Apple Music unveils new identity built around sound

Apple Music has introduced a new visual identity built around this concept: creating images from sound. The redesign includes a new logo mnemonic, a revised wordmark, and a visual language that draws on the movement of liquid, light and glass.

An official release said that it’s an attempt to translate music into a physical form rather than represent it through conventional graphics. To develop the new mark, the team played audio frequencies through a transducer, a device that converts sound signals into physical vibrations. Placed beneath a shallow bath of mineral oil, the device set the liquid in motion, producing waves, ripples and shifting patterns of light.

These movements were filmed and used to create the final visual. The resulting mark is based on the physical effects of sound, with the liquid’s movement providing the material for the design. The project involved music producer Fred and his collaborator NEST Acoustics, who worked on breaking down individual notes and developing the composition used for the mnemonic.

The visual redesign extends to the service’s wordmark, which pairs the Apple symbol with a customised version of SF Pro, the typeface used across Apple’s products. The new lettering uses bold, lowercase forms, giving the name a more distinct appearance while retaining its connection to the wider Apple design system.

Another element of the identity draws on Apple’s Liquid Glass design language. Here, the visual effects of glass — including reflections, refractions and changes in light — are combined with the movement of sound waves. The result is intended to create a consistent visual approach across the service’s marketing, original content and live events.

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The press release further said that developing the identity took several months of experimentation, with the team exploring how sound could shape both the appearance and movement of the brand. A companion film documents the process, from the original musical composition to the finished design.

The updated wordmark was previewed late last month as part of the promotion for Apple Music Hall, the company’s new live music venue in London. The broader identity is expected to roll out across Apple Music’s original content and event programming beginning this week.