Drones (Muse album)

Drones
Cover art by Matt Mahurin
Studio album by
Muse
Released5 June 2015 (2015-06-05)
RecordedOctober 2014 – April 2015
Studio
Genre
Length52:44
Label
Producer
Muse chronology
Live at Rome Olympic Stadium
(2013) 		Drones
(2015) 		Simulation Theory
(2018)
Muse studio album chronology
The 2nd Law
(2012) 		Drones
(2015) 		Simulation Theory
(2018)
Singles from Drones
  1. "Dead Inside"
    Released: 23 March 2015
  2. "Mercy"
    Released: 18 May 2015
  3. "Revolt"
    Released: 4 November 2015
  4. "Aftermath"
    Released: 11 March 2016
  5. "Reapers"
    Released: 16 April 2016

Drones is the seventh studio album by English rock band Muse, released on 5 June 2015 through Warner Bros. Records and the band's own Helium-3 imprint. The album was recorded between October 2014 and April 2015 at the Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, with orchestral sections recorded at Officine Meccaniche in Milan, and was produced by the band and Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Drones is a concept album following a soldier's abandonment, indoctrination as a "human drone", and eventual defection. It also comments on the Obama administration's drone program. After their previous albums incorporated orchestral and electronic music, Muse aimed to return to a more straightforward rock sound musically.

Drones received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised its instrumentation but criticised its concept and lyrics. It topped 21 international charts, including the UK Albums Chart (where it became Muse's fifth consecutive number-one album) and the US Billboard 200. It sold over a million copies worldwide in 2015, making it the year's 19th-bestselling album. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, it won the award for Best Rock Album. The album was listed on 41 in the NME albums of the year 2015.[1] Diffuser.fm named it the 42nd best of the year.[2] Rolling Stone named it the 39th best of the year.[3]

It was supported by an expansive world tour with appearances at several festivals and arenas, lasting from 2015 to 2016 and grossing $88.5 million from 132 shows.[4][5] A concert film of the tour, entitled Muse: Drones World Tour, was released in cinemas in July 2018.[6]

  1. ^ "NME best albums of 2015". NME. 2 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  2. ^ "diffuser best albums of 2015". 2 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Rolling Stone best albums of 2015". Rolling Stone. December 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Pollstar Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Muse Drones World Tour". Trafalgar Releasing. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.