Muse

Band · Three men from Devon who write stadium-sized rock

Photo: Warner Music Sweden · CC BY 3.0
Active 1994-present
Origin Teignmouth, England
Albums 10
Tracks 115
Most frequent collaborator Rich Costey · 33 tracks
Genres Alternative RockProgressive RockSpace Rock
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 115 of 115 tracks

Who writes Muse's songs?

Matt Bellamy, almost entirely. He is the only credited writer on 102 of the 115 tracks across ten albums. Chris Wolstenholme has seven credits, two of them on The 2nd Law, which he wrote about his alcoholism and sang lead on, and five on the 2026 album The Wow! Signal. Dominic Howard shares the writing only on that last record.

By the Numbers

10
Studio Albums
115
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
30 million
Records Sold
32
Years Active
25
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 115 / 115 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 115 tracks: how many Muse wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Muse has a writing credit100%
89%
11%
Sole author102tracks89%
Co-written13tracks11%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Muse's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 115 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer99%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 115 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Matt Bellamy 1994-present
98%
98%
0%
0%
Chris Wolstenholme 1994-present
6%
18%
0%
0%
Dominic Howard 1994-present
4%
17%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Muse's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1999Showbiz
2001Origin of Symmetry
2003Absolution
2006Black Holes and Revelations
2009The Resistance
2012The 2nd Law
2015Drones
2018Simulation Theory
2022Will of the People
2026The Wow! Signal
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Showbiz
100%
2000s
Origin of Symmetry, Absolution +2 more
100%
2010s
The 2nd Law, Drones +1 more
100%
2020s
Will of the People, The Wow! Signal

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Muse sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Muse
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Kenny Chesney20%
Britney Spears32%
NSYNC41%
Kelly Rowland53%
Usher74%
Counting Crows83%
The White Stripes92%
100%Muse
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Unintended
Showbiz
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Sunburn
Showbiz
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Muscle Museum
Showbiz
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Cave
Showbiz
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Uno
Showbiz
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Plug In Baby
Origin of Symmetry
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
New Born
Origin of Symmetry
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Bliss
Origin of Symmetry
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Time Is Running Out
Absolution
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Tony Wolstenholme
Wrote it
Butterflies and Hurricanes
Absolution
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Tony Wolstenholme
Wrote it
Sing for Absolution
Absolution
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Tony Wolstenholme
Wrote it
Hysteria
Absolution
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Tony Wolstenholme
Wrote it
Supermassive Black Hole
Black Holes and Revelations
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Knights of Cydonia
Black Holes and Revelations
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Starlight
Black Holes and Revelations
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Map of the Problematique
Black Holes and Revelations
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Invincible
Black Holes and Revelations
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Uprising
The Resistance
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Resistance
The Resistance
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Undisclosed Desires
The Resistance
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Survival
The 2nd Law
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Madness
The 2nd Law
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Supremacy
The 2nd Law
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Psycho
Drones
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Dead Inside
Drones
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Mercy
Drones
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Thought Contagion
Simulation Theory
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Pressure
Simulation Theory
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Won't Stand Down
Will of the People
Written by Matt Bellamy, Matthew James Bellamy
Wrote it
Unravelling
The Wow! Signal
Written by Matt Bellamy, Dan Lancaster, Matthew James Bellamy
Co-wrote

Discography 10 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Muse115 tracks
RC33Rich Costey, 33 tracks PR26Paul Reeve, 26 tracks 23John Leckie, 23 tracks JC14John Cornfield, 14 tracks ML12Mutt Lange, 12 tracks DB11David Bottrill, 11 tracks VK9Von Korff, 9 tracks DL8Dan Lancaster, 8 tracks B3BloodPop, 3 tracks ME2Mike Elizondo, 2 tracks FC1Frédéric Chopin, 1 track CS1Camille Saint-Saëns, 1 track EE1Edward Elgar, 1 track GP1Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, 1 track T1Timbaland, 1 track AL1Angel Lopez, 1 track FV1Federico Vindver, 1 track TM1Tim Mosley, 1 track S1Shellback, 1 track JS1Johan Schuster, 1 track AV1Aleks Von Korff, 1 track DF1Digital Farm Animals, 1 track RB1Richard Boardman, 1 track TH1Theo Hutchcraft, 1 track NG1Nicholas Gale, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. RC Rich Costey · PR Paul Reeve · JC John Cornfield · ML Mutt Lange · DB David Bottrill

