Apple Music, the streaming platform launched in 2015, has introduced its first visual refresh in more than a decade. The new identity, developed in partnership with the agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab, centers on the concept that the brand is “made by sound” and was unveiled through a series of posts on X and Instagram.
Concept and creation process
The redesign stems from a collaborative experiment between British producer Fred Again and acoustic specialists NEST Acoustics. The duo composed a short piece of music, then dissected it into its constituent notes. Each note was sent through a transducer—a device that converts audio signals into physical vibrations—while the transducer sat in a shallow bath of mineral oil. The resulting ripples in the oil were filmed, and those recordings formed the visual foundation of the new logo.
According to reports, the undertaking required several months of trial and error. The team had to fine‑tune the relationship between pitch and visual clarity, because an excess of notes or overly high frequencies caused the oil to move too violently, rendering the footage indistinguishable. The painstaking calibration eventually yielded a clean, expressive shape that resembles a musical note, directly derived from the captured motion.
Design elements and visual language
While the new icon departs from previous iterations, it remains anchored in Apple’s broader “Liquid Glass” aesthetic. Designers describe the shape as a tangible record of music rather than a literal illustration of sound. Accompanying the icon, the wordmark pairs the familiar Apple symbol with a bespoke version of the company’s SF Pro typeface. The type has been rendered in bold, lowercase forms to inject personality while preserving brand cohesion. The type design consultation and vector reconstruction were handled by Plau.
The visual language was first hinted at in September as part of promotional material for Apple Music Hall, a new live‑music venue slated for London. That early teaser linked the refreshed wordmark to the venue’s branding, signaling the upcoming rollout across the service’s ecosystem.
Launch, sonic signature and rollout schedule
In addition to the visual update, the same composition that drove the logo’s formation now serves as Apple Music’s sonic signature. The brand announced the new identity on its X and Instagram channels, emphasizing that it was “physically shaped by an original composition” from Fred Again and NEST Acoustics. A behind‑the‑scenes short film, directed by Joe Jackson, offers a glimpse into the process. Production credits include Optical Arts for overall production, Time Based Arts for visual effects, Trafik for colour grading and finishing, and Model Citizen for music mixing.
The updated branding will begin appearing in Apple Music’s own content within the current week. Users can expect to see the new logo in the app when iOS version 27.2 is released, with broader marketing and product integrations to follow thereafter.
Commentators have praised the approach for marrying tactile craftsmanship with digital branding. One observer from Manchester summed up the sentiment, noting that the effort reflects “proper sound”—a local expression for authenticity and quality. The rollout demonstrates Apple’s willingness to invest significant time and experimental technique to align visual identity with auditory experience, a move that may set a new benchmark for tech‑focused branding initiatives.
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