This post breaks down the Arctic Monkeys albums in order, from their explosive 2006 debut to 2022’s The Car. Alongside every official album, I’ve tracked all credited musicians, guest appearances, and side-project overlaps on my Arctic Monkeys Music Map - it makes a great gift for any fan,

Every line-up change, every multi-instrumentalist, and every guest musician is accounted for, giving a detailed look at how the band’s sound has evolved.

Arctic Monkeys Albums in Order

The following nine studio albums are included in the map:

1. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)
2. Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)
3. Humbug (2009)
4. Suck It and See (2011)
5. AM (2013)
6. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (2018)
7. The Car (2022)

And their key side project:

• The Age of the Understatement (2008) – The Last Shadow Puppets
• Everything You’ve Come to Expect (2016) – The Last Shadow Puppets

Core Arctic Monkeys Members

• Alex Turner – Present on every record, his role expands over time from lead vocals and guitar to multi-instrumental studio auteur. On The Car, he’s credited with vocals, guitar, organ, piano, synth, bass, drums, harpsichord, dolceola, and even string arrangements.
• Jamie Cook – Guitarist throughout, with lap steel and baritone touches on later albums. He’s a reliable constant, even as the sound becomes more orchestrated.
• Matt Helders – Drummer and backing vocalist, also contributes synths and percussion on more recent albums.
• Nick O’Malley – Replaced Andy Nicholson in 2006 after his debut. Has played bass on every release since, along with backing vocals and occasional baritone guitar.

Notable Contributors and Guests

• James Ford – Not just a producer, but an active musician on nearly every album since Favourite Worst Nightmare. Provides keyboards, drums, percussion, baritone guitar, vibraphone, and more. Integral to Arctic Monkeys’ studio evolution.
• Miles Kane – Best known as Turner’s partner in The Last Shadow Puppets, he appears in backing roles on Arctic Monkeys albums too.
• Josh Homme – Brought in during Humbug to co-produce and provide backing vocals. His influence shaped that album’s darker tone.
• Zach Dawes, Tom Rowley, Tyler Parkford, and Loren Humphrey – All appear prominently in later albums as part of the expanded touring/studio ensemble.
• Orchestrate, London Metropolitan Orchestra, and musicians like Bridget Samuels, Owen Pallett, and others provide the lush orchestral flourishes on Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino and The Car.

Patterns in the Data

• Whatever People Say I Am… was recorded with just the original four-piece.
• From AM onward, the maps show a notable expansion in personnel — synths, orchestral strings, percussionists, and studio layers increase dramatically.
• The Car (2022) is the most detailed and complex in terms of instrumentation. Alex Turner plays at least 15 different instruments, with support from over 30 additional musicians.

Why I Mapped It

I made the Arctic Monkeys Music Map to show how the band evolved from Sheffield guitar lads to a studio-forward, genre-hopping collective. The map tracks every musician by line, connecting across each album. You can see:

• Core members who’ve lasted
• Temporary collaborators
• Side projects and overlaps with The Last Shadow Puppets

It’s printed on heavyweight art paper in A1, A2, and A3 sizes - Buy the Arctic Monkeys map here.