electric_guitar)
* [vocals](/source/Vocals)
* [mandolin](/source/Mandolin)
* [violin](/source/Violin)
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Musician
* songwriter
* record producer
}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| current_member_of = [Imagine Dragons](/source/Imagine_Dragons)
| label = {{flatlist|
* [Interscope](/source/Interscope)
* [Kidinakorner](/source/Alex_da_Kid)
}}
| website = {{URL|imaginedragonsmusic.com}}
| module = {{Listen |embed= yes |filename= Wayne Sermon on Touring (Imagine Dragons Live Q&A).ogg |title= Sermon's voice |type= speech |description= On the emotional effects of touring }}
}}
'''Daniel Wayne Sermon''' (born June 15, 1984) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead guitarist for the [pop rock](/source/pop_rock) band [Imagine Dragons](/source/Imagine_Dragons).
==Early life==
Sermon was born on June 15, 1984, in [American Fork, Utah](/source/American_Fork%2C_Utah), to parents Jeff and Debbie Sermon.[{{cite web |last1=Sermon |first1=Wayne |date=8 November 2018 |title=Imagine Dragons - Live From The ORIGINS Experience |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NapLxHp09DU |access-date=8 November 2018 |website=Youtube}}] He attended [Berklee College of Music](/source/Berklee_College_of_Music) where he double majored in guitar performance and composition, graduating in 2008.[{{cite web |title=Berklee College of Music |url=http://www.berklee.edu/bt/233/alumnotes.html |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=berklee.edu}}] While at Berklee he was part of a five-guitar jazz fusion ensemble called The Eclectic Electrics.[{{cite web |title=Imagine Dragons Interview With Guitarist Wayne Sermon | Interview | Music News | JAM Magazine Online | David Dunn | Chris Eason |url=http://jammagazine.com/mf201302-imagine-dragons-its-time-interview-guitarist-wayne-sermon-writer-david-dunn.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715001620/http://jammagazine.com/mf201302-imagine-dragons-its-time-interview-guitarist-wayne-sermon-writer-david-dunn.aspx |archive-date=2014-07-15 |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=jammagazine.com}}][{{cite web |title=Imagine Dragons: "That arena sound excites us, we don't need to apologise for it" |url=http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/36345/Imagine-Dragons-That-arena-sound-excites-us-we-dont-need-to-apologise-for-it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216012750/http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/36345/Imagine-Dragons-That-arena-sound-excites-us-we-dont-need-to-apologise-for-it |archive-date=2014-12-16 |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=fasterlouder.com.au}}] Reynolds invited him to join his band and move to [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas). Sermon then invited [Ben McKee](/source/Ben_McKee) to join the band on bass, and drummer [Daniel Platzman](/source/Daniel_Platzman), also a friend of Wayne from [Berklee College of Music](/source/Berklee_College_of_Music), became the last member to join the group. In Las Vegas, the band performed and honed their craft nearly nightly as a lounge act.[{{cite web|url=http://vegasmagazine.com/personalities/articles/imagine-dragons-talk-new-album-smoke-and-mirrors-release-and-las-vegas-beginnings|title=Imagine Dragons Talk New Album and Growing Up in Las Vegas|work=vegasmagazine.com|access-date=2015-02-05|archive-date=2015-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503194457/http://vegasmagazine.com/personalities/articles/imagine-dragons-talk-new-album-smoke-and-mirrors-release-and-las-vegas-beginnings|url-status=dead}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2013/oct/24/chat-killers-keuning-imagine-dragons-sermon/|title=The Weekly chat: The Killers' Dave Keuning and Imagine Dragons' Wayne Sermon--together|author=Corlene Byrd|date=24 October 2013|work=LasVegasWeekly.com|access-date=5 February 2015|archive-date=10 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110201016/http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2013/oct/24/chat-killers-keuning-imagine-dragons-sermon/|url-status=dead}}][{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/holy-roller-dan-reynolds-interview-8928525.html|title=Hotonite!26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127092444/http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2009/07/06/music/fear_and_lounging/iq_29705856.txt |archive-date=2013-01-27 |url-status=dead }}] Vegas Music Summit Headliner 2010,[[http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/events/2011/nov/05/20860/]{{dead link|date=July 2012}}] and more sent the band on a positive trajectory. In November 2011 they signed with [Interscope Records](/source/Interscope_Records) and began working with producer [Alex da Kid](/source/Alex_da_Kid).[{{Cite news |url=http://blogs.lasvegascitylife.com/cityblog/2011/11/17/vegas-band-imagine-dragons-score-major-label-deal/ |title=Imagine Dragons scores major-label deal |last=Plenke |first=Max |date=November 17, 2011 |work=Las Vegas CityLife |access-date=July 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425232339/http://blogs.lasvegascitylife.com/cityblog/2011/11/17/vegas-band-imagine-dragons-score-major-label-deal/ |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |url-status=dead}}]
