As one of the most famous British bands of the 2000s, the Arctic Monkeys have made a huge following for themselves. Their original music was built around concepts that the average person on the street could understand; it isn’t often that a band makes it big singing about Ford Mondeo’s and life in Hunter’s Bar, Sheffield. Make it they did, though, and for years they have been a global sensation.
Like many bands that make it big, though, their sound has changed over the years – and many fans are unhappy with how the band sounds today. Their latest album, The Car, was released to mixed reviews, to say the least. While it was critically well-received in many ways, the seventh album for this famous band has gone down poorly with their actual fanbase.
Fans were quick to fill social media with their own opinions and takes on the album's strengths and shortcomings. Most, though, are unhappy with the changing sound and general mood of the music they produce. Some have found that their music sounds almost like something you would hear in a ballroom or a lounge – it is a far cry from the days of bangers like Fake Tales of San Francisco.
Is New Arctic Monkeys' music a sign of the times?
That being said, can a band that is essentially made up of incredibly wealthy musicians still really sing about life down the local pub? What made their original songs so impressive was not only the good music and lyrics but the authenticity and relatability. Fans might not like it, but it would be fair to say that the Arctic Monkeys have more in common with their well-off, high-brow audience that enjoys modern releases as opposed to the gritty takes on life in the concrete jungles of mid-2000s Britain.
It's not great, and for many fans, their new sounds are not what their original fanbase wanted. Any musical act that lasts more than a few albums, though, can go down this route; it comes as no surprise. While they might not be producing music like they once did, it would still be hard to deny their talent.