Simulation Theory
by Muse

Simulation Theory by Muse
Year: 2018
Release date: 2018-11-09
Overall rank: 4,856th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
65/100 (from 198 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 2018 (86th)
Award Top albums of of the 2010s (869th)
Award Best albums of all time (4,856th)

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Muse bestography

Simulation Theory is ranked 8th best out of 19 albums by Muse on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Muse is Absolution which is ranked number 191 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 7,759.

Muse album bestography « Higher ranked (1,518th)
Drones
This album (4,856th)
Simulation Theory
Lower ranked (4,948th) »
Will Of The People

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Simulation Theory track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 72 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Simulation Theory rankings

Simulation Theory rankings summary
Overall rank: 4,856th | 2010s rank: 869th | 2018 rank: 86th  Overall chart history
(Calculated from aggregate positions across 60,000 charts (2 million album rankings). (Last updated: 55 minutes ago).

Simulation Theory collection

Simulation Theory ratings

Average Rating: 
65/100 (from 198 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 198 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
85/100
 !
07/11/2026 09:01 Mauce  Ratings distribution  79082/100
 
60/100
 !
07/09/2026 18:38 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distribution  15,11370/100
 
55/100
 !
06/27/2026 12:57 Davy  Ratings distribution  1,44269/100
 
100/100
 !
05/25/2026 18:56 Devilwoac  Ratings distribution  1,37797/100
 
70/100
 !
05/12/2026 18:51 Jakor  Ratings distribution  5,43770/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album has a Bayesian average rating of 64.9/100, a mean average of 63.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 64.5/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.8.


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Simulation Theory favourites

Showing all 10 members who have added this album as a favourite

Simulation Theory comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 26 comments |
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Rating:  
50/100
From 09/25/2025 09:13 | #311078
There are some tracks I just can’t listen to, and they really ruin my enjoyment. But I guess I’m not the target audience. If you like the 1980s sci-fi vibe, you’ll probably enjoy it. It’s just not my thing.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 12/30/2024 23:49 | #306729
One of the best bands of all time, who started writing lyrics to question the inequality caused by capitalism, then Western "democracy" removed them from radio and TV and the sheep portrayed in Pink Floyd's Animals album are still all lined up... Méé Méé Méé... Great album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
55/100
From 05/21/2020 16:45 | #251790
This album has few tracks that I don't like at all, this is a barrier for me to hear the rest enough times.

The Super Deluxe extra tracks are much better than I expected., worth to listen them.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
50/100
From 08/07/2019 22:54 | #240914
This album was a big disappointment I expected better from muse.
Best songs: The dark side, pressure and blockades.

Worst songs: Propaganda, break it to me, Something human, get up and fight, and dig down.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (1 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 07/06/2019 03:03 | #239029
it's not their best album but it's still a good album anyway...the void is great...the alternative version is 100/100
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 06/27/2019 17:47 | #238472
I enjoy the first five songs on the album, especially Break It To Me, but from Something Human onwards it fails to offer anything special to me. Still worth a 65/100 for the first half.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 02/25/2019 19:28 | #232621
After the typical Muse slashing I thought it would be another forgettable album but I must say it's not that bad. If all were like "The Void", "Algorithm" or "Pressure" it would be indeed a good album, an interesting different side of Muse. But as in their two previous albums, the concept doesn't flow too good and there are some weak songs on the second half which give it away.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 02/22/2019 19:10 | #232410
Better than Law/drones, at least it was their most experimental effort in a while.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 01/24/2019 19:18 | #230427
I love synth and I like Muse, so this looks good before his release, but when i listen it... Nel prro
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
I've held off writing this for some time to make sure I absolute had my opinions for 'Simulation Theory' in order before posting , and I've come to the conclusion seemingly against the grain of popular opinion here that I like it , I really do

Why ? For starters the tracks are much better that people are claiming - opener "Algorith" has a nice synth , piano and string opening that plays for 90 seconds before the vocals kick in that builds to ultimately a grand crescendo , "The Dark Side" rollicks along and could easily have appeared on 'Drones' , "Pressure" feels tense and angular much like the lyrical content , "Something Human" is my album highlight amongst some of Muse' best works giving the listener a breather from the onslaught just at the right juncture in the album , the anthemic "Thought Contagion" also harkens back to 'Drones' , "Get Up and Fight" is musically and lyrically inspirational as is the soulful "Dig Down" which is definitely a cousin to "Get Up and Fight"

However the album is far from perfect: "Propaganda" is pretty awful TBH and I always skip past it , whilst "The Void" is an odd choice for album closer as it just doesn't work as a whole

The Deluxe Version has some excellent alternative track versions including ace acoustic versions of "Propaganda" and "Something Human", a remix of "Break It To Me" , a cracking live version of "Thought Contagion" and a gospel "Dig Down" amongst the highlights

Some good albums for what ever reason sometimes get unfairly tainted ..someone some where says the album sucks and before you know it this becomes popular opinion , The Cure's 'The Top' is one such example . I'm afraid 'Stimulation Theory' has unfortunately fallen into this category . I would urge everyone to have another listen with an open mind and hear for themselves , this album goes OK
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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