X Ambassadors’ 2015 hit “Renegades” has become the latest song to join the Spotify Billions Club after reaching the billion stream milestone.
“Renegades” was released in March of 2015 as the second single off the band’s debut album, VHS. It received wider visibility than other singles thanks to its commercial tie-in with the release of the Jeep Renegade.
The song was not only the band’s first entry on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, but notably made an impressive jump from 14-8 in its fourth week. It eventually peaked at number one on that chart and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. “We’re trying not to get too caught up in everything,” vocalist Sam Harris told Billboard. “We’re just glad people like [‘Renegades’] and that it’s having a positive effect on them.”
Since its release, “Renegades” has been certified 4x platinum in the US. The song was nominated for Top Rock Song at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, but ultimately lost to Walk The Moon’s hit “Shut Up and Dance.”
The video for “Renegades” was filmed in the band’s hometown of Ithaca, New York. Showcasing a number of athletes with physical disabilities, the video was partially inspired by keyboardist Casey Harris, who has been blind since birth. “We wanted to make [the video] emotional and personal—and that’s as personal as it gets for me, Casey and the band,” Sam shared with the Ithaca Journal. “Casey’s disability was a big part of our lives, and it really impacted us as a band. It forces us to stick together, help each other out and be a real team.”
Last year, the group announced they would be releasing a re-recorded version of VHS, VHS(X), for its tenth anniversary. Ahead of its release in August 2025, “Renegades” was one of the rerecorded singles shared. The band embarked on the VHS(X) tour in September 2025, where they played every song from the album.
