Will of the People (album) explained

Will of the People
Type:studio
Artist:Muse
Cover:Muse - Will of the People.png
Recorded:June 2020 - December 2021[1]
Studio:
Genre:
Length:37:39
Label:
Producer:Muse
Prev Title:Origin of Muse
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:MUSE Absolution XX Anniversary
Next Year:2023

Will of the People is the ninth studio album by English rock band Muse, released through Warner Records and Helium-3 on 26 August 2022. Self-produced by the band, it is a genre-hopping album that Matthew Bellamy described as "a greatest hits album – of new songs." "Won't Stand Down", "Compliance", "Will of the People", and "Kill or Be Killed" were released as singles before the album was released, and "You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween" was released as a single the same day the album came out.

The album received generally positive reviews and became Muse's seventh consecutive number-one album in the UK.[2] A world tour in support of the album, the Will of the People World Tour, began in April 2022 and concluded in November 2023.[3]

Background and recording

About the origins of the album, Matthew Bellamy related that Warner Records requested a greatest hits album from Muse, but, instead, the band decided to make an album that was a "montage" of "all of those types of genres that we’ve touched on in the past" and would feel like "a greatest hits album – of new songs."[4] Warner stated that the album spans multiple genres, describing "Will of the People" as a "glam rocker" and "Kill or Be Killed" as "industrial".[5]

Bellamy said the lyrics on the album were inspired by "the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world [...] as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long, are genuinely threatened. This album is a personal navigation through those fears and preparation for what comes next."[6]

The album was recorded at Bellamy's Red Room studio in Santa Monica, California,[7] as well as at Black Lodge and Abbey Road Studios in London.[8]

Promotion and release

The first snippet from the album was heard on 25 December 2021, when Bellamy briefly livestreamed himself and his 10-year-old son, Bing, listening to the song "Won't Stand Down".[9] [10] About two weeks later, Muse announced the song would be released on 13 January 2022, making it their first single since "Pressure" in September 2018.[10] The second single from the album, "Compliance", was released on 17 March, alongside the announcement of the album and its release date of 26 August.[11] [12]

The third single from the album was the title track, which was released on 1 June 2022.[13] [14] That same month, Muse began the European festival leg of their Will of the People World Tour, on which they played all three of the new singles live, as well as a then-unreleased track from the album, "Kill or Be Killed".[15] On 21 July, "Kill or Be Killed" was released as the album's fourth single.[16] [17] On 23 August, Muse announced that a fifth single from the album, "You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween", would be released on 26 August, the same day as the release of the album.[18] [19]

An Italian-language version of "Ghosts (How Can I Move On)" featuring Elisa was released on 25 November 2022,[20] and a French-language version featuring Mylène Farmer was released two weeks later, on 9 December.[21]

On 1 August 2022, it was announced that Will of the People could be purchased as a non-fungible token (NFT) on the "eco-friendly" Polygon-powered platform Serenade, and that it would be the first album for which NFT sales would qualify for the UK and Australian charts.[22] [23] Per The Guardian: "The Muse NFT album will retail for £20 and will be limited to 1,000 copies globally. As both an NFT and a limited-edition format, it is relatively sparse in its offering. Buyers will get a downloadable version of the album – complete with different sleeve – as high-res FLAC files; the members of Muse will digitally sign it and each of the 1,000 buyers will have their names permanently listed on the linked roster of purchasers."[23]

Composition

Musically, Will of the People has been described as glam rock,[24] [25] alternative rock,[26] synth-pop,[24] arena rock,[24] hard rock,[27] progressive rock,[27] heavy metal,[28] progressive metal,[27] industrial metal,[25] and electropop.[25]

Critical reception

Will of the People received generally positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a normalised score of 71 out of 100 based on 14 mainstream critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews". Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic stated that "While Will of the People is not as essential as their 2000s classics, it's a quick, satisfying burst of Muse essentials that cleverly forgoes the hits-compilation graveyard in favor of fresh material that honors both their evolution and dedicated fan base." Emily Swingle of Clash described the album as "a sharp, punchy dose of Muse...[despite] lyrics [that] can feel uninspired."[26] Writing for Classic Rock, Mark Beaumont wrote, "Muse master the wider range of future rock and pop sonics they’ve been toying with for the past decade and refine and define their current sound as neatly as Black Holes & Revelations did for their 2000s period." Emma Wilkes of DIY called the album "A smorgasbord of dystopian-flavoured cringe." Andrew Belt of Gigwise writes, "Will of the People is heavy on doom-laden lyrics...Yet it also finds Muse at the top of their game — and having a ball — across ten distinctive songs."

Commercial performance

In the UK, the album sold 51,500 units in its first week of release, which was enough to make it Muse's seventh consecutive album to top the UK Albums Chart.[29] In the US, with 24,000 album equivalent units, it debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200, and number 1 on Billboards Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts.[30] As of January 2023, Will of the People has sold over 300,000 units worldwide.[31]

Personnel

Sources:[32] [33]

Muse

Additional musicians

Technical personnel

Artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[34] 6
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[35] 13
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[36] 58
UK Progressive Albums (OCC)[37] 1
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[38] 4
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[39] 1
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[40] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[41] 176
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[42] 32
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[43] 96
French Albums (SNEP)[44] 43
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[45] 15
UK Albums (OCC)[46] 85
Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
French Albums (SNEP)[47] 184

