Muse

Muse are a British rock trio formed in Teignmouth, Devon, in 1994, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Matt Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme, and drummer Dominic Howard. The band rose to prominence in the early 2000s with albums that blended progressive rock grandeur, classical influences, and politically charged themes, earning a reputation as one of the most ambitious and theatrically inventive rock acts of their generation.^[5]

Their early albums, including Showbiz (1999), Origin of Symmetry (2001), and Absolution (2003), established their signature sound: Bellamy's operatic falsetto layered over complex guitar work and sweeping orchestral arrangements, with lyrics frequently addressing conspiracy theories, political control, and cosmic isolation. Absolution broke them internationally and remains a fan favorite.

The band reached new commercial heights with Black Holes and Revelations (2006) and The Resistance (2009), the latter featuring a three-part symphony and landing them a Grammy Award. Their arena rock ambitions culminated in headline slots at Glastonbury Festival and sold-out stadium tours worldwide.

Subsequent albums including The 2nd Law (2012), Drones (2015), Simulation Theory (2018), and Will of the People (2022) have each pushed the band into new sonic territory, incorporating dubstep, electronic pop, and dystopian concept-album storytelling into their palette.

Their tenth studio album, The WOW! Signal, is scheduled for release on June 26, 2026. Built around the conceptual framework of the 1977 Wow! Signal, a mysterious 72-second narrowband radio burst from space that has never been fully explained, the record explores themes of cosmic mystery, existential hope, and the nature of contact. Recording took place at Bellamy's Red Room Studio in Los Angeles and at Abbey Road Studios, with producers Aleks Von Korff and Dan Lancaster.^[5] The album's lead single, "Be With You," features organ recorded at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, home to the second-largest pipe organ in the world.^[5]

In early 2025, Wolstenholme noted that age and family life were reshaping the band's timeline, with future albums likely spaced further apart than in earlier phases of their career.^[11] The band parted ways with Warner Records at the end of their contract before ultimately returning to the label for The WOW! Signal. The album was announced in March 2026 via a video launched 33 kilometers into the atmosphere in partnership with Sent Into Space.^[4]