R U Mine?

When you dive into the raw energy of *R U Mine?*, you're met with a riff that instantly grabs you. The music, composed collaboratively by the band, has that hypnotic quality. The lyrics, written by Alex Turner, explore the complexity of relationships, that feeling of being trapped in a dynamic where one feels like a puppet, not knowing exactly where they stand. Turner himself mentioned being inspired by how artists like Lil Wayne and Drake play with language, saying something one way and then clarifying its meaning in the next line, creating that atmosphere of uncertainty. There are also nods to references like "Some Velvet Morning" and Tracy Island, which add layers to the narrative. The bass, played by Nick O'Malley, has a special prominence, as he was the one who conceived the main riff while they were recording the B-side "Evil Twin".

Originally, *R U Mine?* saw the light of day as a standalone single in early 2012, released digitally in the UK on February 27th and later in physical format for Record Store Day, a limited edition on purple vinyl alongside "Electricity". This latter edition had a pressing of only 1,750 copies. The song quickly climbed the charts, reaching number twenty-three on the UK Singles Chart, marking its highest position since "Crying Lightning" in 2009. Although it began as a separate release, the song found its ultimate home on the Arctic Monkeys' fifth studio album, AM, released in 2013, where a slightly remixed version was included. The impact of this track was such that it was certified platinum in the UK, becoming one of their best-selling singles. In addition to its chart success, *R U Mine?* also made its presence felt in the world of video games, appearing in titles such as Forza Horizon, Rocksmith 2014, and Guitar Hero Live. The music video, released on the same day as the digital download, was an idea by drummer Matt Helders and was filmed quite straightforwardly: the Focus Creeps team gave them a camera and let them shoot. The result shows Matt Helders, Alex Turner, and Nick O'Malley lip-syncing in a car, with a special appearance by DJ Steve Jones introducing the song. This video, in fact, won the NME Award for Best Video in 2013.