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Matt Bellamy writes Muse. He is the only credited writer on 102 of the 115 tracks across ten albums, and a member is credited on every single one; no outside writer appears anywhere until The Resistance clears Chopin and Saint-Saëns for its symphony. Chris Wolstenholme has seven credits in thirty years, two on The 2nd Law that he wrote about his own drinking and sang himself, and five on the 2026 album. Dominic Howard shares the writing only on that last record. For a band this dependent on three people playing together, the paperwork says one of them writes it.

Quick Facts

  • FromTeignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994 with the same three members since
  • One writerMatt Bellamy is the only credited writer on 102 of the 115 tracks
  • Chart runAbsolution began a run of seven consecutive UK number one albums
  • Records soldMore than 30 million albums worldwide as of 2022
  • AwardsTwo Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards and five MTV Europe Music Awards
  • Ivor NovelloReceived the International Achievement award in 2012

Creative Fingerprint

A single writer for nine albums, with the bassist stepping forward twice in three decades.

The Story

Muse formed in Teignmouth, Devon in 1994 and have kept the same three members ever since: Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard. Ten studio albums have moved from the alternative rock of Showbiz to symphonic rock, electronic rock and back again. They have sold more than 30 million albums and won two Grammy Awards.

Awards & Recognition

Two Grammy Awards
Two Brit Awards
Five MTV Europe Music Awards
Eight NME Awards
Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in 2012

Frequently Asked Questions Muse

Who writes Muse's songs?
Matt Bellamy, almost entirely. He is the only credited writer on 102 of the 115 tracks across ten albums. Chris Wolstenholme has seven credits, two of them on The 2nd Law, which he wrote about his alcoholism and sang lead on, and five on the 2026 album The Wow! Signal. Dominic Howard shares the writing only on that last record.
How many albums have Muse released?
Ten studio albums: Showbiz in 1999, Origin of Symmetry in 2001, Absolution in 2003, Black Holes and Revelations in 2006, The Resistance in 2009, The 2nd Law in 2012, Drones in 2015, Simulation Theory in 2018, Will of the People in 2022 and The Wow! Signal in 2026.
Did Chris Wolstenholme write any Muse songs?
Seven. "Save Me" and "Liquid State" on The 2nd Law are his, written about his drinking and the first Muse songs he sang lead on, and he shares five credits on The Wow! Signal.
Who wrote "Uprising"?
Matt Bellamy, as with almost everything Muse released. It reached number nine in the UK and number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, their highest US placing.
How many records have Muse sold?
More than 30 million albums worldwide as of 2022.
Have Muse won a Grammy?
Two. They have also won two Brit Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, eight NME Awards and the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in 2012.
Why do classical composers appear in the credits?
The Resistance ends with "Exogenesis: Symphony", which draws on Chopin and Saint-Saëns, so both are credited. It is the only place outside writers appear before 2018.
Has the line-up ever changed?
No. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard have been Muse since 1994.
Why do the chart peaks here come from the UK?
Only three Muse singles have entered the Billboard Hot 100. The band charts consistently at home, so UK Singles Chart positions are used here and labelled on the page.
Which Muse album sold the most?
Black Holes and Revelations, with 1,200,000 in the United Kingdom, where it is certified four times platinum.

Sources

Wikipedia: Muse (band) Wikipedia: Muse discography