Won't Stand Down

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"Won't Stand Down"
Muse - Won't Stand Down.png
Single by Muse
from the album Will of the People
Released13 January 2022 (2022-01-13)
Recorded2021
Genre
Length3:29
LabelWarner
Songwriter(s)Matt Bellamy
Producer(s)Muse
Muse singles chronology
"Pressure"
(2018) 		"Won't Stand Down"
(2022) 		"Compliance"
(2022)
Music video
"Won't Stand Down" on YouTube

"Won't Stand Down" (stylised in all uppercase) 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 upcoming ninth studio album.[1][2] It topped the UK Rock & Metal chart and reached number 56 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number 3 on Billboard's Rock Airplay chart.

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.[3] 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.[4][1][5] 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,[6] hard rock,[7] and electronic rock.[8] Prior to release, the song was described as Muse's "heaviest material yet",[9] featuring a metalcore breakdown.[10] The song also contains "heavy guitars and industrial-like distortions",[11] and "triplet-flow-type vocals in the verse".[12]

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."[12]

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,[13] 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.[14]

Personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal[15]

Muse

Production

  • Aleks Von Korff – additional production, engineering
  • Dan Lancaster – mixing
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Rhys May – mixing assistant
  • Andy Maxwell – studio assistant
  • Joe Devenney – studio assistant
  • Tommy Bosustow – studio assistant
  • Chris Whitemyer – technical assistant
  • Paul Warren – technical assistant

Charts[]

Chart performance for "Won't Stand Down"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Canada Hot Digital Songs (Billboard)[16] 41
Canada Rock (Billboard)[17] 6
France (SNEP)[18] 118
Hungary (Single Top 40)[19] 18
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[20] 30
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 46
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 56
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[23] 1
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] 27
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[25] 3

Release history[]

Release history for "Won't Stand Down"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Italy 14 January 2022 Contemporary hit radio Warner [26]
United States 18 January 2022 Alternative radio [27]
Rock radio [28]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Trendell, Andrew. "Muse announce new single 'Won't Stand Down'". NME. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Muse announce new album Will Of The People, which is "influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world"". Kerrang!. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ^ Daly, Rhian. "Matt Bellamy teases new Muse song on Instagram Live". NME.
  4. ^ "Won't Stand Down - Our new single, released next week on Thursday January 13th". Twitter. Muse. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  5. ^ Carter, Emily. "Muse to release heavy new single Won't Stand Down next week". Kerrang!. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  6. ^ Grau, Ignacio (13 January 2022). "Muse returns after four years with a heavy new track "Won't Stand Down"". Chaoszine. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  7. ^ Brayden, Kate (7 January 2022). "Muse tease new hard rock single 'Won't Stand Down'". Hot Press. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  8. ^ Owen, Matt (13 January 2022). "Muse release pummeling new single, Won't Stand Down". Guitar World. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  9. ^ Owen, Matt (7 January 2022). "Muse unleash their inner metal in teaser for brutal new single, Won't Stand Down". Guitar World. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  10. ^ Parker, Jack (11 January 2022). "Muse Are Back - Here Are 10 Songs You May Have Forgotten". All Things Loud. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Muse Drops Guitar-Heavy New Song 'Won't Stand Down'". Blabbermouth. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  12. ^ a b Kennelty, Greg (13 January 2022). "The New Muse Single "Won't Stand Down" Is Indeed Pretty Heavy". Metal Injection. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  13. ^ Bowenbank, Starr. "Muse Teases New Single 'Won't Stand Down' With Haunting Cover Art". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Living vicariously...#WontStandDown #Muse #NewMusic". TikTok. Muse.
  15. ^ "Credits / Won't Stand Down / Muse - TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Muse - Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  17. ^ "Muse Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Top Singles (Week 3, 2022)". SNEP. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  20. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Muse – Won't Stand Down". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  22. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Muse Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  25. ^ "Muse Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Muse "Won't Stand Down" | (Radio Date: 14/01/2022)". radiodate.it (in Italian). Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Alternative Radio Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  28. ^ "Rock Radio Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
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