In 2012 their debut album ''[Night Visions](/source/Night_Visions)'' brought the band mainstream success. It reached 2 on the [''Billboard'' 200](/source/Billboard_200) chart and won the [Billboard Music Award](/source/Billboard_Music_Award) for Best Rock Album (2014). Single "[It's Time](/source/It's_Time_(Imagine_Dragons_song))" became the band's first single reaching #15 Billboard Hot 100 and certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. Second single "[Radioactive](/source/Radioactive_(Imagine_Dragons_song))" reached #3 Billboard Hot 100 and was certified diamond by the RIAA, becoming the best selling rock song in the history of [Nielsen SoundScan](/source/Nielsen_SoundScan). Third single "[Demons](/source/Demons_(Imagine_Dragons_song))" reached #6 Billboard Hot 100 and was certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. Their album made the highest debut for a new rock band in six years (since 2006) and single Radioactive set a record for [longest time atop](/source/List_of_number-one_Billboard_Rock_Songs) the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart with 23 consecutive weeks.[{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693686/imagine-dragons-billboard-charts.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104050551/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693686/imagine-dragons-billboard-charts.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 4, 2013|title=Imagine Dragons Blaze Into #2 Spot On Billboard Chart - MTV|publisher=mtv.com|access-date=2014-07-13}}] Tracks from the album topped the Billboard Rock Songs, Billboard Alternative Songs, and Billboard Pop Songs charts. Radioactive was also nominated for two [Grammy Awards](/source/56th_Grammy_Awards), winning the [Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance](/source/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Rock_Performance).[{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2013/dec/06/imagine-dragons-pick-pair-grammy-nominations/|title=Imagine Dragons pick up a pair of Grammy nominations - Las Vegas Weekly|date=6 December 2013|publisher=lasvegasweekly.com|access-date=2014-07-13|archive-date=2018-12-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209165429/https://lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2013/dec/06/imagine-dragons-pick-pair-grammy-nominations/|url-status=dead}}] Singles include "[I Bet My Life](/source/I_Bet_My_Life_(Imagine_Dragons_song))" and "[Shots](/source/Shots_(Imagine_Dragons_song))".[{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2014/10/imagine-dragons-new-album-announcement-i-bet-my-life/|title=Imagine Dragons Release Bombastic New Song From Upcoming Album|work=Spin|date=2014-10-27}}][{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/10/27/imagine-dragons-i-bet-my-life-listen-up-song-of-the-week/17998245/|title=Song of the Week: Imagine Dragons' 'I Bet My Life'|author=Brian Mansfield, USA TODAY|date=27 October 2014|work=USA TODAY}}]
==Personal life==
Sermon is one of five children of his parents and grew up a member of [the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](/source/the_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints) but has since left the church.[{{Cite web |date=7 October 2019 |title=1181-1185: Wayne and Alex Sermon - Our Journey with Imagine Dragons and Mormonism |url=https://www.mormonstories.org/podcast/wayne-and-alex-sermon-our-journey-with-imagine-dragons-and-mormonism/ |access-date=2019-10-12 |website=Mormon Stories |language=en-US}}]
Wayne has chronic insomnia and will often record songs during the middle of the night, sleeping only a couple of hours a day.[{{cite web |title=Imagine Dragons - Night Sessions, Insomnia and Nightmares |url=http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/Article/Imagine-Dragons-Night-Sessions,-Insomnia-and-Nightmares-021243253926065 |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=redbullusa.com}}]
== Playing style and musicianship ==
Sermon has described his playing style as textural.[{{cite web |title=Imagine Dragons Guitarist Wayne Sermon on New Album, Influences and His Favorite Gibsons |url=http://www2.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/imagine-dragons-guitarist-wayne-sermon.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828062832/http://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/imagine-dragons-guitarist-wayne-sermon.aspx |archive-date=2017-08-28 |access-date=2015-02-07 |work=gibson.com}}] He also loved the sounds of [Tom Scholz](/source/Tom_Scholz) (of [Boston](/source/Boston_(band))) and his approach to solos.[{{cite web|url=http://mixonline.com/live_sound/tours/imagine_dragons_taming_big_thunderous_percussion_and_dynamic_vocals/|title=FOH mixer Scott Eisenberg and monitor engineer Jared Swetnam discuss the details regarding Imagine Dragons' live setup | Mix talks to FOH mixer Scott Eisenberg and monitor engineer Jared Swetnam about the details behind Imagine Dragons' live setup, in the May 2013 issue of Mix|publisher=mixonline.com|access-date=2014-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714154835/http://mixonline.com/live_sound/tours/imagine_dragons_taming_big_thunderous_percussion_and_dynamic_vocals/|archive-date=2014-07-14|url-status=dead}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/22872-rig-rundown-imagine-dragons|title=Rig Rundown: Imagine Dragons|work=premierguitar.com|date=22 July 2015}}]
*[Gibson](/source/Gibson_(guitar_company)) [Jeff Tweedy](/source/Jeff_Tweedy) Signature [SG](/source/Gibson_SG)[{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwHB0JvXgUk|title=ELIXIR Strings Catches Up with Wayne Sermon of Imagine Dragons - YouTube|date=3 February 2014 |publisher=youtube.com|access-date=2014-07-13}}]
===Acoustic guitars===
*[Gibson J-45](/source/Gibson_J-45)