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Sound & Color
Sound & Color
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Sound & Color
Standard edition cover[a]
Studio album by
Alabama Shakes
ReleasedApril 17, 2015 (2015-04-17)[1]
Studio
Genre
Length47:26
LabelATO
Producer
Alabama Shakes chronology
Boys & Girls
(2012) 		Sound & Color
(2015)
Singles from Sound & Color
  1. "Don't Wanna Fight"
    Released: February 10, 2015[3]
  2. "Gimme All Your Love"
    Released: February 2015
  3. "Future People"
    Released: March 19, 2015[4]
  4. "Sound & Color"
    Released: September 21, 2015

Sound & Color is the second studio album by American band Alabama Shakes, released on April 17, 2015, by ATO Records.

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., giving the band their first chart-topper; globally, the album hit the top ten in Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It was also a critical success and was nominated for six Grammy Awards, winning four for Best Alternative Music Album, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, as well as Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for "Don't Wanna Fight". It spawned four singles; "Don't Wanna Fight" was the most successful, peaking at number two on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart.

Background

[edit]

Alabama Shakes began recording their second album in late 2013. The group listened to anything and everything for influence, without regard for its public reception in the end.[5] They spent over a year in the studio, with no clear end-goal, as they had not written any new songs due to their exhaustive touring schedule.[5] Sound & Color is steeped in several different genres, touching on shoegaze to bands such as MC5.[6]

In promotion of Sound & Color, the group appeared on Saturday Night Live on February 28, 2015; they performed the singles "Gimme All Your Love" and "Don't Wanna Fight".[7]

The title song, "Sound & Color", was used in the final episode of the first season of Mr. Robot.

In 2017, the song "This Feeling" was used in the first season of the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies, and in 2019, it was used in the end scene of the final episode of the British TV show Fleabag. The song "Sound & Color" was used in the end credits of the 2019 film Waves, directed by Trey Edward Shults and produced by A24. "Don't Wanna Fight" was used in the 2019 film Just Mercy.

A deluxe edition of the album was released on October 29, 2021, featuring three B-sides and four live recordings. The live recording of "Future People" was released as a promotional single on September 29, 2021.[8]

Composition

[edit]

"A genuine Americana love letter",[9] Sound & Color is rooted in Southern rock[10][11] and soul music.[12][13] It has also been noted for making roots rock "a surprise again".[14] Yet despite being rooted in these genres, Sound & Color includes some of the quartet's most eclectic and experimental songs to date. It features sounds of country,[9] blues,[15] funk,[15] garage punk,[9][16] punk rock,[14][17] swamp rock,[18] and talking blues.[16] Its songs have been compared to musicians like Erykah Badu and Curtis Mayfield and bands like MC5 and the Strokes.[13]

The "engrossing" "Guess Who" explores jazz sounds.[12] The "ballistic" "The Greatest" takes on cowpunk like that of the Meat Puppets,[19] as well as hardcore punk,[20] new wave,[21] proto-punk,[22] and "no-frills" rock and roll.[18] A "fun little bash" is made out of the fusion of grunge and funk on "Shoegaze".[23] Both songs have also been noted as garage rock.[9]

Sound & Color digs its heels into more psychedelia-based stylings,[15][16][24][25] from the "slow-burning" space rock[26] of "Dunes" to the "celestial" psychedelic funk[18] of "Future People". "Gemini", the record's longest song, changes between "smooth R&B and stoner-desert rock"[27] while journeying into "zero-gravity" funk.[13]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The album debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 97,000 album-equivalent units (91,000 copies of traditional album sales) in its first week, in the week ending April 26, 2015, making it the band's first number one album.[28] The album has sold 306,000 copies in the US as of December 2015.[29]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.8/10[30]
Metacritic80/100[31]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[24]
Chicago TribuneStarStarStar[32]
The Daily TelegraphStarStarStarStarStar[33]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[26]
The GuardianStarStarStar[20]
The IndependentStarStarStarStar[21]
NME8/10[22]
Pitchfork8.1/10[13]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarHalf star[25]
Spin7/10[14]

Upon its release, Sound & Color received positive reviews. At the review aggregator Metacritic, the album currently holds a score of 80 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[31] Writing for Exclaim!, Andrea Warner called the record a "deliberately weird record, but authentically weird; it's chaotic yet cohesive, full of sound, colour and unshakable vision."[34] Barry Nicholson of NME compared it favorably to the band's first album, writing, "whereas their debut was cast in sepia hues and downhome earthiness, its follow-up is a more kaleidoscopic affair."[22]

