Guiding Light
A highlighted track on Muse's Grammy-winning album The Resistance.
"Guiding Light" is a track by the English rock band Muse, featured on their fifth studio album, The Resistance. Released on 14 September 2009 through Warner Bros. Records and the Helium-3 imprint, the song was written during sessions that took place from September 2008 to May 2009 at the band's studio in Como, Italy. Produced by Muse themselves, the album blends rock with orchestral and electronic elements, drawing lyrical inspiration from politics and oppressive themes. While the record is known for its grand scale, including the three-part "Exogenesis" symphony, "Guiding Light" stands out as a highlighted track praised by critics for its instrumentation and vocals.
- Artist
- Muse
- Album
- The Resistance
- Release Date
- 14 September 2009
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The Resistance, the album containing "Guiding Light," mixes rock with orchestral and electronic music. Andrew Leahey of AllMusic specifically called the record "by and large a fantastic record" while highlighting "Guiding Light" alongside "United States of Eurasia" and "Exogenesis." The album's lyrics were influenced by George Orwell's 1949 dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, exploring themes of politics and oppression. Although some critics found the work overblown or clichéd, the album received generally positive reviews for its concept and vocals. It became Muse's most successful album with more than five million copies sold worldwide, reaching number one in 19 countries.
In Their Own Story
The recording sessions for The Resistance took place between September 2008 and May 2009 at the band's studio in Como, Italy, where they also mixed the tracks with Mark Stent. On 23 June, Muse announced via Twitter that the album was complete, leaving only mastering to be done in New York. While the band faced rumors regarding producer Rick Rubin—whom Bellamy later clarified they never worked with—the final product won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011.
Reader's Guide
To experience "Guiding Light," listeners should explore The Resistance, which was released on CD, CD+DVD, LP, and download formats. A special box set limited to 5,000 copies included a DVD with a 5.1 surround sound mix of the album. The album was also one of the first iTunes LPs, featuring animated artwork and behind-the-scenes videos. During the promotion cycle, "Uprising" served as the first single, while "Undisclosed Desires" was streamed on the official website starting 9 September 2009. From 10 September, the entire album was available for free streaming through the Guardian website.
Did You Know?
- Andrew Leahey of AllMusic specifically highlighted "Guiding Light" as a standout track on The Resistance.
- The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011.
- Muse produced the album themselves, recording from September 2008 to May 2009 in Como, Italy.
- "Guiding Light" is part of an album that sold more than five million copies worldwide.
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