Tracklist front / back album covers
Simulation Theory – Standard edition
1. "Algorithm" 4:05
2. "The Dark Side" 3:47
3. "Pressure" 3:55
4. "Propaganda" 3:00
5. "Break It to Me" 3:37
6. "Something Human" 3:46
7. "Thought Contagion" 3:26
8. "Get Up and Fight" 4:04
9. "Blockades" 3:50
10. "Dig Down" 3:48
11. "The Void" 4:44
Total length: 42:12
Simulation Theory – Deluxe edition
12. "Algorithm" (Alternate Reality version) 3:32
13. "The Dark Side" (Alternate Reality version) 3:54
14. "Propaganda" (acoustic) 2:58
15. "Something Human" (acoustic) 3:46
16. "Dig Down" (acoustic gospel version) 3:57
Total length: 58:59
Simulation Theory – Super Deluxe edition
12. "Algorithm" (Alternate Reality version) 3:32
13. "The Dark Side" (Alternate Reality version) 3:54
14. "Pressure" (featuring the UCLA Bruin Marching Band) 4:04
15. "Propaganda" (acoustic) 2:58
16. "Break It to Me" (Sam de Jong remix) 3:08
17. "Something Human" (acoustic) 3:46
18. "Thought Contagion" (live) 4:08
19. "Dig Down" (acoustic gospel version) 3:57
20. "The Void" (acoustic) 4:34
21. "The Dark Side" (Alternate Reality instrumental) 2:53
Total length: 78:56
Muse Band Members / Musicians
Matthew Bellamy – guitars, lead vocals, keyboards, producer
Chris Wolstenholme – bass guitar, backing vocals, producer
Dominic Howard – drums, producer
David Campbell – brass (track 3)
Mike Elizondo – keyboard, producer and programmer (track 10)
Tove Lo – additional vocals (track 8)
Laurence Anslow – assistant engineer (track 10)
Brent Arrowood – assistant engineer (track 10)
Tom Bailey – assistant engineer (track 6)
Tyler Beans – assistant engineer (track 2, 3, 7), assistant producer (track 6)
Jeremy Berman – "assistant" [sic] (track 2, 3, 7)
Rob Bisel – assistant engineer (track 2, 3, 7), assistant producer (track 6)
Phillip Broussard – assistant engineer (track 10), assistant producer (track 6)
Adrian Bushby – assistant engineer (track 10)
Tommaso Colliva – assistant engineer (track 6)
Martin Cooke – assistant engineer (track 7), assistant producer (track 6)
Rich Costey – producer (track 1-7, 11), engineer (track 6), mastering (track 7)
Nick Fournier – assistant producer (track 6)
Michael Freeman – mixing (track 2, 6, 10)
Pete Winfield - additional mixing
Chris Gehringer – mastering (track 7)
Noah Goldstein – assistant producer (track 6)
Sam Grubbs – "assistant" [sic] (track 2, 3), assistant producer (track 7)
Adam Hawkins – engineer (track 2, 3, 6, 7, 10), mixing (track 3, 7)
Ted Jensen – mastering (track 10)
Aleks Von Korff – assistant engineer (track 2, 3, 7), assistant producer (track 6)
Randy Merrill – mastering (track 6)
Dylan Neustadter – "assistant" [sic] (track 2, 3), assistant producer (track 7)
John Prestage – assistant engineer (track 10)
Spike Stent – mixing (track 2, 6, 10)
Chris Whitemyer – "assistant" [sic] (track 3, 7)
Colin Willard – "assistant" [sic] (track 3), assistant producer (track 7)
Simulation Theory is the 8th studio album by English rock band Muse. It was released on 9 November 2018 through Warner Bros. Records and Helium-3. Muse co-produced the album with Rich Costey, Mike Elizondo, Shellback, and Timbaland. Following the darker themes of Muse's prior albums, Simulation Theory incorporates lighter influences from science fiction and 1980s pop culture, with extensive use of synthesisers. The contemporary political climate of the United States informed the lyrics.
Rather than working on the album as a whole, Muse focused on recording a single track at a time. Recording began at AIR Studios in London in early 2017 with Elizondo, before embarking on a tour of North America. Production restarted in Los Angeles in late 2017 with Costey, who previously produced Muse's albums Absolution (2003) and Black Holes and Revelations (2006).
The album cover, designed by Stranger Things artist Kyle Lambert, and its music videos homage 1980s pop culture such as Back to the Future, Michael Jackson's Thriller, and Teen Wolf. Simulation Theory was preceded by the release of singles "Dig Down", "Thought Contagion", "Something Human", "The Dark Side", and "Pressure", along with a 2018 festival tour of North America. It was released in a standard edition alongside two deluxe editions featuring alternate versions of its tracks. A world tour of North America, Europe and South America took place in 2019 to support the album. The album received generally mixed reviews, but became the band's sixth consecutive album to top the UK Albums Chart. A film based on the album and tour, Muse – Simulation Theory, was released in August 2020.
