Plug In Baby

"Plug In Baby"
"Plug In Baby"
	Standard artwork
Single by Muse
from the album Origin of Symmetry
B-side	"Nature_1"; "Execution Commentary"; "Spiral Static"; "Bedroom Acoustics";
Released	28 February 2001
Studio	Ridge Farm (Rusper)
Genre	Alternative rock; heavy metal;
Length	3:39 (album/single version); 3:18 (radio edit);
Label	Taste
Songwriter(s)	Matt Bellamy
Producer(s)	David Bottrill; Muse;
Muse singles chronology
Music video
	"Plug In Baby" by Muse on YouTube

"Plug In Baby" is a song by English rock band Muse. It was released as the lead single from the band's second studio album, Origin of Symmetry (2001), on 28 February 2001 in Japan and on 12 March 2001 in the United Kingdom.

The song became the band's highest-charting single in the UK when it peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, until it was surpassed by "Time Is Running Out", which peaked at number 8 in 2003.^[3] Today, "Plug In Baby" is considered one of Muse's most notable songs, and has been featured on the live albums HAARP (2008) and Live at Rome Olympic Stadium (2013).

Background and composition

"Plug In Baby" is written in the key of B minor (although the song does not begin or end on the tonic chord of the key). It is mainly guitar and bass-driven, and moves at a tempo of 136 bpm. The guitar riff is based on the harmonic minor scale.

The beginning of the riff shows similarities to the toccata from Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565" and the beginning of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings".

One of the B-sides to the single, "Execution Commentary", was described by Bellamy as the "worst song I've ever written".^[4]

Recording

The 1997 studio demo of the song lacked the main riff of the song, although there were numerous similarities in the lyrics and structure. "Plug In Baby" was to be re-recorded under the wishes of Maverick to coincide with the US tour promoting the Origin of Symmetry album, as Maverick wished Bellamy to tone down the falsetto on the song as well as on the album. The band spent a few days at Long View Farm in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, in September 2001 recording this new version, but were left unsatisfied by the result.^[5] Consequently, Maverick dropped Muse in the US market and Origin of Symmetry remained unreleased in the country until 2005.^[6]

Legacy

The song is often praised for its opening guitar riff, which Total Guitar magazine readers voted as the number 1 ultimate guitar riff of the 2000s^[7] and the 13th best of all time in 2004.^[8] In 2011, Spinner.com named "Plug In Baby" the 46th greatest guitar riff of all time, citing its "play on Bach's 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565'."^{[citation needed]} The song has been featured on the video games Guitar Hero 5 and Rocksmith.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Matt Bellamy.

'CD1'
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Plug In Baby"	3:40
2.	"Nature_1"	3:40
3.	"Execution Commentary"	2:30
4.	"Plug In Baby" (music video)	3:41

'CD2'
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Plug In Baby"	3:41
2.	"Spiral Static"	4:46
3.	"Bedroom Acoustics"	2:37

7-inch vinyl and compact cassette
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Plug In Baby"	3:39
2.	"Nature_1"	3:40

Personnel

Personnel adapted from Origin of Symmetry liner notes.^[9]

Muse

Matthew Bellamy – lead vocals, guitar, production, mixing
Christopher Wolstenholme – bass, backing vocals, production, mixing
Dominic Howard – drums, production, mixing

Additional personnel

David Bottrill – production, engineering
John Cornfield – mixing
Tanya Andrew – artwork

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[10]	57
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11]	33
France (SNEP)^[12]	40
Italy (FIMI)^[13]	42
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[14]	63
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[15]	88
Scotland (OCC)^[16]	13
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	11
UK Indie (OCC)^[18]	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[19]	Gold	15,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[20]	Platinum	600,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Japan	28 February 2001	CD	maximum10	^[21]
United Kingdom	12 March 2001	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	Mushroom	^[22]
Australia	26 March 2001	CD	Festival Mushroom	^[23]

References

^ "Weekend riff: Muse - Plug In Baby". Total Guitar. Future plc. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
^ Bradley, Larry (4 November 2014). "The 2000s: Muse - "Plug in Baby". The Alternative Jukebox. Cassell. p. 231. ISBN 978-1-84403-789-6.
^ "Muse". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
^ muse [@muse] (26 September 2012). "@isamartina Execution commentary. M #AskMuse" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ Absolution XX Anniversary (hardcover book). Muse. Helium-3. 2023. 5054197674396.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. September 2009.
^ "Muse song named greatest riff of the 21st century". The Independent. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
^ "Guns N' Roses top rock riff poll". BBC. 2 May 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
^ Origin of Symmetry (liner notes). Muse. Taste Media. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Issue 579" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 14. 31 March 2001. p. 19. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Muse – Plug In Baby" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Muse – Plug In Baby". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Muse – Plug In Baby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Muse – Plug In Baby". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – Muse – Plug In Baby". Radioscope. Retrieved 28 December 2024. Type Plug In Baby in the "Search:" field.
^ "British single certifications – Muse – Plug In Baby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
^ "ミューズ | プラグ・イン・ベイビー" [Muse | Plug In Baby] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
^ "New Releases – For Week Starting March 12, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 10 March 2001. p. 27. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 26th March 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 26 March 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

External links

"Plug In Baby" at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] "Weekend riff: Muse - Plug In Baby". Total Guitar. Future plc. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2017.

