To what extent are Muse considered 'prog'?

I don't know if Muse are prog in quite the same sense as the classic stuff but bands like Muse and Radiohead capture its essence much more than um, prog metal.  It's er, a lot more organic and there's also a lot more, and more subtle at that, contrast.  I don't really know what exactly is the matter with Matt's vocals...sure, it's unorthodox, but it's just a matter of acquiring the taste. Why exactly is Gabriel's goat bleating "sublime" while Matt is terrible?  I don't perceive such a huge gulf and I am a huge Gabriel fan if you didn't know already.  And if Sing for Absolution isn't singing, then I don't know what is.   

Textbook wrote: I dunno, I'm down on Muse lately. I have their first 4 LPs, didn't like Absolution or BHAR anywhere near as much as OOS. I haven't got The Resistance, I heard Undisclosed Desires on the radio and absolutely hated it.   Anyway, Knights Of Cydonia doesn't make a band prog. It's barely a prog song anyway, length aside.

It's kinda surprising that you don't like Absolution, that's pretty rare. Don't judge The Resistance by Undisclosed Desires- but if you don't like Absolution or BHAR, you probably won't like it either. Still, give it a listen, maybe just listen to the tracks on youtube or something rather than buying it.

And yeah, while KoC is one of their proggier songs, I still wouldn't call it prog.

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This thread is basically just going around in circles. Here's a question: What do you think Muse would be like if they became prog? What prog bands would they have a style similar to? Muse have stated in an interview that they basically haven't listened to any prog, what should they listen to?

Textbook wrote: Muse are not prog at all in my book. It's just histrionic pop- that's not a shot at them, just my opinion.

While I respect you have an opinion, I don't see how being "histrionic" pop completely excludes them from being prog.

Certif1ed wrote: Rick Wakeman says they're Prog.   You gonna argue with him?   In response to the last post, their first 2 albums sound far more like Radiohead than Queen to me (probably because of the John Leckie production and falsettos more than anything else though).

PROOF!

Rick Wakeman says they're Prog.

Give it another listen then :P.

There's more depth in Origin than any of their other albums imo. Citizen Erased is my name for a reason - it's the best track they've ever done.

Citizen Erased wrote: I should also just point out, as a lot of people are mentioning their last 3 albums, that the general consensus on Muse forums/fansites is that Origin of Symmetry is their best record.I thoroughly advise you to check that album out. Showbiz too but only to an extent (it sounds a little amateur and isn't remotely progressive).

Definitely, Origin of Symmetry and Absolution are condsidered their best albums by the majority of fans. D

I have not been into this band for too long, but listening to albums like Absolution or Black Holes & Revelation it really feel like a prog band to me, but I haven't overanalyzed their music.

inrainbows wrote: YES is Sooooo prog!

Your MUM is soooo prog!

It gets to poppy for me.

I absolutely hate the vox.

Newborn and stockholm syndrome and a few more are great songs though