[3] "The Men Who Rule the World" is an electronic-rock song[1] that opens with a slot-machine sample and features trademark elements of the Garbage sound, such as keyboards, loops, distorted guitars, as well as industrial beats.

"[7] The lyrics were completed when vocalist Shirley Manson was recording the second season of her podcast The Jump, interviewing various musicians about a turning point in their careers.

Manson was particularly inspired by her interview with George Clinton and his P-Funk Mothership concept, which is based on the idea of creating an alternative reality free of racism and hate.

[8] The song's lyrics revolve around racism, the blind quest of men for social and economical power, environmental abuse, and misogyny.

[16] The music video of "The Men Who Rule the World" was directed by Chilean artist Javi Mi Amor and premiered on March 30, 2021, on the Garbage YouTube channel.

Barney Townsend praised the track as "a forceful protest song and a clear statement of intent from a band that still believes in the power of dissent"[17] while Andrew Trendell from NME described it as "bold and industrial"[2] and Cat Woods from The Sidney Morning Herald as "a distorted, gothic slice of stomping electro-rock.