Notes and References

  1. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX6KyANuNT8/?img_index=1
  2. Web site: Bethany. Minelle. Muse's Will of the People becomes first UK number one album with NFT technology. Sky News. 2 September 2022. 8 May 2023.
  3. Web site: Will. Richards. Muse announce new 2023 UK and Ireland arena dates. NME. 26 June 2022. 26 June 2022.
  4. Web site: Sam. Moore. Matt Bellamy says Muse's 'Will Of The People' is "a greatest hits album – of new songs". NME. 16 May 2022. 29 May 2022.
  5. Web site: Chris. Willman. Muse to Return After Four Years With 'Will of the People' Album; 'Compliance' Video Out Now. Variety. 17 March 2022. 18 March 2022.
  6. Web site: Evan. Minsker. Muse Announce New Album Will of the People, Share Video for New Song "Compliance": Watch. Pitchfork. 17 March 2022. 18 March 2022.
  7. Matt Bellamy on Muse's new album, being "the biggest unknown band in the world". 26 August 2022. YouTube video. CBS Mornings. 1:10. 27 August 2022.
  8. Will of the People. Muse. 2022. album liner notes. Warner Records
    Helium-3
    . 019029638386.
  9. Web site: Rhian. Daly. Matt Bellamy teases new Muse song on Instagram Live. NME. 26 December 2021. 8 May 2023.
  10. Web site: Emily. Carter. Muse to release heavy new single Won't Stand Down next week. Kerrang!. 7 January 2022. 9 January 2022.
  11. Web site: Chris. Willman. Muse to Return After Four Years with 'Will of the People' Album; 'Compliance' Video Out Now. Variety. 17 March 2022. 25 August 2022.
  12. Web site: Chad. Childers. Muse Drop Defiant New Song 'Compliance,' Announce New Album. Loudwire. 17 March 2022. 18 March 2022.
  13. Web site: Rhian. Daly. Muse share stomping new song 'Will Of The People' and announce intimate tour. NME. 1 June 2022. 2 June 2022.
  14. Web site: Abby. Jones. Muse Attempt to Summon the "Will of the People" with New Single: Stream. Consequence. 1 June 2022. 8 May 2023.
  15. Web site: Ali. Shutler. Watch Muse perform new song 'Kill or be Killed' as they kick off summer tour. NME. 5 June 2022. 25 August 2022.
  16. Web site: Greg. Kennelty. Muse Explores "Modern Metal" With Nü-Metal Tinged Track "Kill Or Be Killed". Metal Injection. 21 July 2022. 8 May 2023.
  17. Web site: Muse drop new track 'Kill Or Be Killed'. DIY. 21 July 2022. 8 May 2023.
  18. Web site: Tom. Skinner. Muse share horror film-inspired video for 'You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween'. NME. 26 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  19. Web site: Paul. Brannigan. Muse's spooky You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween video is a horror movie geek's wet dream. Louder Sound. 26 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  20. Web site: Ali. Shutler. Muse share updated version of 'Ghosts (How Can I Move On)' featuring Italian pop star Elisa. NME. 25 November 2022. 8 May 2023.
  21. News: Chanson : Muse et Mylène Farmer, un duo inédit attendu à minuit. 12 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  22. Web site: Tamzin. Kraftman. Muse's NFT album first of its kind to qualify for official UK and Australia charts. Guitar.com. 1 August 2022. 1 August 2022.
  23. Web site: Eamonn. Forde. Sales from the crypto: Muse NFT album to become first new chart-eligible format in seven years. The Guardian. 1 August 2022. 1 August 2022.
  24. Web site: Tiana. Speter. Muse: 'Will of the People' Review – Oozing With Paranoia and Chaos. Music Feeds. 1 September 2022. 8 May 2023.
  25. Web site: Scott. Simon. 'Will of the People' is Muse's call for revolution. NPR. 27 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  26. Web site: Emily. Swingle. Muse – Will Of The People. Clash. 26 August 2022. 28 August 2022.
  27. Web site: Paolo. Ragusa. Muse's Will of the People is Vague, Jumbled, and Unimaginative: Review. Consequence. 26 August 2022. 8 May 2023.
  28. Web site: MUSE: Will Of The People . Vampster . 3 January 2024.
  29. Web site: Carl. Smith. Muse claim seventh UK Number 1 album with Will Of The People. Official Charts Company. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022.
  30. Kevin. Rutherford. Muse's 'Will of the People' Becomes Band's Third Top Rock & Alternative Albums No. 1. Billboard. September 8, 2022. September 13, 2022.
  31. Data taken as a sum of certifications.
  32. Will of the People . . 2022 . liner notes . Warner Records.
  33. Web site: Will of the People - Muse . . October 6, 2023.
  34. Web site: Weekly Digital Albums Chart: September 5, 2022. Oricon. ja. 31 August 2022.
  35. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2022/08/31 公開. Billboard Japan. ja. 31 August 2022.
  36. Web site: 2022 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. 2 September 2022. 2 September 2022.
  37. Web site: Official Progressive Albums Chart. Official Charts Company. 9 September 2022. 30 June 2023.
  38. Muse Chart History (Top Album Sales). Billboard. 13 September 2022.
  39. Muse Chart History (Top Rock Albums). Billboard. 13 September 2022.
  40. Muse Chart History (Top Alternative Albums). Billboard. 13 September 2022.
  41. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2022. Ultratop. nl. 14 January 2023.
  42. Web site: Rapports annuels 2022. Ultratop. fr. 14 January 2023.
  43. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2022. dutchcharts.nl. nl. 4 January 2023.
  44. Web site: 2022: La production musicale française toujours au top. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. 6 January 2023. 8 January 2023.
  45. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2022. hitparade.ch. de. 27 December 2022.
  46. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2022. Official Charts Company. 4 January 2023.
  47. Web site: 2023: La dynamique de la production et de la consommation musicales en France. SNEP. fr. 8 January 2024. 13 January 2024.

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