Description
Arctic Monkeys – AM – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Released on September 9, 2013, AM is the fifth studio album by Arctic Monkeys, and it stands as one of their most iconic and commercially successful records. The album represents a major stylistic shift for the band, blending indie rock with elements of hip-hop, R&B, psychedelic rock, and stoner rock—a far cry from the frantic, wiry energy of their early post-punk revival sound on Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006).
AM is drenched in nocturnal swagger, with slow grooves, heavy reverb, and hip-hop inspired beats. Alex Turner’s vocals are smoother and more crooning than ever before, channeling the confidence and swagger of a rock ‘n’ roll frontman fully in control of his power. The guitar tones are fuzzy, sinister, and almost sleazy, inspired as much by Dr. Dre’s 90s beats as they are by Black Sabbath-style riffs.
Turner leans heavily into themes of lust, longing, late-night encounters, and post-party melancholy, crafting drunken love letters full of clever wordplay and his signature Northern wit. The album often feels like a nighttime walk home after a party, drunk-texting your ex while feeling way cooler than you actually are.
Notable Tracks & Highlights
“Do I Wanna Know?” – The perfect opener, built around a slow, sludgy riff and a throbbing backbeat. It’s equal parts seduction and self-loathing, a perfect encapsulation of the album’s dark, late-night mood. It became one of the band’s biggest hits and a setlist staple.
“R U Mine?” – Originally released as a standalone single, this swaggering rock beast rides a monstrous riff, featuring some of Turner’s cockiest lyrics and a feral vocal delivery. It’s classic rock & roll with a modern Arctic Monkeys twist.
“Arabella” – One of the album’s most psychedelic moments, blending Stooges-style rawness with cosmic imagery. The riff tips its hat to Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”, and the song’s off-kilter seduction is undeniable.
“Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” – With its hip-hop beat and minimalist groove, this track is pure 3 a.m. regret, mixing humor, frustration, and desire into one of the band’s catchiest hooks.
“No. 1 Party Anthem” – A slow, crooning ballad that’s drenched in ironic romance. Turner delivers some of his most self-aware, tragicomic lyrics, sounding like a washed-up lounge singer at the end of his rope.
“Snap Out of It” – Infectiously catchy and breezy, this track hides obsessive longing under its sunny exterior. It’s the sound of someone desperately pretending they’re fine.
“Knee Socks” – A funky, sleazy slow-burner with subtle falsetto backing vocals from Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, who played a mentorship role in shaping the album’s sound.
“I Wanna Be Yours” – The album’s closer, built around a poem by John Cooper Clarke, is a smoky, slow R&B-influenced track, closing the album with wistful desperation and romantic surrender.
AM was an immediate commercial and critical success, becoming the Arctic Monkeys’ fifth consecutive UK No. 1 album and achieving platinum status in multiple countries. In the US, it became their breakthrough album, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, which was a major achievement for a British rock band in the 2010s.
Critics praised the album’s reinvention of the band’s sound, with many calling it their most mature and stylish work to date. AM topped year-end lists and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Tracks like “Do I Wanna Know?” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?” became cultural touchstones, showing up in movies, TV shows, and countless playlists.
AM has only grown in stature, becoming one of the defining rock albums of the 2010s. Its influence can be heard in the darker, moodier direction taken by many indie and alternative bands in its wake.
AM was the moment Arctic Monkeys became not just a great British band, but global rock stars, with Alex Turner fully embracing his role as swaggering frontman and sharp-witted poet. It’s an album that feels both timeless and utterly of its time, capturing millennial romance, longing, and self-destruction with incredible precision.
Pressed on 180 gram heavyweight vinyl. Includes double-sided insert with lyrics and digital album download card.
Gatefold sleeve
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic seal
Track Listing
Do I Wanna Know?
R U Mine?
One For The Road
Arabella
I Want It All
No.1 Party Anthem
Mad Sounds
Fireside
Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
Snap Out Of It
Knee Socks
I Wanna Be Yours