Accolades

[edit]

Sound & Color garnered six nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards; it was nominated for the Album of the Year, marking the group's first nomination in the category. The album was also nominated for Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (Blake Mills), and won Best Alternative Music Album, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (Shawn Everett and Bob Ludwig). "Don't Wanna Fight" won for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.[35]

Semester-end lists

[edit]
Country Publication Work List Rank Ref.
US Paste Sound & Color The 25 Best Albums of 2015 (So Far)
6
[36]
"Gimme All Your Love" The 25 Best Songs of 2015 (So Far)
9
[37]

Year-end lists

[edit]
Country Publication List Rank Ref.
US Billboard 25 Best Albums of 2015
7
[38]
Complex The Best Albums of 2015
29
[39]
Consequence Top 50 Albums of 2015
36
[40]
Entertainment Weekly The 40 Best Albums of 2015
13
[41]
Canada Exclaim! Exclaim!'s Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums
10
[42]
US NPR NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2015
*
[43]
Rolling Stone The 50 Best Albums of 2015
37
[44]
Rough Trade Albums of the Year 2015
31
[45]
The New York Times The Best Albums of 2015 (by Jon Pareles)
7
[46]

* denotes an unordered list

Decade-end lists

[edit]
Country Publication List Rank Ref.
US Pitchfork The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s
138
[47]

Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by Brittany Howard, with help from Blake Mills on "Future People", "Guess Who" and "Gemini." All music written by Alabama Shakes[48]

No.TitleLength
1."Sound & Color"3:02
2."Don't Wanna Fight"3:53
3."Dunes"4:18
4."Future People"3:22
5."Gimme All Your Love"4:03
6."This Feeling"4:29
7."Guess Who"3:16
8."The Greatest"3:50
9."Shoegaze"2:59
10."Miss You"3:47
11."Gemini"6:36
12."Over My Head"3:51
Total length:47:26
iTunes Japan bonus track version[49]
No.TitleLength
13."Drive By Baby"2:20
14."Joe"4:00
International bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Joe"4:00
14."Makin' Me Itch" 
Target exclusive bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Gimme All Your Love" (live from the Artists Den)4:13
2."The Greatest" (live from the Artists Den)3:19
3."Joe" (live from the Artists Den)3:35
2021 deluxe edition[50]
No.TitleLength
13."Drive By Baby"2:20
14."Joe"4:00
15."Someday"3:19
16."Don't Wanna Fight" (live from Capitol Studio A)3:59
17."Future People" (live from Capitol Studio A)3:29
18."Dunes" (live from Capitol Studio A)3:30
19."Over My Head" (live from Capitol Studio A)4:03

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Sound & Color liner notes.[51]

Alabama Shakes

  • Brittany Howard − vocals (all), guitar (2–12), vibraphone (1, 7, 11), percussion (4, 6, 12), keyboards (11, 12); string arrangement (1)
  • Heath Fogg − guitar (all), percussion (6, 12)
  • Zac Cockrell − bass (all), percussion (6, 7, 12)
  • Steve Johnson − drums (all), percussion (2–4, 6, 12)

Additional musicians

  • Ben Tanner − keyboards (1, 3–12), vibraphone (1), percussion (12)
  • Paul Horton − keyboards (11)
  • Rob Moose − string arrangements (1, 3, 6, 7)

Production

  • Alabama Shakes − production
  • Blake Mills − production, percussion (2, 3, 12), guitar (8), vibraphone (10)
  • Bob Ludwig − mastering
  • Shawn Everett − mixing, engineering

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[81] Gold 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[82] Silver 60,000‡
United States (RIAA)[83] Platinum 1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Sound & Color

