Top 10 Best Muse Albums
Muse has spent decades crafting some of the most ambitious and recognizable rock music of the modern era. Formed in the mid-1990s in Teignmouth, England, the trio of Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard quickly gained a reputation for their dramatic sound, blending elements of alternative rock, progressive rock, electronic music, and even classical influences.
Their early albums established them as a band willing to push boundaries, featuring heavy guitar riffs, grandiose piano pieces, and lyrics that often explored themes of political unrest, personal struggle, and dystopian futures.
As their career progressed, they continued to experiment, incorporating synthesizers, orchestral arrangements, and even elements of dubstep into their music. Each album feels like a new chapter in their evolution, shifting styles while maintaining the energy and ambition that have defined them from the start.
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Origin of Symmetry
Origin of Symmetry by far. It has all their best, most experimental and progressive songs.
After that comes Black Holes and Revelations and Absolution. Those two are really close together, but Black Holes and Revelations wins by a hair. Showbiz comes in after that. Then there's a big gap, and then Resistance.
Drones and The 2nd Law are their worst. On The 2nd Law there was too much happening and not enough focus, and Drones just has no passion. The lyrics are not good at all, and Revolt, Aftermath, and Drones are three of their worst songs.
The Globalist had the potential to be one of their best, but it ended up being a snoozefest. I'm slowly losing more and more faith in Muse. If their next album isn't at least Resistance or Showbiz level, then I will have given up on them.
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Absolution
Not only are the tracks themselves mind-blowing, but as a whole, this is Muse's best work so far. This concept album feels like one great cohesive story from beginning to end. It shows perfection and ambition in many musical terms, such as the symphonic layers and the even further improved vocals. Origin of Symmetry is also a great album with massive tracks throughout the first half, but it feels like it still needs some polishing. While listening to Origin of Symmetry may depend on your mood, Absolution will remain the album of sonic assaults you can listen to anytime!
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Black Holes & Revelations
My Ranking:
7. Drones (2015) - Good but disappointing
6. Showbiz (1999) - Spectacular. It has my favorite Muse song on it, Muscle Museum, but I like the others more.
5. The Resistance (2009) - I love songs like Resistance and Undisclosed Desires, but it's too short of an album.
4. Absolution (2003) - Wonderful third.
3. The 2nd Law (2012) - Piano madness. Get it? Madness too soon.
2. Origin of Symmetry (2001) - Classic.
1. Black Holes and Revelations (2006) - No need to explain. Just listen to songs like Map of the Problematique, Assassin, and Knights of Cydonia. You will be blown away.
- Charlie from #beattheblues
Really, this album does not have my favorite songs in it, but it is the only Muse album that I can listen to any time regardless of my mood. It has a lot of good songs such as Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, Map of the Problematique, Assassin, and Knights of Cydonia.
It is also such a complete album that I don't ever feel the need to skip around.
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The Resistance
Why this is considered one of the worst albums by Muse will always be beyond me. Sure, this album brought some changes in Muse's style, but I personally feel that the changes were just big enough to improve their sound while not big enough to get rid of the Musey feel. Every one of these songs has a different style. You go from hearing what sounds like an intro to a movie, to some rock, to a rock ballad. This might be too much variety for some, but I feel that every one of these songs on this album is unique, creative, and amazing.
My absolute, all-time favorite song is in this album. Uprising will always and forever be a song I could listen to on repeat. And that was the song that led me to see what else Muse had made. Other tracks on this album were favorites of mine, more so when I was younger, but I still love the songs here.
And the somewhat classical approach taken by Muse.
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The 2nd Law
I got to know Muse in reverse order. I fell in love with two songs from "The Resistance," and after I started playing the keyboard myself, my appreciation for music increased. As such, I started to appreciate everything on "The Resistance" and wanted to find out more about what these guys had done in the past. Going back to their previous album seemed the obvious choice, and it never disappointed.
I happen to love all the "experiments" they toy around with, since I'm so lucky to like all the styles they visit. Be it dubstep, classical, rock, pop, and of course, a bit of electronics in there as well. Add some strings to the mix, and I was completely sold. I still am. I love the diversity. For me, it all adds up and makes for a very interesting listening experience.
