Muse Album and Track Rankings, including ‘Will of the People’

How’s it going, everybody? It’s been a long time since I touched on music, but since it’ll be another slow week, why not? Outside of movies, music is another form of entertainment that levels out the stress of life. This past summer had me constantly listening to Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” or anything from the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack, Imagine Dragons’ latest album, Mercury-Act 2, or falling in love with Hailee Steinfeld more with her long-awaited single “Coast” featuring Anderson .Paak. But the lead-up for the anticipation for Muse’s ninth studio album, Will of the People, was all that could cure what had been a depressing August for me. For anybody who doesn’t know, Muse has been my all-time favorite band for over a decade, where they constantly thrive with an alternative rock/space sound that takes you to another dimension, raising my love for the genre higher every time.

The group’s last record was 2018’s Simulation Theory, which was ’80s inspired. It wasn’t easy to wait in a patient state of mind for the trio of Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard to record music for fans. Will of the People was my most anticipated album release of the year when it was announced in March. The eve of its midnight release had me not contain myself knowing the world is getting brand new music from one of the most popular British rock bands ever. For me, this didn’t leave me disappointed, as it evokes such elements from their previous albums in 37 minutes. Although I initially feared there wouldn’t be a definitive sound throughout the album based on the four lead singles, that’s what I dug with the overall concept. The ten-track album plays around with genres that they un-shockingly hit, from heavy metal (“Won’t Stand Down,” “Kill or Be Killed”) to a Queen-influenced sound (“Liberation”). And the lyrics Bellamy penned illustrate the unpredictable challenges facing the world.

The track that surprised me was “Ghost (How Do I Move On),” where Bellamy’s on the piano performing this beautiful ballad that’ll have everyone resonate with those losing a loved one over the past two years. “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” can be added to the playlist of songs to play at a Halloween party, accompanied by a music video with horror references galore (Stephen King, especially). And the closer, appropriately titled “We Are Fucking Fucked,” is how I feel about the country or the world to a high degree.

But I thought Muse’s Will of the People was another great album from the band, if not an improvement over the last, who have proven not to lose a single step. Their dystopian concept lets longtime listeners learn to have a fighting spirit through each of the songs. I’ve been eagerly listening to their music again since the beginning of the month. I’ve decided to rate the albums and songs on them. No long, detailed explanations; I’m just ranking them based on preference. This also doesn’t include any live albums or Hullabaloo Soundtrack. Have you listened to Muse, or are you a mutual fan of theirs? 

Black Holes & Revelations (2006)

1. “Starlight” 
2. “Knights of Cydonia”
3. “Supermassive Black Hole”
4. “Map of the Problematique”
5. “Take a Bow”
6. “Invincible” 
7. “Assassin” 
8. “Soldier’s Poem”
9. “Exo-Politics”
10. “City of Delusion”
11. “Glorious”
12. “Hoodoo”

Origin of Symmetry (2001)

1. “Plug In Baby”
2. “Feeling Good”
3. “New Born”
4. “Citizen Erased”
5. “Bliss”
6. “Hyper Music” 
7. “Darkshines”
8. “Futurism” 
9. “Micro Cuts”
10. “Space Dementia”
11. “Screenager”
12. “Megalomania”

Absolution (2003)

1. “Time is Running Out”
2. “Hysteria”
3. “Butterflies and Hurricanes”
4. “Apocalypse Please”
5. “Sing for Absolution” 
6. “Stockholm Syndrome” 
7. “Falling Away with You”
8. “Blackout”
9. “Endlessly” 
10. “Thoughts of a Dying Atheist”
11. “Ruled By Secrecy” 
12. “Fury”
13. “The Small Print”

Drones (2015)

1. “Mercy”
2. “Dead Inside”
3. “Psycho”
4. “Aftermath”
5. “The Handler”
6. “Defector”
7. “Reapers”
8. “The Globalist”
9. “Revolt”
10. “Drones”

Will of the People (2022)

1. “Won’t Stand Down”
2. “Will of the People”
3. “Ghost (How Do I Move On)”
4. “Kill or Be Killed”
5. “Verona”
6. “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween”
7. “Compliance”
8. “Liberation”
9. “Euphoria”
10. “We Are Fucking Fucked”

The Resistance (2009)

1. “Uprising”
2. “Undisclosed Desires”
3. “I Belong to You (+Mon Cœur S’ouvre a ta Voix)”
4. “Exogenesis Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)”
5. “Exogenesis Symphony Part 1 (Overture)”
6. “United States of Eurasia”
7. “Exogenesis Symphony Part 2 (Cross-Pollination)”
8. “Resistance”
9. “MK Ultra”
10. “Unnatural Selection”
11. “Guiding Light”

Simulation Theory (2018)

1. “The Dark Side”
2. “Pressure”
3. “Algorithm”
4. “Dig Down”
5. “Something Human”
6. “Propaganda”
7. “Thought Contagion”
8. “The Void”
9. “Break It to Me”
10. “Get Up and Fight”
11. “Blockades”

The 2nd Law (2012)

1. “Madness”
2. “Panic Station”
3. “Survival” 
4. “Supremacy” 
5. “Follow Me”
6. “Explorers” 
7. “The 2nd Law: Isolated System” 
8. “Big Freeze”
9. “Animals”
10. “Save Me”
11. “Liquid State” 
12. “The 2nd Law: Unsustainable”

Showbiz (1999)

1. “Sunburn”
2. “Muscle Museum”
3. “Unintended” 
4. “Showbiz”
5. “Fillip”
6. “Uno”
7. “Sober”
8. “Cave”
9. “Overdue”
10. “Escape”
11. “Falling Down”
12. “Hate This and I’ll Love You”
13. “Spiral Static”