[Bradley_2014-2] Bradley, Larry (4 November 2014). "The 2000s: Muse - "Plug in Baby". The Alternative Jukebox. Cassell. p. 231. ISBN 978-1-84403-789-6.

[3] "Muse". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2009.

[4] use [@muse] (26 September 2012). "@isamartina Execution commentary. M #AskMuse" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[5] Absolution XX Anniversary (hardcover book). Muse. Helium-3. 2023. 5054197674396.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[6] SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. September 2009.

[7] "Muse song named greatest riff of the 21st century". The Independent. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.

[8] "Guns N' Roses top rock riff poll". BBC. 2 May 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2009.

[album_notes-9] Origin of Symmetry (liner notes). Muse. Taste Media. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[sc_Australiapandora_-10] "Issue 579" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

[11] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 14. 31 March 2001. p. 19. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_France_Muse-12] "Muse – Plug In Baby" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_Italy_Muse-13] "Muse – Plug In Baby". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_Dutch100_Muse-14] "Muse – Plug In Baby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_Switzerland_Muse-15] "Muse – Plug In Baby". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_Scotland_-16] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_UK_-17] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[sc_UKindie_-18] "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[New_ZealandMusePlug_In_BabysingleCertRef-19] "New Zealand single certifications – Muse – Plug In Baby". Radioscope. Retrieved 28 December 2024. Type Plug In Baby in the "Search:" field.

[United_KingdomMusePlug_In_BabysingleCertRef-20] "British single certifications – Muse – Plug In Baby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 March 2025.

[21] "ミューズ | プラグ・イン・ベイビー" [Muse | Plug In Baby] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 22 February 2025.

[22] "New Releases – For Week Starting March 12, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 10 March 2001. p. 27. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

[23] "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 26th March 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 26 March 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

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v t e Muse
Matt Bellamy Chris Wolstenholme Dominic Howard Touring members: Morgan Nicholls (2004, 2006–2022), Daniel Newell (2006–2008), Alessandro Cortini (2009), Dan Lancaster (2022–present)
Studio albums	Showbiz Origin of Symmetry Absolution Black Holes and Revelations The Resistance The 2nd Law Drones Simulation Theory Will of the People
Live albums	Hullabaloo Soundtrack HAARP Live at Rome Olympic Stadium
Extended plays	Muse Muscle Museum Random 1–8
Box sets	Origin of Muse
Videos	Hullabaloo: Live at Le Zenith, Paris Absolution Tour HAARP Live at Rome Olympic Stadium Muse: Drones World Tour Muse – Simulation Theory
Singles	"Uno" "Cave" "Muscle Museum" "Sunburn" "Unintended" "Plug In Baby" "New Born" "Bliss" "Hyper Music/Feeling Good" "Dead Star/In Your World" "Stockholm Syndrome" "Time Is Running Out" "Hysteria" "Sing for Absolution" "Apocalypse Please" "Butterflies and Hurricanes" "Supermassive Black Hole" "Starlight" "Knights of Cydonia" "Invincible" "Map of the Problematique" "Uprising" "Undisclosed Desires" "Resistance" "Exogenesis: Symphony" "Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)" "Survival" "Madness" "Follow Me" "Supremacy" "Panic Station" "Dead Inside" "Mercy" "Revolt" "Aftermath" "Reapers" "Dig Down" "Thought Contagion" "Something Human" "The Dark Side" "Pressure" "Won't Stand Down" "Compliance" "Will of the People" "Kill or Be Killed" "You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween" "Ghosts (How Can I Move On)" "Unravelling"
Other songs	"Citizen Erased" "Who Knows Who" "United States of Eurasia" "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable" "Animals" "Psycho" "The Globalist" "Algorithm"
Concert tours	Black Holes and Revelations Tour A Seaside Rendezvous The Resistance Tour The 2nd Law World Tour Drones World Tour Simulation Theory World Tour Will of the People World Tour
Related articles	Discography Awards and nominations Songs Cryosleep
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