Riffiter listeners rate Humbug 4.0/5 from 24 ratings.

What is the highest-rated track on Humbug?

Potion Approaching, rated 5.0/5 by 2 listeners on Riffiter.

When was Humbug released?

Humbug was released in 2009 on Domino.

How many tracks are on Humbug?

Humbug has 12 tracks, with a runtime of 45 minutes.

What genre is Humbug?

Humbug is catalogued under Indie, Indie Rock, Alternative.

Humbug runs at a median tempo of 119 BPM across its tracks, most often in A# major, measured from audio analysis.

What albums are similar to Humbug?

Listeners of Humbug also rate Comedown Machine by The Strokes, The Resistance by Muse, Night Visions by Imagine Dragons.

Humbug was produced by Josh Homme and James Ellis Ford. Josh Homme produced 6 of them.

Who wrote the songs on Humbug?

Alex Turner wrote 1 of the 12 tracks on Humbug.

AlbumE · 2009

Humbug

by Arctic Monkeys

Humbug is a 2009 indie album by Arctic Monkeys. It runs 12 tracks across 45 minutes on Domino. Riffiter listeners rate it 4.0/5 from 24 ratings.

prod.

Josh Homme

James Ellis Ford

Indie · Indie Rock · Alternative

Best albums of 2009→

#33 in Best albums of 2009

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4.0 /5
24 ratings: 74 /100
10 critics: 12
Tracks: 45 min
Runtime: 119 bpm
Tempo: A# major
Key

Ratings

24 ratings · avg 4.0

0.5★5★

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Reviews

1 review

3.5
Riffiter Jun 7, 2026
The difficult third album done on purpose: Humbug slows Arctic Monkeys to a desert crawl under Josh Homme's production, trading wit for atmosphere. "Cornerstone" is Turner's tenderest writing; "Crying Lightning" his most sinister. Fans wanted bangers and got mood — history has ruled in the album's favor.
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Critics

10 publications

Scores collected from the English Wikipedia ratings box (CC BY-SA). Ratings belong to the publications; follow a link to read the review.

Cover art

5 credits

Design: Matthew Cooper
Photography: Chapman Baehler, Guy Aroch, Justin Smith, Mark Bull

Tracklist

12 tracks · 45 min

Ranked head-to-head

1 vs 1

Stars say how much you like Humbug. They never settle which song on it you would defend. Pick between two at a time and the order builds itself.

Nobody has finished a run on this record yet. Rank Humbug's songs yourself →

Videos

4 videos

Ranked by listeners

3 rated tracks

According to Riffiter listeners, the best track on Humbug is Potion Approaching — rated 5.0/5 by 2 listeners.

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About

Humbug is the third studio album by English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys, first released on 19 August 2009 by Domino Records. The band started to write songs for the album towards the end of summer 2008, and finished it entirely on spring 2009. Like their last release, Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug was released first in Japan, on 19 August 2009, followed by Australia, Brazil, Ireland and Germany, on 21 August 2009. It was then released in the UK on 24 August 2009, in the US the following day and in Greece on 31 August. The release preceded the band's headline performances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals at the end of that week. The band started writing songs for the album towards the end of summer 2008, with lead singer Alex Turner suggesting that the inspiration for the first few guitar riffs came while the band were attending the Latitude Festival in Suffolk. Tracks were written through the end of 2008, with recording taking place around the band's touring schedule towards late 2008 and early 2009.

Co-produced by Josh Homme, the album was wholly recorded in the United States. Homme-produced tracks recorded in Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert alongside New York recordings produced - as per the second album - by James Ford, who also produced the album The Age of the Understatement by Turner's side-project The Last Shadow Puppets. Early soundbites of tracks from the album appeared in the band's periodical video diary on YouTube. While being interviewed for the BBC Culture Show, Alex Turner and Matt Helders cited Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Jake Thackray, John Cale, Nick Cave, Roky Erickson, and The Beatles were all major influences on the recording of the album.

In brief

Is Humbug good?: Riffiter listeners rate Humbug 4.0/5 from 24 ratings.
What is the highest-rated track on Humbug?: Potion Approaching, rated 5.0/5 by 2 listeners on Riffiter.
When was Humbug released?: Humbug was released in 2009 on Domino.
How many tracks are on Humbug?: Humbug has 12 tracks, with a runtime of 45 minutes.
What genre is Humbug?: Humbug is catalogued under Indie, Indie Rock, Alternative.
What BPM is Humbug?: Humbug runs at a median tempo of 119 BPM across its tracks, most often in A# major, measured from audio analysis.
What albums are similar to Humbug?: Listeners of Humbug also rate Comedown Machine by The Strokes, The Resistance by Muse, Night Visions by Imagine Dragons.
Who produced Humbug?: Humbug was produced by Josh Homme and James Ellis Ford. Josh Homme produced 6 of them.
Who wrote the songs on Humbug?: Alex Turner wrote 1 of the 12 tracks on Humbug.