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Showbiz
This should be at least 4th on this list, to be honest. With songs like Sunburn and Muscle Museum, Muse showed their full potential of being one of the greatest modern rock bands ever by debuting with this album.
I think this album is really underrated and deserves to be higher on the list. New Muse fans, before saying The 2nd Law is their best album, please listen to their other albums before giving your honest opinion.
What's this doing in 6th place? Anyway, I'm in love with this album. Instead of a normal debut full of songs that even the band doesn't care about, this album is full of fantastic songs. I could listen to Uno or Escape anytime while still loving the big hits like Sunburn and Muscle Museum.
For me, this is probably the best.
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Drones
Muse may have overdone their dystopia theme, but this album is more than good enough to overlook it. This album contains the two most epic Muse songs I have ever heard: Reapers and The Globalist. The solo in Reapers is so precise and perfect for the song that it has become my new favorite Muse song. The layering of vocals in the chorus is fitting, and the entire song is worth listening to, although they shouldn't have dragged out the final smashing note.
The Globalist is so pleasing to listen to at first, and the song wisely takes its time to build into a wonderful masterpiece of progressive rock. Of all the extensive songs I have listened to, this is by far the easiest to listen to. What I mean is that the 10-minute runtime doesn't matter because every second of the song is worth it. In fact, the entire album is phenomenal, but if I could only keep two songs, it would be these.
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H.A.A.R.P.: Live from Wembley
To everyone who loves Muse and has not listened to this, there is a hole in your life that needs to be filled now. It has a mix of perfect live performances from their old and new albums. It is easily the best thing Muse has ever put out, absolutely perfect!
I remember when my mother listened to this CD and loved it. H.A.A.R.P. is the best live CD Muse has done, and I think it deserves to be in place 7.
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Hullabaloo Soundtrack
I'm going to be honest, this has many more good songs on it than both The Resistance and The 2nd Law. There are no bad tracks on this album, and if they released it as a full-length album separately, it would be considered among the top three albums.
The B-sides on here deserve to be released as an actual album. Very reminiscent of Showbiz, and somehow the production seems better too.
Well worth getting for the B-sides, but also for the live performance, where they absolutely rock!
Extremely underrated. Another chapter of prime Muse that doesn't disappoint.
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Simulation Theory
I will admit that I am a little late to Muse. I discovered them about a year ago, but when I found out about this LP, I was intrigued, and before I knew it, I was hooked! I love how diverse Muse's style is. On this LP, Muse does this '80s retro-futuristic synth-pop kind of thing. I honestly love this album from front to back. Every song is just so catchy. Just listen to Propaganda. I was singing it all day and even in my dreams! It is really easy to love, and everyone should give it a chance.
I know this one will get the same hate that Drones and The 2nd Law got because it's different. But how could I be a fan of Absolution and not love this LP?
This album is certainly different from previous ones Muse have made, but that is practically the essence of Muse: to try new styles and experiment with music. Not all the songs on this album are to my liking, such as Dig Down, and while I don't hate it, Get Up and Fight feels like a song I'll need to get more used to.
But I could easily see Simulation Theory being one of Muse's top albums.
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Will of the People
Muse's best album of all time? No, but it will beat the forced "Drones," their promising debut, and for sure the lazy "Simulation Theory." I think this is the first album since "The 2nd Law" that I will genuinely enjoy again for a long time.
My personal ranking as of now:
1. Absolution
2. The 2nd Law
3. Origin of Symmetry
4. The Resistance
5. Black Holes and Revelations
6. Will of the People
7. Drones
8. Showbiz
9. Simulation Theory
"Will of the People" comes closer to the higher-ranked albums than the lower-ranked albums. Somewhere in the middle of the Muse pack is decent for this album, especially when you think of it as a "Greatest Hits" album encapsulating elements from all other works Muse has produced.
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In Your World EP
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Live at Rome Olympic Stadium
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Muse EP
Coma is one of my favorite Muse songs. They should have included it in Showbiz, like all the other songs from Muse EP.
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This Is a Muse Demo
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New Born EP
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Muscle Museum EP
