AM — Arctic Monkeys

It’s the record that makes you feel like the coolest person in the room, even if you're just sitting on your couch.

A high-stakes, nocturnal confidence masking a deep sense of romantic longing and late-night vulnerability.

Released in 2013, AM represents the commercial and creative zenith of Arctic Monkeys' second era. Recorded primarily at Sage & Sound Recording in Los Angeles, the album was heavily influenced by the desert rock scene (Josh Homme makes a guest appearance) and the rhythmic structures of 90s hip-hop and R&B. This fusion resulted in a unique 'G-funk meets Black Sabbath' aesthetic that redefined modern rock for a new generation. The album was a massive critical and commercial success, debuting at number one in the UK and becoming their breakthrough in the United States. It is characterized by its heavy use of falsetto backing vocals, courtesy of drummer Matt Helders, and a shift toward slower, more groove-oriented tempos compared to their early work. AM solidified Alex Turner's status as a premier lyricist of his generation, moving into more abstract and sensual territory while maintaining his signature sharp wit.

Put this on for

Leather jacket on, streetlights blurring, driving nowhere at 2am The specific heat of a crowded bar when your eyes lock with a stranger Pouring a glass of something dark while the city hums outside your window That hazy moment in the taxi when the party's over but the adrenaline isn't Walking through a rain-slicked alleyway with headphones on full blast Checking your phone for a text that hasn't arrived yet The heavy silence of a bedroom after the lights go out

Moments worth waiting for

The massive, foot-stomping drum beat and tremolo guitar riff that opens Do I Wanna Know.

The high-pitched, R&B-style backing vocal harmonies that contrast the heavy riffs in R U Mine.

The transition into the psychedelic, space-rock bridge of Arabella where the tempo feels like it's melting.

Sounds like

2013s production with a 2010s soul

Sits beside

Humbug - Arctic Monkeys, Like Clockwork - Queens of the Stone Age, Turn Blue - The Black Keys, El Camino - The Black Keys

Lyrical territory

love_romantic, self_examination, nostalgia