British rock band Muse released their new single, “Be With You,” today, March 19, 2026, alongside the announcement of their tenth studio album, “The WOW! Signal,” set to launch on June 26th. The single, a preview of the forthcoming album, has sparked a divided reaction among fans.
The track opens with a prominent church organ before transitioning into electronic elements and culminating in a guitar-driven sound, a stylistic choice one fan on YouTube described as demonstrating that “Muse doesn’t necessitate a genre, they are a genre.” Comparisons to previous Muse work have already surfaced, with some listeners noting similarities to “Something Human” and “Invincible,” while others have characterized the song as a blend of different influences. “God, it’s like listening to a mix of different songs all in one. I’m loving it,” one fan wrote.
Enthusiasm for the new release was likewise expressed on X (formerly Twitter), with one user stating, “The Best Band on the planet is back! What an intro and outro. I love your versatility and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album. You changed my life in so many ways and I’ll always ‘Be With You’.”
However, the response hasn’t been universally positive. Discussion on the r/Muse subreddit revealed a degree of disappointment, with some fans suggesting the band needs to “take more risks with their songwriting.” Criticism centered on what some perceive as a reluctance to fully commit to musical ideas. “I don’t secure their new obsession with lightly dipping the tip into a riff and then immediately pulling out in the recent songs,” one user commented. Another expressed frustration, stating, “I just kept waiting for the song to hit, to scratch the itch so to speak, and it never happened. Just not exciting or memorable.” A long-time fan voiced concern, saying, “I’ve been following Muse for nearly 20 years now and refuse to give up hope yet, but I won’t say the thought has crossed my mind.” One commenter specifically lamented the departure from the heavier sound of the previously released single, “Unravelling,” stating, “What we have is so bad. Coming over ‘Unravelling’ I was so hoping for the same heavy vibe.”
Both “Be With You” and “Unravelling” will feature on “The WOW! Signal,” the follow-up to Muse’s 2022 album, “Will Of The People.” The album’s title is derived from a significant event in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence: a powerful 72-second radio burst detected in 1977 originating from the constellation Sagittarius. The astronomer who detected the signal famously noted “WOW!” beside the sequence “6EQUJ5” on the printout, giving the anomaly its enduring name.
According to a press release, the album will explore themes of “cosmic mystery, existential hope, and the exhilarating possibility of contact with something far greater than ourselves.”
Bassist Chris Wolstenholme discussed the band’s approach to their next album in 2025, acknowledging that the intervals between releases have grown as the band’s career has progressed. “When you finish touring an album, and [when] the band has been around a bit longer, the gaps between albums get a little bit bigger,” he said. “But it gives you that opportunity to reset a little bit and think about what’s gonna happen going forward.”
Muse also previewed ‘The WOW! Signal’ by sending a specially-designed tablet 33km into the atmosphere to premiere the video for “Be With You,” in partnership with Sent Into Space. A secondary package containing stickers for a limited-edition vinyl release was also launched for fans to claim.
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