Plug In Baby
A B minor anthem built around the legendary riff voted the number one ultimate guitar riff of the 2000s.
"Plug In Baby" is a Muse track leading their second studio album, Origin of Symmetry. It dropped in Japan on 28 February 2001, then hit the UK on 12 March 2001. The song climbed to number 11 on the UK Singles Chart—their highest spot until "Time Is Running Out" overtook it in 2003. Fans still rally behind this track; it appears on live albums like HAARP (2008) and Live at Rome Olympic Stadium (2013). Music press and listeners alike keep fixated on that sharp opening guitar riff.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Muse
- 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
Lore & Background
"Plug In Baby" is written in the key of B minor, though it notably does not begin or end on the tonic chord. The composition is primarily driven by guitar and bass, moving at a tempo of 136 bpm. Its famous riff is based on the harmonic minor scale and bears striking similarities to the opening of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565" as well as Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings." In terms of recording history, a 1997 studio demo existed but lacked this main riff, despite sharing lyrical and structural similarities with the final version. However, the band was unsatisfied with the result of this new version.
Reader's Guide
For fans and musicians alike, "Plug In Baby" is defined by its opening guitar riff, which Total Guitar magazine readers voted the number one ultimate guitar riff of the 2000s and the 13th best of all time in 2004. In 2011, Spinner.com ranked it as the 46th greatest guitar riff of all time, specifically citing its play on Bach's "Toccata and Fugue." The song is also playable in video games such as Guitar Hero 5 and Rocksmith. Live performances have cemented its status, with the track featured on the live albums HAARP (2008) and Live at Rome Olympic Stadium (2013). While the original single included the self-deprecating B-side "Execution Commentary," the main track stands as a testament to the band's ability to blend classical influences with modern rock energy, maintaining its relevance years after its initial release in early 2001.
Track listing
'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 |
Did You Know?
- The band recorded a new version at Long View Farm in September 2001 to satisfy label demands regarding Matt Bellamy's falsetto, but they were unsatisfied with the result.
- "Execution Commentary", a B-side to the single, was described by Matt Bellamy as "the worst song I've ever written".
- The song held the record for Muse's highest-charting UK single (number 11) until "Time Is Running Out" reached number 8 in 2003.
More in Iconic Songs & Anthems
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