Apple Music Rebrand Transforms Sound Waves Into Mineral Oil Visuals
Apple has unveiled its first major visual overhaul for Apple Music since the streaming platform launched in 2015, replacing its familiar flat design with a physical, wave-like aesthetic created by passing audio frequencies through a pool of mineral oil, Dezeen reported. Developed in collaboration with electronic musician Fred Again and NEST Acoustics, the new brand identity departs from purely digital design by grounding its visuals in physical movement. Apple shared the behind-the-scenes creation process in a video showing a custom application icon-shaped rig set in a shallow bath of mineral oil, where an underwater transducer translated musical frequencies into visible liquid ripples.
The Physics Behind the Mineral Oil Sound Wave Rig
To achieve the liquid-based aesthetic, the production team built a specialized setup designed to make music visible. Apple stated that the core concept aimed to distill the idea of music into a visually striking form by using a transducer to convert audio signals into physical vibrations. These vibrations moved a large volume of mineral oil at the exact frequency of the musical notes composed by Fred Again, creating the rippled wave pattern that anchors the updated branding. ADWEEK reported that the project was engineered by TBWAMedia Arts Lab, utilizing a custom rig and software to control the transducer that played Fred Again’s new mnemonic sound signature for the streaming platform.
Typography Changes and the Apple Music Hall Reveal
Alongside the fluid graphic overlay, Apple updated the service’s typography to match wider corporate visual standards. The wordmark pairs the traditional apple symbol with a custom, bold, lowercase version of Apple’s SF Pro typeface, making the “m” in music lowercase. Creative Bloq noted that this minimalist wordmark first surfaced alongside the marketing for Apple Music Hall, a live entertainment venue situated inside a renovated power station in Battersea, London, where the new logo is prominently displayed on an interior wall.
User Reactions and the Minimalist iOS App Icon Contrast
While the physical oil experiment earned praise for its intricate craftsmanship, the rollout of the actual app icon drew mixed feedback from users on social media. 9to5Mac reported that the refreshed identity arrives alongside iOS 27.2. However, Creative Bloq highlighted that the minimalist black-and-white app icon introduced in the update disappointed several subscribers. Users on Reddit criticized the stark monochrome design for failing to capture the vibrant, colorful magic of the mineral oil video case study, noting that the in-app interface strips out older red accents in favor of blue text elements and a yellow favorite star.
Super Bowl Halftime Show Speculation and Event Timelines
The timing of the visual rebrand coincides with heightened promotional activity surrounding Apple Music’s major sponsorships. ADWEEK noted that Puck reported that Jay-Z is slated to headline the Apple Music-sponsored halftime show at Super Bowl 61 on February 14, 2027, though the NFL, Apple, and Roc Nation have not yet confirmed the selection.