"Algorithm" is a song by English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

. It was released as the first

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

from the band's eighth studio album, ''

Simulation Theory Simulation theory or Simulation Theory may refer to: *Simulation theory of empathy, theory in philosophy of mind about how people read others' actions and intentions *Simulation Theory (album), ''Simulation Theory'' (album), 2018 studio album by th ...

'', on 9 November 2018. "Algorithm" is a retro-futuristic and

industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...

sounding song, in common with the overall theme of ''Simulation Theory''.

Release

The name of the song was first mentioned by lead singer Matt Bellamy while speaking with Matt Wilkinson on

Beats 1 Radio Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), ...

on 16 February 2018. According to Bellamy, the song blends classical romantic piano with 1980s synths and computer game music. Q magazine published a preview of ''Simulation Theory'' on 23 October, in which they stated that "opener "Algorithm" sounds like it could be from

Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...

's '' Tron: Legacy'' soundtrack, a fusion of dramatic strings and industrial electro."

Writing and recording

Lead singer Bellamy said regarding "Algorithm" that "it’s about an intelligence, be it human or artificial, that realises that it lives in a simulated reality, and it is controlled by its creator. It feels betrayed, finds this situation unfair and tries to escape". In another interview, Bellamy said that "Algorithm" and " The Dark Side" deal with the struggle to get away from a

dystopia A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...

n world and anxieties about technology. Bellamy has stated that "Algorithm" is his favourite track from ''Simulation Theory'' "because it's an interesting combination of retro-synth and futuristic stuff". The song has been compared by various reviewers to "

Apocalypse Please "Apocalypse Please" is a song by English alternative rock band Muse, featured on their third studio album, ''Absolution'' (2003). A live version of the song was released as a download single on 23 August 2004, from which approximately 70% of all ...

" and " Supremacy", and by Muse fans to " Take A Bow" and " The Dark Side".

Music video

A short preview of the "Algorithm" music video was first shown by Bellamy on his smartphone during an interview on

Virgin Radio Virgin Radio launched in the United Kingdom in 1993. In 2008, Virgin Radio UK was sold to TIML, a subsidiary of The Times of India group, and the name was changed to Absolute Radio; the Virgin Radio name was not included in the sale. In 2001, ...

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two days prior to the release. Actor

Terry Crews Terry Alan Crews (born July 30, 1968) is an American actor, television host, and former American footballer. He played Julius Rock in the UPN/ CW sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris'', which aired from 2005 to 2009, and portrayed Terry Jeffords in ...

makes a second appearance in a ''Simulation Theory'' music video, following on from his role as

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

of the music video for "

Pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and e ...

Charts

References

External links

"Algorithm"
music video on

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{{Authority control 2018 singles 2018 songs Muse (band) songs Songs written by Matt Bellamy