Uprising (song)

"Uprising"
The "Uprising" CD cover.
Single by Muse
from the album The Resistance
Released	3 August 2009 (digital download) 7 September 2009 (full release)
Format	7" vinyl, CD single, digital download
Recorded	2009 (2009) at Studio Bellini, Lake Como, Italy
Genre	Alternative rock, new prog
Length	5:03 (Album Version) 4:08 (International Radio Edit) 3:35 (US Radio Edit)
Label	Warner Bros., Helium 3
Writer(s)	Matthew Bellamy
Producer	Muse
Certification	Platinum (RIAA)
Muse singles chronology
"Map of the Problematique" (2007) "Uprising" (2009) "Undisclosed Desires" (2009)
7" Single The "Uprising" 7" cover. The Resistance track listing "Uprising" (1) "Resistance" (2)

"Uprising" is a song by English rock band Muse, featured on their fifth studio album The Resistance. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Matthew Bellamy, the song was released as the lead single from the album on 7 September 2009. The song remained at the #1 position on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart for 17 nonconsecutive weeks, and has become the band's most successful song in the United States. The song was mixed by Mark 'Spike' Stent. It was also the last UK single to top an American chart for the 2000s, according to the 30 December 2009 Nielsen BDS alternative chart, and also the first UK single to top an American chart for the 2010s.

Excerpts are used in the trailers for the 2010 Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz spy comedy Knight and Day, promotions for the US television series V, featured as the track for the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Finale, the trailer for the 2010 TV miniseries Sherlock, and the song is a playable track in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.

Background and composition

The title "Uprising" was first revealed on 3 July 2009, when the album's track listing was released sporadically on the band's Twitter page; the song was unveiled as the opening track of the album, preceding the title track "Resistance". In a pre-release review, French media source JudeBox described the song as follows:

Matt Bellamy’s voice is more serious and academic than usual. However it is delivered in a similar vein: Conspiracy, Apocalypse … He announces a “union”, speaks of “victory” that “they do not control.” Sound is still very heavy and dense, accompanied by mounted synthesizers. The structure of the song is simple for once.

The song is often considered to be based on the hit Blondie song "Call Me",^{[citation needed]} because of the thumping bass line and the occasional lead guitar riff (Blondie have in turn referenced this in their live performances by singing the lyrics of "Call Me" whilst covering the music of "Uprising", most notably at the RockNess festival in June 2010^{[citation needed]}). However, "Uprising" can be argued to have more in common with the Black Sabbath song "Children of the Grave" which Blondie's "Call Me" may have been based on. Many journalists have mentioned that "Uprising" is similar to the theme music for the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.

Release and reception

While "United States of Eurasia" was initially thought by the Muse fan community to be the first single due for release, Muse revealed, via their Twitter page, that it would in fact be "Uprising". It was revealed in July 2009 that the band would perform at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. They played at the theatre across the street from where the VMAs were held, and were introduced by Gerard Butler. On 28 July 2009 Zane Lowe played a 32 second sample on BBC Radio 1 ahead of its first play in full on 3 August 2009. After being released to radio in the United States, the single reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Alternative Songs chart on 9 September 2009, becoming Muse's 6th Top 10 single and first #1 on that chart, eventually spending 17 weeks at #1, becoming the second longest running #1 song ever on the chart. It became their first Billboard Hot 100 single (and Top 40 single), peaking at #37 on the week ending 3 October 2009 and spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100. The song peaked at #9 on the UK Singles Chart and is the band's fourth top 10 single on that chart. The song was a huge success in Poland, going up to number 1 on the Singles Chart.

"Uprising" won the Best Single award at the 2010 Music Producers Guild Awards in London.

Uses

Sports

• Used when the Sydney Roosters enter the field at their home games.
• Used in the Calgary Flames intro video before every home game.
• Frequently sung at San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball home games.

Television

• American Idol season ten contestant James Durbin performed the song during Music from the 21st Century week.

Music

• Kylie Minogue Aphrodite Les Folies world Tour - samples of Uprising were used during the reconstructed live version of Can't Get You Out Of My Head, which was arranged by Steve Anderson and Kylie Minogue

Music video

The music video, directed by American collective Hydra (Sam Stephens, John Hobbs and others), first aired on MTV2 on 17 September 2009. The band performs through a miniature city in a small truck, with a lit fuse following behind. At times, they are also seen performing inside a trailer which seems to be exploding. Through the window of a TV shop the band at one point looks at TVs with teddy bears on the screens; Matt smashes the window and TVs with his guitar. At the end of the video a group of teddy bears (with small fangs, claws and reptilian eyes) rise up from the ground and start destroying the miniature city, only to fall down at the end of the video. This is said to pay homage to the climactic scene in Ghostbusters, one shot even mirroring the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's introduction.

The video won "Best Special Effects" in the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost "Best Rock Video" to 30 Seconds to Mars's "Kings and Queens".

Track listing

All songs written by Matthew Bellamy; "Who Knows Who" co-written by Mike Skinner.

Digital download

1. "Uprising" – 5:03

7" vinyl (WEA458)

1. "Uprising" – 5:03
2. "Who Knows Who" (with Mike Skinner) – 3:24

CD single (WEA458CD)

1. "Uprising" – 5:03
2. "Uprising" (Does It Offend You, Yeah? remix) – 4:00

muse.mu download

1. "Uprising" (Live from Teignmouth 04.09.09) – 5:37

Promo CD (PR017302)

1. "Uprising" – 4:08

Charts

Chart (2009–2010)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	23
Austrian Singles Chart	29
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)	12
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)	6
Canadian Hot 100	28
Danish Singles Chart	5
Dutch Singles Chart	22
European Hot 100	17
Finnish Singles Chart	8
French Digital Singles Chart	10
German Singles Chart	40
Irish Singles Chart	11
Italian Singles Chart	14
Japan Hot 100 Singles	12
New Zealand Singles Chart	12
Norwegian Singles Chart	4
Swedish Singles Chart	13
Swiss Singles Chart	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	37
U.S. Billboard Rock Songs	2
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	1
UK Singles Chart	9

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)	Position
Hungarian Singles Chart	61
Italian Singles Chart	59
Swiss Singles Chart	59
UK Singles Chart	161
Chart (2010)	Position
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	1

Certifications

Country	Certification
Australia	Gold (ARIA)
Belgium	Gold (BEA)
Canada	Gold (CRIA)
United States	Platinum (RIAA)

Preceded by "Notion" by Kings of Leon "Check My Brain" by Alice in Chains

Billboard Alternative Songs number-one single 26 September – 3 October 2009 17 October 2009 – 28 January 2010

Succeeded by "Check My Brain" by Alice in Chains "Kings and Queens" by 30 Seconds to Mars

External links

Official

• "Uprising" (video)
• "Uprising" 30-second sample
• "Uprising" (Does It Offend You, Yeah? remix) 30-second sample
• "Who Knows Who" (feat. Mike Skinner) 30-second sample
• "Uprising" (single)

Other

• "Uprising" (song) at MuseWiki
• "Uprising" (single) at MuseWiki
• "Uprising" (tablature) at MuseWiki