The idea of having ‘an aesthetic’ can be very much traced to early 2010’s Tumblr culture. The most popular aesthetic (and probably most humiliating) being the renowned grunge era.’ If you were a self-acclaimed ‘indie girl’ then you would know how much your fashion, tv choices, and favourite artists existed as a result of attempting to fit this so-called ‘grunge aesthetic.’ This means sporting a pair of fishnet tights, Doc Martens, and an eclectic mix of ‘AM’ by Arctic Monkeys or ‘The 1975’ by The 1975 blasting on your iPod. This is just before sitting down to enjoy the next episode of American Horror Story’s ‘Murder House’.
If this was you, you probably still remember the hold that both self-titled albums had. That’s why when both bands released albums in the same month of October 2022, you might have felt your 2014 teen traumas rising to the surface. Whilst Arctic Monkeys newest album titled ‘The Car’ and The 1975’s ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’ is circulating people’s Spotify, it’s clear that the painful teen nostalgia is perhaps the driving force behind it.
Of all seven of Arctic Monkey’s albums – not two sound the same. Each one has a unique sound that makes each album far removed from the other. Their newest album ‘The Car’ presents a resounding difference to their fifth album ‘AM’. The early 2000’s grunge tumblr era no doubt worshipped this album art with the white soundwave plastered on any inanimate or virtual object. The 2013 album is a staple of the alternative rock genre as lead singer Alex Turner describes it as being “like a Dr. Dre beat, but we’ve given it a Turner bowl-cut and sent it galloping across the desert on a Stratocaster.” It’s safe to say that if there was a Spotify Wrapped in 2014, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ and ‘R U Mine?’ would have decorated every ‘indie girl’s top 10. Their new release ‘The Car’ definitely does not sound like it’s‘ galloping across the desert on a Stratocaster’ but more like ‘walking through a café lounge on a vintage synthesiser.’ Their new-found orchestral sound removes itself from the guitar-heavy ‘AM’ and fans have not been happy about it. So, whether their new album is your cup of tea or not, it’s hard to deny that their return to the music scene has got their name in your Spotify recent search and your 2014 self grinning from ear to ear.
Just as Arctic Monkeys spring to mind when considering the ‘grunge aesthetic’, The 1975 are right beside them. Their debut 2013 release titled ‘The 1975’ sent 2014 Tumblr into overdrive. Its black and white grung-y cover photo encapsulated everything you wanted to be in that era and frontman Matty Healy, your dream rude and edgy boyfriend (his acclaimed good looks may or may not have had an impact on the band’s hype). Unlike the Monkey’s, The 1975 have been criticised for their static sound and having ‘every song sound the same’. Their newest album ‘Being Funny in a Foreign Language’ similarly, hasn’t differed from their classic electro pop sound in the grunge era. With their 14,544, 300 monthly Spotify listeners, it’s easy to understand why they don’t want to fix what isn’t broken and why a large portion of those listeners are probably those who also blasted ‘Robbers’ in 2014.
We can thank October 2022 for the new releases from our favourite ‘2014 Tumblr’ bands. That little dip into the nostalgia of having Turner and Healy’s voices on repeat is bringing back memories of the time for past indie girls everywhere. Although for many, it’ll be quite easy to leave the fishnets and Doc Martens in the cupboard – it’s a lot harder to escape the love we have for the music that shaped us. So, thank you 2022 for making our 2014 selves jump with joy!
Written by: Bethan Davies
Edited by: Rebekah Maybin