Uprising (song)

"Uprising"

The "Uprising" CD cover.
Single by Muse
from the album The Resistance
B-side "Who Knows Who"
Released 4 August 2009 (digital download)
7 September 2009 (full release)
Format
Recorded 2007 at Studio Bellini, Lake Como, Italy
Genre
Length 5:03 (Album version)
4:08 (International radio edit)
3:35 (US radio edit/Now 74 edit)
Label
Writer(s) Matthew Bellamy
Producer(s) 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 the English alternative rock band Muse, featured on their fifth studio album The Resistance. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Matthew Bellamy,[2] it was released as the lead single from the album on 7 September 2009. The song remained at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart for 17 nonconsecutive weeks, becoming the band's most successful song in the United States. The song was mixed by Mark 'Spike' Stent.[3] 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.

The song was covered by American avant-garde metal band Iwrestledabearonce and was included on the soundtrack for the video game Homefront.

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".[4] 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.[5]

The song is often considered to be partly inspired by the hit Blondie song "Call Me", because of the thumping bass line and the occasional lead guitar riff (Blondie have in turn referenced this in their 2010 live performances by singing the lyrics of "Call Me" whilst covering the music of "Uprising"[6]). 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.[7] Many journalists have mentioned that "Uprising" is similar to the theme music for Doctor Who,[8][9][10] and the 1988 hit single Doctorin' the Tardis by The KLF.[11]

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".[12] 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.[13] 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. The song peaked at No. 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.

After being released to radio in the United States, the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Alternative Songs chart on 9 September 2009,[14] becoming Muse's 6th Top 10 single and first No. 1 on that chart, eventually spending 17 weeks at No. 1, becoming the second longest running No. 1 song ever on the chart. It became their first Billboard Hot 100 single (and Top 40 single), peaking at No. 37 on the week ending 3 October 2009 and spent 20 weeks on the Hot 100. It remains the band's only Top 40 single to date. It has sold 2,170,000 copies in the US as of April 2013.[15]

"Uprising" won the Best Single award at the 2010 Music Producers Guild Awards in London.[16]

Uses

Sports

Television

Music

Games

Music video

The music video, directed by American collective Hydra (Sam Stephens, John Hobbs and others), first aired on MTV2 on 17 September 2009.[17] The band performs through a miniature city in the bed of an old, 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 store, the band at one point looks at TVs with teddy bears (with reptilian eyes and fangs) on the screens; Matt smashes the window and TVs with his guitar. At the end of the video, a group of teddy bears, similarly-looking to the teddy bears seen on the TVs, rise up from the ground and start destroying the miniature city, only to all fall down at the end of the video. This is said to pay homage to the climactic scene in Ghostbusters, with one shot even mirroring the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's introduction.[18]

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

Track listing

CD single (WEA458CD)
No. Title Length
1. "Uprising"   5:04
2. "Uprising" (Does It Offend You Yeah Mix) 4:00
7" vinyl (WEA458)
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Uprising"     5:04
2. "Who Knows Who" (Muse and Mike Skinner)Mike SkinnerMatthew Bellamy 3:24
Digital download[19]
No. Title Length
1. "Uprising"   5:04
2. "Uprising" (Does It Offend You Yeah Mix) 4:00
3. "Uprising" (Live from Teignmouth) 5:37

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2009–2010) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[20] 23
Austrian Singles Chart[21] 29
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[22] 12
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)[22] 6
Canadian Hot 100[23] 28
Danish Singles Chart[24] 5
Dutch Singles Chart[25] 22
European Hot 100 17
Finnish Singles Chart[26] 8
French Singles Chart[27] 74
German Singles Chart[28] 40
Irish Singles Chart 11
Italian Singles Chart[22] 14
Japan Hot 100 Singles 12
New Zealand Singles Chart[29] 12
Norwegian Singles Chart[30] 4
Scottish Singles Chart 6
Swedish Singles Chart[31] 13
Swiss Singles Chart[28] 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[32] 37
U.S. Billboard Rock Songs[33] 2
U.S. Billboard Adult Alternative Songs[34] 21
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs[35] 1
U.S. Billboard Adult Pop Songs[36] 14
UK Singles Chart 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2009) Position
Hungarian Singles Chart[37] 61
Italian Singles Chart[38] 59
Swiss Singles Chart[39] 59
UK Singles Chart[40] 161
Chart (2010) Position
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs 1

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[41] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[42] Gold 15,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[43] Gold 20,000^
France (SNEP)[44] Platinum 250,000*
Italy (FIMI)[45] Gold 15,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] Platinum 30,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Silver 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[48] 2xPlatinum 2,170,000[15]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Collis, Clark (18 September 2009). "Music Review: The Resistance (2009)". Entertainment Weekly (1065–1066). Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  2. ↑ '"Uprising"' (Back sleeve). Muse. Warner Music Group. 2009. WEA458.
  3. ↑ http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb10/articles/it_0210.htm
  4. ↑ "The Resistance: The Tracklisting". Muse. 4 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  5. ↑ "The Resistance Mini-Review". Muselive. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  6. ↑ "Blondie - Call Me (Live at Isle Of Wight Festival 2010)". Blondie - Live at Isle of Wight. Isle of Wight Festival/panicofgirls. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Blondie vs Black Sabbath". That Song Sounds Like. 29 December 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  8. ↑ http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&p=6886&more=1&c=1
  9. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chartblog/2009/09/muse_uprising.shtml
  10. ↑ http://www.veidt.com/?p=1020
  11. ↑ http://dogandpanda.com/production/muse_uprising.html
  12. ↑ "To clarify!: Treasure hunt ...". Muse (Twitter). 14 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  13. ↑ "Adam Lambert On VMA Performers Muse: 'Their Music Is Unbelievable'". MTV. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
  14. ↑ http://www.americasmusiccharts.com/index.cgi?fmt=R3
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Paul Grein (April 3, 2013). "Week Ending March 31, 2013. Songs: "Thrift Shop" Sets First Quarter Record". Yahoo Music (Chart Watch). Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  16. ↑ Uprising Songfacts
  17. ↑ http://www.videostatic.com/vs/2009/08/booked-muse-hydra-directors.html
  18. ↑ Muse Nod to "Ghostbusters" in Explosive "Uprising" Video
  19. ↑ "Uprising - Single". iTunes. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  21. ↑ http://acharts.us/austria_singles_top_75
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 http://www.italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Muse&titel=Uprising&cat=s
  23. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  24. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". danishcharts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  25. ↑ "Muse - Uprising" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  26. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  27. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". lescharts.com. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Muse - Uprising". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  29. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  30. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  31. ↑ "Muse - Uprising". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  32. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  33. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  34. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  35. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  36. ↑ "Muse Chart Positions". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  37. ↑ "Éves összesített listák - MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Mahasz.
  38. ↑ "FIMI - Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana - Ricerche e dati di mercato". Fimi.it. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  39. ↑ "2009 Year End Swiss Singles Chart". Swiss Music Charts. 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  40. ↑ "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  41. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  42. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2011". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  43. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Muse – Uprising". Music Canada.
  44. ↑ "Année 2012 - Certifications au 1/1/2013" (PDF). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  45. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Muse – Uprising" (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Retrieved 28 July 2014. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Muse in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  46. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Muse; 'Uprising')". Hung Medien.
  47. ↑ "British single certifications – Muse – Uprising". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Uprising in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  48. ↑ "American single certifications – Muse – Uprising". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

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