After five long years, the Sheffield stars are returning with their sixth highly anticipated album this year. No new material has been released yet. But what are we likely to expect from the awesome foursome? We take a look at their past albums and spill what we know so far, to help shed some light on what's in store from Arctic Monkeys in 2018...

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, 2006

 

A Strokes’ inspired album indeed, with just four young lads talking about typical nights out, taxi drivers, trying to get girls and rock stars in the toilets practicing their lines (there are two ways to interpret that). It’s fair to say it’s the most tongue-in-cheek. This album was the anthem of their generation; crude, naïve yet hopeful all at the same time. But despite its ridiculous success, young boys have to grow up at some point.

 

Favourite Worst Nightmare, 2007

 

The lads carried the weight of the world on their shoulders with the second album considering the rocketing success of their first. And number two didn’t disappoint. They didn’t forget their routes with the still apparent tongue-in-cheek themes and colloquialisms, yet at the same time there was evidence of instrumental development and a bit more confidence. The album holds some of their greatest hits to date, including Brianstorm and Fluorescent Adolescent.

 

Humbug, 2009

 

This was definitely a turning point for the band. To the disappointment of some, their cheeky personas seemed to have vanished under new more romantic and poetic themes. The old Alex had been replaced by a much more vulnerable and dreamy clone, which is evident through the heart-breaking tunes like Cornerstone. Metaphors and compelling lyrics are the building blocks of this album. A new era for the Monkeys had begun.

 

Suck it and See, 2011

 

Forget Sheffield nights out, try American diners and L.A instead. The themes of heartbreak and lusting for love are even stronger in this album, making the first songs about chatting up girls and one night stands seem a million miles away. It was no longer I bet you look good on the dance floor, but more You’ve got that face that just says baby, I was made to break your heart. It’s a beautiful album, because it shows that even the most confident boys become men who fall in love at some point.

AM, 2013

 

What an album. It’s definitely like marmite to fans, but the boys had definitely made the move from Sheffield to the USA in this album with hip hop inspired beats, sunglasses indoors and cigarettes. The heartbreak and lusting themes are still underlying in the songs, including Do I Wanna Know and Fireside. But a much ‘harder’ approach to love replaces the soft vulnerable one. Alex Turner isn’t beating around the bush asking R U Mine? Instead of hinting to just Suck it and See. Stripping the sounds back to basics, yet keeping it sophisticated, is something AM does very well.

So what next for the Sheffield quartet? Well we'll just have to wait and see. The band themselves are remaining tight-lipped for now, however bassist Nick O'Malley has all but confirmed we can expect the new album to be released this year in an interview with motorbike magazine For The Ride - stating that “if it isn’t, we’ve got problems”.

Thematically and musically it's also difficult to tell at this point which direction the album will take, although you can bet their friend and collaborator Josh Homme of QOTSA fame will have a hand in the recording process. It seems unlikely at this point that the Monkeys will return to the high-energy laddish style of their first two albums and will probably continue on their current trajectory towards a more polished, smoother and altogether more mature sound. Gone are four fresh-faced cheeky lads from Sheffield, much to the dismay of a small pocket of fans, they have been erased and replaced with four artists and true masters of their craft. So while we can only speculate at this stage, one thing remains certain - it's going to be their most solid work yet.

The Arctic Monkeys are on tour this summer! Catch them at the following dates: 

Primavera Sound, Spain (June 2)
Best Kept Secret, Netherlands (June 8)
Firefly Festival, Delaware, US (June 14-17)
Southside Festival, Germany (June 22-24)
Hurricane Festival, Germany (June 22-24)
TRSNMT, Scotland (July 1)
Open’er, Poland (July 4)
Rockwave Festival, Greece (July 6)
Rock Werchter, Belgium (July 8)
NOS Alive, Portugal (July 12)
Madcool Festival, Spain (July 13)
OYA Festival, Norway (August 8)
Way Out Festuval, Finland (August 9-11)
Flow Festival, Finland (August 11)
Sziget Festival, Hungary (August 14)

Get your tickets direct through the Arctic Monkeys website:
http://www.arcticmonkeys.com/