Apple Music is undergoing a significant visual overhaul, departing from its long-standing signature red branding in favor of a sleek, minimalist black-and-white aesthetic. This comprehensive redesign extends beyond mere color changes, introducing a new logo, dynamic sound-inspired graphics, and an audio signature aimed at creating a cohesive identity across all Apple Music platforms and experiences.
A New Visual and Audio Identity
The core of the new visual identity is a shift to black and white, complemented by graphics that evoke physical sound vibrations. These visuals feature ripples, waves, and light refractions, drawing inspiration from Apple’s established Liquid Glass design language, which gives elements a translucent, glass-like appearance. Alongside the visual changes, Apple has also developed a distinct audio mnemonic to further enhance the brand's refreshed presence, ensuring the update is felt as much as it is seen.
This rebrand is not just a superficial update; it represents months of experimentation by Apple to translate the essence of music into tangible visual and auditory elements. The new look is slated to appear across Apple Music's marketing campaigns, original content, live events, and product interfaces.
How Sound Inspired the New Look
To achieve these unique sound-inspired visuals, Apple collaborated with advertising agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab, renowned music producer Fred Again, and his partner NEST Acoustics. The team embarked on a creative process that involved converting musical notes into physical patterns.
This innovative method utilized a transducer, a device capable of transforming audio signals into physical vibrations. By placing the transducer in a shallow bath of mineral oil, the vibrations generated intricate ripples and waves on the surface. These movements, along with the resulting light refractions, were then filmed and used as the foundation for the new logo and accompanying visual assets.
“The process involved playing individual musical notes through a transducer, a device that converts audio signals into physical vibrations. The team placed the device in a shallow bath of mineral oil, where the vibrations created ripples and waves. The team filmed these movements and the resulting light refractions to develop the logo and accompanying visuals.”
The integration of Apple's Liquid Glass design language, first introduced with software platforms like iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, further unifies the new visual identity with the broader Apple ecosystem.
Rollout Across Platforms
The updated wordmark for Apple Music was initially previewed in September during promotions for Apple Music Hall, the company’s new live music venue in London. The broader rollout of this refreshed visual and audio identity is expected to continue with upcoming software releases, including iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2, ensuring a consistent and modern experience for users across all Apple devices.