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Sound & Color is the second studio album by the American rock band , released on April 21, 2015, through . The album, featuring lead vocalist and alongside bassist , Heath Fogg, and Steve Johnson, explores a genre-blending mix of rock, soul, blues, and psychedelic elements, evolving from the band's raw blues-rock roots showcased on their 2012 debut Boys & Girls. Produced by the band with engineers and , it was recorded primarily at Sound Emporium in , and United Recording in , , emphasizing experimental arrangements and Howard's powerful, emotive vocals across 12 tracks. Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and certified platinum by the RIAA, Sound & Color achieved commercial success, selling over 1,000,000 copies in the United States (as of 2024). Critically, it received widespread praise for its bold sonic experimentation and emotional depth, with reviewers highlighting tracks like "Don't Wanna Fight," "Gimme All Your Love," and the title song for their innovative production and lyrical introspection on themes of love, identity, and vulnerability. The album earned six Grammy Award nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016, winning four: Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song (all for "Don't Wanna Fight"), and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Sound & Color solidified ' reputation as innovative forces in , influencing subsequent works in indie and alternative scenes with its fusion of Southern traditions and flair. A deluxe edition released on October 29, 2021, included additional unreleased studio material, b-sides, live recordings, and remixes, extending its legacy as the band's most recent full-length studio as of , following which members pursued solo projects before the band reunited that year, releasing their first new song in a decade and embarking on tour.

Background and Development

Conception and Writing

Following the success of their debut album Boys & Girls in 2012, sought to evolve beyond their blues-rock foundations, forming core concepts for Sound & Color that emphasized experimentation and genre-blending. Lead singer and guitarist expressed a strong desire to push boundaries, incorporating unconventional elements like vibraphones and string sections to create a more expansive sonic palette, moving away from the raw, live-band energy of their earlier work. The songwriting process unfolded primarily during 2013 and 2014 in informal sessions held in Howard's basement in , where the band engaged in marathon writing bouts—often lasting up to 12 hours fueled by simple provisions like bars—to sketch out initial ideas. These sessions drew heavily from influences in , , and R&B. Key collaborative events included informal band retreats at Sound Emporium Studios in , where members cooked Southern meals together to foster creativity and a relaxed atmosphere for ideation. Howard took the lead on , infusing them with themes of personal vulnerability and intimate relationships, drawing from her own experiences to craft introspective narratives. Other band members, including guitarist Heath Fogg and bassist Zac Cockrell, contributed to the structural development during these gatherings. The timeline of song sketches spanned roughly a year, with early demos emerging organically from these sessions. This pre-recording phase laid the groundwork for the material, which would later be refined in studio sessions beginning in late 2014.

Recording and Production

The recording of Sound & Color took place primarily at The Sound Emporium in , spanning four two-week sessions from late 2014 to early 2015, with additional tracking and mixing at (now United Recording Studios) in . Approximately 90 percent of the album was captured live in the studio's large main room to preserve the band's energy, using techniques such as multiple room microphones for depth and hard panning to create an immersive field. Producer and engineer played pivotal roles in broadening the album's sonic palette, collaborating closely with the band to integrate live instrumentation alongside experimental methods, including tape loops from cassette recorders like the CR4, analog effects, re-amping, and even layered space sounds in . Mills and Everett emphasized song quality and emotional intent over polished rehearsals, often suggesting melodic or lyrical tweaks while encouraging the use of the band's own gear, such as custom amplifiers, to maintain authenticity. This approach contrasted with the more straightforward production of ' debut album Boys & Girls, as the band took on co-production duties here, incorporating elements from Brittany Howard's home demos made with Logic software, drum machines, and synthesizers to infuse a wider range of influences. Specific production choices highlighted the album's experimental ethos, such as Howard's unconventional vocal methods—including singing into a handheld eBay-sourced microphone, taping headphones to her face with an NS-10 woofer for monitoring, and stuffing cotton wool in her mouth to achieve raw, distorted tones—which were used across tracks like the title song "Sound & Color," where a rough mix was ultimately preferred for the final release. For "Gimme All Your Love," guitar overdubs were layered using Royer 121 and Shure SM57 microphones on amps in the main room, with sparse arrangements allowing for extended decays and bass integration, enhanced by plate and chamber reverbs to add subtle flavor without dominating the live feel. Howard's vocal experimentation presented challenges, as standard microphones like the Neumann M49 often failed to capture her desired textures, leading to after-hours sessions in echo chambers and iterative takes that pushed the boundaries of traditional rock recording. Despite these hurdles, the process resulted in a hi-fi/lo-fi hybrid sound, with minimal comping from the vast Pro Tools sessions—often exceeding 200 tracks per song—to retain the spontaneity of in-studio development.

