Some of the most dramatic, emotional, and heart-wrenching music can be found in Radiohead’s discography. That same sentiment can be true when you skim through the records that Muse has produced. Though both bands were founded within a decade of each other, the similarities of Radiohead and Muse are undeniably present. Let’s take a deeper look at these melancholy icons.

A British rock band formed by a group of angsty private schoolers seems to be the perfect origin story for the type of music that Radiohead is most known for. In 1985, Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Philip Selway, and Johnny Greenwood decided to channel their anger at the strict private school environment that they were being forced into by creating music. The group decided to title themselves “On a Friday,” because that was the day of the week they could all find time in their busy school schedules to practice in the band room, much to the dismay of their rather strict private school. Their music spread around quickly on the college radio charts and was soon recognized by EMI, a British record label. However, their manager suggested that they opt for a different name than their current one, and the group decided that Radiohead was a good fit. While I was researching this, I found that they took this name from the song “Radio Head” by the Talking Heads, which was interesting, and a perfect example of music always influences and inspires others (and maybe a future Respect the Classics article?!)

Now, a little background on Muse. Founded in 1994, some 9 years later than Radiohead, the group of British twenty-somethings consisting of Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard, and Chris Wolstenholme, went through several identity changes as a band. Going through crazy band titles, from Carnage Mayhem to Rocket Baby Dolls, the group slowly started to form as a collective. They then decided they wanted to shorten their name to Muse so that it would be easier to say and easiest to put on a poster. Another, more clever reasoning for this name is that the lead singer, Bellamy, described their formation as a sort of ethereal connection to each other, similar to the muses from Greco-roman mythology. The genre that Muse has been described as has always been a bit difficult to describe. The most concise explanation I was able to find was when AllMusic, a music database, said that the band sounded like a bunch of different types of rock with some Radiohead musicality sprinkled in. Honestly, AllMusic, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 Lyrical Comparisons

Radiohead: Climbing Up the Walls- “I am the key to the lock in your house that keeps your toys in the basement / And if you get too far inside, you’ll only see your reflection.”

Muse: Stockholm Syndrome- “Look to the stars / Let hope burn in your eyes / And we’ll love / And we’ll hate / And we’ll die / All to no avail.”

Radiohead: 2+2=5- “It’s the devil’s way now / There is no way out / You can scream and you can shout / It is too late now.”

Muse: Psycho- “Your mind is just a program / And I’m the virus / I’m changing the station / I’ll improve your thresholds.”

 Their similar origin stories of adolescent British angst aside, the lyrical comparisons shown above share the same sentiments; control, loss of faith in the system, hopelessness, mental illness. All of these incredibly depressing themes cultivate into the perfect angsty ballads. Listening to Muse is a fantastic way to feel like you’re not alone in this chaotic world, a sort of catharsis for the pained soul. However, if you want to feel even closer to the catalysts of this movement, you HAVE to listen to Radiohead. Why? Because you gotta respect the classics!