The track is noted for its upbeat, piano-driven melody contrasted with a steady, distorted bassline in the key of .
: While it sounds celestial, "Starlight" represents the spotlight or the "dreams" entertainers chase, with Bellamy questioning if the pursuit is still "worth it anymore". Muse – Starlight
: The rhythmic handclaps in the intro are rumored to spell "TITS" in Morse code ("— ·· — ···"), though the band has suggested this may be a coincidence. The track is noted for its upbeat, piano-driven
: The lyric "Of the people who care if I live or die" is widely considered an homage to The Smiths' song "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now". : The lyric "Of the people who care
: To achieve its unique timbre, producer Rich Costey used "prepared piano" techniques, including dropping forks on piano strings, plucking them with guitar picks, and applying putty.