"The Dark Side"
Single by Muse
from the album Simulation Theory
Released30 August 2018 (2018-08-30)
Recorded2018
StudioAIR (London)
Genre
Length3:47
Label
Songwriter(s)Matt Bellamy
Producer(s)
Muse singles chronology
"Something Human"
(2018) 		"The Dark Side"
(2018) 		"Pressure"
(2018)
Music video
"The Dark Side" on YouTube

"The Dark Side" is a song by British rock band Muse. It was released as a single on 30 August 2018 as the fourth single from Simulation Theory, their eighth studio album.[1]

Release

The name of the fourth single to be released ahead of Muse's then-unnamed eighth studio album was first teased in the music video for previous single "Something Human", which was released on 19 July 2018. In the music video for "Something Human", lead singer Matt Bellamy can be seen driving a Lamborghini Countach which featured the vehicle registration plate "DRKSIDE".[2] Subsequently, on 30 August 2018, the name of the upcoming album was revealed to be Simulation Theory and its release date was confirmed; later that day, Muse released "The Dark Side" as the surprise next single from the album.[3]

Writing and composition

"The Dark Side" has been described as a rock opera with features from electropop[3] and rock.[1]

Music video

The music video for "The Dark Side", released on the same day as the single, continues the running theme of the previous music videos from Simulation Theory, picking up where the music video for previous single "Something Human" ends.

In the video, Bellamy is seen driving a Lamborghini Countach supercar through the dystopian cyberpunk landscape which first appeared at the end of the "Something Human" music video, after he crashed through a wormhole in a collision with a police car which had been pursuing him.[2] This dystopian world, one of many simulated realities featured in Simulation Theory music videos, is populated by giant robots attempting to kill or capture Bellamy as he attempts to understand or overcome the simulations;[1] these robots are later revealed to be Murph, the giant robot which appeared above the stage during the finale of Simulation Theory World Tour concerts. Bellamy swerves the car to avoid the robots as they break through the ground in an attempt to reach him, before driving into the mouth of one of them and observing its brain.[3] He then escapes the robot, ramming the car through the back of its skull, and landing on a bridge which passes many deactivated robots on his way to a futuristic neon city; he reaches the safety of the city just as the robots begin to wake up and destroy the bridge behind him.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[4]

Muse

Production

Charts

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[5] 22
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[6] 20
France (SNEP)[7] 115
Netherlands Single Tip (MegaCharts)[8] 14
Portugal (AFP)[9] 75
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 74
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[11] 64
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[12] 64
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[13] 32

References

  1. ^ a b c Blistein, Jon (30 August 2018). "Muse Preview New Album 'Simulation Theory' With Slick Song 'The Dark Side'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b Beaumont, Mark (14 November 2018). "Muse's 'Simulation Theory' videos explained and unpicked: just your average '80s-influenced zombie-vampire VR tech-horror…". NME. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Trendell, Andrew (30 August 2018). "Muse unveil new single 'The Dark Side' and announce new album 'Simulation Theory'". NME. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Credits / The Dark Side / Muse - TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Muse – The Dark Side" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Muse – The Dark Side" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Muse – The Dark Side" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Netherlands Single Tip Chart – 17/11/2018". MegaCharts. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com - Portuguese Charts - Singles - 46.46.2018". Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Muse – Pressure". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Muse Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
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