Won't Stand Down Explained

Won't Stand Down
Cover:Muse - Won't Stand Down.png
Type:single
Artist:Muse
Album:Will of the People
Recorded:2021
Genre:
Length:3:29
Label:Warner
Producer:Muse
Prev Title:Pressure
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Compliance
Next Year:2022

"Won't Stand Down" is a song by English rock band Muse. Released as a single on 13 January 2022, it is their first single from Will of the People, their ninth studio album.[1] [2] It topped the UK Rock & Metal chart and reached number 56 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was a sleeper hit in the United States, reaching number 1 on Billboards Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in May 2022, becoming the first Muse song to do so.[3] [4]

Release

On 25 December 2021, Muse lead singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy held a brief livestream on the official Muse Instagram account. In the video, he can be seen driving his Tesla on Autopilot mode, with his 10-year-old son Bing in the passenger seat. The pair are listening (and, in Bing's case, headbanging) to a then-unreleased Muse song, entitled "Won't Stand Down" on the car stereo screen, while Matt provides occasional commentary over the track.[1] In total, the livestream previewed a roughly one-minute-long section of the song.[5] Muse's own Instagram account hinted towards the release of a new single in a post on 31 December, initially uploaded with the caption "Looking forward to WSD. We'll see you on the other side!" before "WSD" was changed to "2022" after a few minutes.

The release of "Won't Stand Down" as a single was officially confirmed by Muse on 7 January 2022, with the release date set for 13 January on all digital platforms.[6] [1] [7] On 9 January, a further snippet of the song, this time consisting of the opening verse, was posted to Muse's TikTok account as well as a "Won't Stand Down"-themed Instagram Stories mask filter.

Writing and composition

Musically, the song has been described as heavy metal,[8] hard rock,[9] and electronic rock.[10] Prior to release, the song was described as Muse's "heaviest material yet",[11] featuring a metalcore breakdown.[12] The song also contains "heavy guitars and industrial-like distortions",[13] and "triplet-flow-type vocals in the verse".[14]

According to vocalist and guitarist Matt Bellamy, "'Won't Stand Down' is a song about standing your ground against bullies, whether that be on the playground, at work or anywhere."[14]

Artwork and music video

The digital artwork for "Won't Stand Down" was described as "dark and ominous", featuring a hooded priest-like figure hovering over ten disciples,[15] figures wearing digital-style masks and gothic chandeliers.[1] A short teaser of the music video was posted to Muse's TikTok account on 9 January.[16]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal[17]

Muse

Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA)[18] 27
Canada Digital Songs (Billboard)[19] 41
Czech Republic (Modern Rock)[20] 10
France (SNEP)[21] 118
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[22] 28
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 30

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] 85
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[25] 10

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
Italy14 January 2022Contemporary hit radioWarner[27]
United States18 January 2022Alternative radio[28]
Rock radio[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Trendell . Andrew . Muse announce new single 'Won't Stand Down' . NME . 7 January 2022 . 9 January 2022.
  2. Web site: Muse announce new album Will Of The People, which is "influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world" . Kerrang! . 17 March 2022.
  3. Web site: Muse earns 'Billboard' chart first with "Won't Stand Down" . 105.7 The Point . 8 May 2022 . 5 May 2022.
  4. Muse – Chart History – Mainstream Rock Airplay . Billboard . 8 May 2022.
  5. Web site: Daly . Rhian . Matt Bellamy teases new Muse song on Instagram Live . NME. 26 December 2021 .
  6. Web site: Won't Stand Down – Our new single, released next week on Thursday January 13th. . Twitter . Muse . 9 January 2022.
  7. Web site: Carter . Emily . Muse to release heavy new single Won't Stand Down next week . Kerrang! . 9 January 2022.
  8. Web site: Grau. Ignacio. Muse returns after four years with a heavy new track "Won't Stand Down". Chaoszine. 13 January 2022. 13 January 2022.
  9. Web site: Brayden. Kate. Muse tease new hard rock single 'Won't Stand Down'. Hot Press. 7 January 2022. 13 January 2022.
  10. Web site: Owen. Matt. Muse release pummeling new single, Won't Stand Down. Guitar World. 13 January 2022. 13 January 2022.
  11. Web site: Owen. Matt. Muse unleash their inner metal in teaser for brutal new single, Won't Stand Down. Guitar World. 7 January 2022. 14 January 2022.
  12. Web site: Parker. Jack. Muse Are Back – Here Are 10 Songs You May Have Forgotten. All Things Loud. 11 January 2022. 13 January 2022.
  13. Web site: Muse Drops Guitar-Heavy New Song 'Won't Stand Down'. Blabbermouth. 13 January 2022. 13 January 2022.
  14. Web site: Kennelty. Greg. The New Muse Single "Won't Stand Down" Is Indeed Pretty Heavy. Metal Injection. 13 January 2022. 14 January 2022.
  15. Bowenbank . Starr . Muse Teases New Single 'Won't Stand Down' With Haunting Cover Art . Billboard . 9 January 2022.
  16. Web site: Living vicariously...#WontStandDown #Muse #NewMusic . TikTok . Muse.
  17. Web site: Credits / Won't Stand Down / Muse – TIDAL . Tidal . 13 January 2022.
  18. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 24 January 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 January 2022.
  19. Muse – Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales . . 24 January 2022.
  20. Web site: CZ – Radio – Top 20 Modern Rock – Muse – Won't Stand Down. IFPI Czech Republic. 12 October 2022. Czech.
  21. Web site: Top Singles (Week 3, 2022). SNEP. 24 January 2022.
  22. Web site: Muse Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay). Billboard. 22 March 2024.
  23. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. 24 January 2022. 22 January 2022.
  24. Web site: Year-End Charts: Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (2022). Billboard. 2 December 2022.
  25. Web site: Year-End Charts: Rock & Alternative Airplay (2022). Billboard. 2 December 2022.
  26. Web site: Your 2022 VMA Nominations Are Here: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X Lead The Pack. https://web.archive.org/web/20220726133318/https://www.mtv.com/news/hwekgl/vmas-2022-nominees-lil-nas-x-jack-harlow-kendrick-lamar. dead. 26 July 2022. MTV. Serrano. Athena. 26 July 2022. 30 October 2022.
  27. Web site: Muse "Won't Stand Down" (Radio Date: 14 January 2022). radiodate.it. it. 14 January 2022.
  28. Web site: Alternative Radio Future Releases. All Access. 15 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220113204751/https://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases. 13 January 2022.
  29. Web site: Rock Radio Future Releases. All Access. 17 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220113103924/https://www.allaccess.com/rock/future-releases. 13 January 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Won't Stand Down".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.