Music and Lyrics

Musical Style

Sound & Color represents a significant evolution for , blending , , , and indie elements to create a more eclectic sound than their blues-heavy debut Boys & Girls. This shift allows the band to escape the retro-soul constraints of their earlier work, incorporating influences from artists like and while introducing unexpected mystical and otherworldly textures. The album's dynamic instrumentation marks a departure from the straightforward guitar-driven arrangements of Boys & Girls, featuring prominent horns, strings, and electronic textures that add layers of depth and experimentation. Co-producer contributes tonal tweaks and eerie string arrangements by , enhancing the sonic palette with rubbery basslines, spacey guitars, and fizzing synthesizers. Brittany Howard's vocal performance showcases an expanded range and stylistic evolution, drawing from and influences to deliver operatic cadences, layered harmonies, and a mix of ferocious and angelic tones. Her voice, often muffled or blended into the instrumentation, explores and pleading inflections, reflecting a broader musical curiosity unbound by genre conventions. The atmospheric production fosters a cohesive "sound world" through slow builds, improvisational feels, and hypnotic codas, prioritizing variety and punk-like refusal to conform over safe predictability. This approach results in a bravely freshened aesthetic that emphasizes self-directed musicality across , glam, and psychedelic territories.

Composition and Themes

The album Sound & Color comprises 12 tracks that showcase diverse compositional structures, ranging from slow-burning explorations to punk-infused rockers, while weaving lyrical themes of haunted love, personal loss, identity, and cautious optimism. Howard's lyrics often incorporate intimate anecdotes, such as the over her sister's from cancer and the vulnerabilities of romantic relationships, creating emotional arcs that mirror tension and release throughout the record. The opening title track, "Sound & Color," unfolds as a breathy, bell-laden with a hypnotic groove that shifts into a soaring bridge, evoking a of falling away into a new, beautiful yet strange world; its lyrics ponder sensory disconnection and emotional rebirth, setting a mystical tone for the album. "Don't Wanna Fight" follows with an instantly gratifying funk-driven structure lasting 3:53, building from simmering tension to a cathartic release in its chorus, where pleads against conflict poisoning both personal relationships and broader aggression, embodying themes of defiance and . "Dunes" adopts a slow, soulful minor-key crawl over 4:18, layering profane biblical imagery with introspective longing, its sparse arrangement reflecting an emotional arc of isolation and quiet desperation. "Future People," a psychedelic soul-rock groove clocking in at 3:21, features two interlocking guitar lines—Howard's Japanese-inspired and Heath Fogg's rhythmic pattern—leading into a falsetto-crooned verse about cosmic adventures and reuniting with deceased loved ones as spirit guides, directly referencing Howard's sister; the track's emotional arc peaks in a bone-shaking bass-driven shift, blending hope with existential doubt. "Gimme All Your Love" stretches into a slow, spacious expanse of about 4:00, with ghoulish laughter underscoring a bipolar plea for total devotion, its extended structure allowing Howard's vocals to transition from cajoling whispers to demanding refrains, capturing the volatile arc of obsessive romance. "This Feeling" delivers a mid-tempo soulful over 4:29, its steady and layered keyboards exploring raw emotional and identity struggles, with that convey a building sense of overwhelming sensation. "Guess Who" employs a string-laden machine-funk arrangement spanning 3:17, where Howard's angelic croon seeks "some peace of mind" amid impressionistic pleas, evoking Marvin Gaye's socially conscious ; the track's builds through subtle rhythmic pulses to a reflective release, thematizing inner turmoil and relational doubt. "The Greatest" erupts as a punky garage rocker at 3:50, infused with raw energy and resilience motifs, its driving and urgent bridge channeling themes of perseverance against adversity, much like a take on . "Shoegaze," lasting 2:59, incorporates punishing heavy-metal chords and falsetto flourishes reminiscent of Prince, structured as a punk-edged experiment that arcs from brooding verses to explosive choruses, grappling with themes of alienation and sonic . "Miss You" presents a retro soul with accents over 3:47, its heartfelt confessing the pain of separation—"I'm gonna miss you, and your tattoo"—drawn from Howard's relationship struggles, creating an emotional arc of tender longing resolved in harmonious release. The sprawling "Gemini," a 6:41 zero-gravity piece and the first track recorded, weaves Southern imagery like honey and snakes into lyrics of personal connection and blues-rooted doubt, its druggy groove and extended ending providing a tension-release arc that drifts from intimate reflection to cosmic expanse. Closing with "Over My Head" at 3:54, the track employs a gospel-inspired bridge amid its upbeat soul-rock framework, thematizing existential overwhelm and identity quests, its structure culminating in a layered vocal crescendo that resolves the album's overarching emotional doubts.

