Muse - Drones

Muse’s powerful seventh studio album, originally released in 2015 on Warner Bros. Records. Produced by the legendary Robert John “Mutt” Lange (Def Leppard, AC/DC, Shania Twain), the record marked a return to a heavier, guitar-driven sound, stripping back some of the electronic layers of previous albums in favor of raw rock energy and a concept rooted in dystopian themes.

A loose narrative runs through the 12 tracks, exploring humanity’s dehumanization in the age of drone warfare, technology, and authoritarian control. Opening with the thunderous “Dead Inside,” the album quickly establishes its dramatic arc, while singles like “Psycho” deliver massive riffs and militaristic chants that became instant live anthems. “Mercy” brings soaring hooks and piano flourishes in classic Muse fashion, while “Reapers” highlights Matt Bellamy’s virtuosic guitar playing with shredding intensity.

The album also showcases Muse’s flair for grandeur, with tracks like “The Handler” and “Defector” echoing arena-sized Queen-esque dramatics, and “The Globalist” stretching into a ten-minute epic that blends Morricone-inspired Western motifs with a crushing metal climax. The haunting choral closer “Drones” provides a stark, minimalist finale, bringing the concept full circle.

Drones debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, cementing Muse’s status as one of the world’s biggest rock bands. The record went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2016, praised for balancing their theatrical scope with a return-to-basics rock foundation.

A dark, cinematic, and unrelentingly ambitious work, Drones stands as one of Muse’s most thematically cohesive albums, pairing apocalyptic storytelling with the kind of colossal sound that only they can deliver.