Imagine Dragons And Hard Rock Partner To Benefit The Tyler Robinson Foundation With Signature Series: Edition 33 Merchandise Launch And Global Cafe Takeover

Limited-Edition Imagine Dragons T-shirt and Pin Available January 2015 in Support of the Band's Charity

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Jan 22, 2015, 09:29 ET

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum, GRAMMY® Award-winning rock band Imagine Dragons and iconic lifestyle brand Hard Rock International have joined forces to help slay cancer with Dragons, and support the band's Tyler Robinson Foundation, through the Imagine Dragons Signature Series: Edition 33 merchandise line. The limited-edition collectible pin and men's T-shirt featuring an original design by Imagine Dragons will be available online at HardRock.com and at Rock Shops at Hard Rock Cafes, Hotels and Casinos worldwide beginning in January 2015.

Hamish Dodds, center, President and CEO of Hard Rock International, and Wayne Sermon, Dan Reynolds, Ben McKee and Daniel Platzman, left to right, of Imagine Dragons, meet with Christian Smith, 4, of Dewey, Okla., and Kate Pierson, 13, of West Jordan, Utah, who have benefitted from the Tyler Robinson Foundation, at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, as part of the launch of Hard Rock's Imagine Dragons Signature Series T-shirt and pin. A portion of the retail price from sales of the merchandise will benefit the foundation supporting families affected by pediatric cancer. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Hard Rock International/AP Images)

"We feel very passionate about the Tyler Robinson Foundation and are excited to work with Hard Rock to use their global reach and charitable roots to help us spread the message of Tyler and this cause," said Imagine Dragons frontman and Tyler Robinson co-founder, Dan Reynolds.

Proceeds from the sale of Hard Rock's Imagine Dragons Signature Series merchandise will benefit the Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF), an organization established by the band in 2013 to help families handle unexpected financial costs of pediatric cancer. TRF assigns financial advisers to families affected and covers expenses such as child care, rent, utility bills and travel costs for treatments. Through the Signature Series: Edition 33 merchandise, fans can join Imagine Dragons in their mission to support families struggling with the financial burden of childhood cancer, so they can focus on treatments and healing.

Hard Rock's Imagine Dragons Signature Series: Edition 33 men's T-shirt ($26) is slate-blue and features an image of a bird and a guitar nestled in a bird's nest, symbolizing the little things the Tyler Robinson Foundation does to keep their recipients and families safe and happy. The T-shirt also displays the band's logo and a city-specific Hard Rock brand logo. The new Signature Series Pin ($12) is shaped like a guitar-pick and features an image of a bird, nest and guitar with Imagine Dragons and Hard Rock logos.

"We have fostered a valuable friendship with Imagine Dragons over the past several years," said James Buell, Director of Music and Marketing for Hard Rock International. "We are honored to further our partnership with these award-winning artists by supporting a cause they are extremely passionate about and we look forward to raising funds and awareness for this inspirational cause."

To celebrate the partnership, Hard Rock will also join forces with Imagine Dragons to support the band's sophomore album, Smoke + Mirrors, on the day of the album's release. On Tuesday, February 17, 2015, Imagine Dragons will be the first artist to take control of Hard Rock Cafe's internal video system, played on more than 20,000 screens in Hard Rock's 150 cafe locations around the world. Guests who visit one of Hard Rock's many cafe locations worldwide will experience the "Dragons" takeover first-hand, including the band's latest video releases and other hand-picked favorites.

Additionally, Hard Rock Cafe locations will offer a limited-edition beverage menu to support the Tyler Robinson Foundation through February 2015. Guests are encouraged to visit their local Hard Rock Cafe and enjoy a delicious way to give back to the cause!

Hard Rock's Signature Series Lineup

Hard Rock developed the concept of partnering with world-renowned musicians and bands to create and donate imaginative designs more than 20 years ago. These unique designs are converted onto T-shirts and sold at Hard Rock properties worldwide, with a portion of the retail price benefitting the artist's preferred charity. Imagine Dragons joins a legendary roster of music icons – from U2, KISS, Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton, to The Who, Jon Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Shakira, Ringo Starr and Jimi Hendrix – who have become part of Hard Rock's Signature Series program, which has helped to raise millions of dollars for charitable causes worldwide.

For additional details please visit www.hardrock.com.

About Imagine Dragons

Formed in 2009 by Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman, Imagine Dragons earned a grassroots following by independently releasing a series of EPs. After Alex Da Kid signed them to his KIDinaKORNER/Interscope label, the band made its major-label debut with the release of Continued Silence, a 2012 EP featuring the 2x platinum breakthrough single "It's Time." The band's double-platinum album Night Visions arrived later that year and Imagine Dragons found themselves on a skyward trajectory that saw the album debut at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, sell nearly four million copies worldwide, and became the No. 1 album on Spotify Worldwide for 2013. Night Visions' second single, the 9x platinum "Radioactive," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rock chart and earned the band a 2014 Grammy for "Best Rock Performance." It is the best-selling rock song in U.S. digital history. The third single, "Demons," hit No. 1 at Alternative and Top 40 radio, and has sold 3.9 million copies in the U.S. The band has sold more than 24 million tracks worldwide.

For more information visit www.imaginedragonsmusic.com

About the Tyler Robinson Foundation

The Tyler Robinson Foundation begins with the story of Tyler – one of many heroes who chose not to let his prognosis dictate his outlook on life. At 16-yearsold, Tyler was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. In the following year leading up to his passing, he was able to touch countless lives. Those who knew Tyler were inspired by his courage, and his insistence on enjoying life and spreading happiness despite the physical and emotional strain of living with cancer. Determined to continue Tyler's legacy of creating something positive despite the odds, his family and members of the band Imagine Dragons (who had grown close to Tyler) came together to create the Tyler Robinson Foundation. Some people say that Tyler lost his battle with cancer, but we couldn't disagree more. The real battle is not whether you live or die, but how you respond to the challenge. Tyler loved music, which was the catalyst for his relationship with the band Imagine Dragons. One of his favorite lyrics during the time he was battling cancer comes from the song "It's Time," which says the road to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell. When the band heard about this, they dedicated the song to him at a show – this was the beginning of a long friendship. For more information, visit www.TRF.org.

About Hard Rock International

With a total of 197 venues in 62 countries, including 151 cafes, 21 hotels and 10 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company's two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include San Juan, Rio de Janeiro and Marrakech. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Daytona Beach, Dubai, Los Cabos, Dallas-Fort Worth, Tenerife, Abu Dhabi, and Shenzhen and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.