Release and Promotion

Artwork and Packaging

The artwork for Sound & Color was created by New York-based artist and designer Mario Hugo, who handled art direction, illustration, and overall design in collaboration with Dan Hennessy. Hugo, known for his work with artists like and , drew inspiration from the album's music during the creative process, aiming for a visual that captured its eclectic and emotive essence. The cover features a minimalist yet striking abstract composition of swirling color gradients—transitioning from deep and purples through pinks and yellows—creating a sense of fluid motion and emotional depth that aligns with the album's exploration of sound's vivid palette. Packaging for the original release emphasized tactile and collectible elements, particularly in physical formats. The standard CD came in a slim jewel case with the abstract printed on the booklet, which included full , credits, and by Ross Halfin. For vinyl editions, the album was pressed as a double LP on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl, available in black or limited-edition clear variants. These were housed in a sleeve that unfolded to reveal additional illustrations by Lucie Gris and inner spread photos of , with the disc featuring an etched design rather than grooves for an artistic flourish. A digital download code was included with physical copies to enhance accessibility. In 2021, a deluxe edition expanded the options with updated aesthetics. This version, overseen by Grammy-winning Frank Harkins, incorporated revised cover artwork, fresh band photography, and seven bonus tracks on a double LP. Vinyl variants included a striking red/black/pink tri-color mix, pressed on 180-gram stock, alongside standard black, to evoke the album's thematic vibrancy without overwhelming the original design ethos. The maintained the deluxe's enhanced booklet with expanded detailing the recording process and unreleased material, ensuring the served as an immersive extension of the music's .

Singles and Marketing

The lead single from Sound & Color, "Don't Wanna Fight", was released on February 10, 2015, serving as the first preview of the album's expanded sonic palette blending , , and elements. Pre-ordering the album on at that time provided fans with an instant digital download of the track, a strategy designed to build early momentum through digital platforms. An official performance video for the song, directed by renowned photographer and filmmaker and filmed at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, followed on June 8, 2015, capturing the band's raw energy in a single-take format to emphasize their live prowess. Subsequent singles continued the rollout, with "Gimme All Your Love" issued on March 2, 2015, highlighting the album's emotive, groove-oriented side through its official audio release and a that explored narrative visuals tied to the track's themes. The title track "Sound & Color" was released as a single shortly after the album's launch, accompanied by a psychedelic, sci-fi-inspired directed in a style evoking , which premiered on April 29, 2015, to visually represent the record's experimental ethos. These releases were supported by social media teasers from the band's official channels and , including behind-the-scenes clips and track snippets shared on platforms like and to engage fans ahead of the full album. Marketing campaigns focused on high-profile media premieres and partnerships to amplify anticipation. The full album streamed exclusively via 's First Listen series starting April 12, 2015, allowing listeners an early immersion into its genre-bending sound under the guidance of NPR Music's editorial team. Additional promotion included a feature-length profile in magazine on March 25, 2015, which detailed the band's creative risks and positioned Sound & Color as a bold evolution from their debut. Partnerships with streaming services like integrated the singles into curated playlists, while a national spot aired in late April 2015 to drive physical and digital sales across retail outlets. The album officially launched on April 21, 2015, through in digital, CD, and vinyl formats, with initial physical editions featuring standard black vinyl and later deluxe pressings in colored variants to appeal to collectors.

Tours and Live Performances

Following the April 2015 release of Sound & Color, embarked on an extensive world tour that ran through 2015 and into 2016, encompassing over 100 performances across , , , and major festivals. The tour kicked off in the spring of 2015 with dates in the United States and , including stops at venues like the O2 Academy in Birmingham, , on May 13, and the in on August 16. By mid-2015, the band had expanded to headline larger outdoor events, with the itinerary reflecting the album's experimental sound through dynamic staging and lighting designs that enhanced the psychedelic elements of tracks like "Shoegaze" and "Gemini." The 2016 leg continued this momentum, adding dates in cities such as Bogota, , on March 11 for the Estereo Picnic Festival, and concluding with fall shows in , on September 23 at the . Setlists during the 2015-2016 tour heavily emphasized material from Sound & Color, often comprising more than half of each performance to showcase the album's evolution from the band's blues-rock roots. For instance, at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on June 12, 2015, where headlined the Which Stage, the set opened with "Future People" and included several debuts like "Shoegaze," "Miss You," and "Guess Who," blending them with select tracks from their debut album Boys & Girls for a balanced yet forward-looking show. Similarly, European festival appearances, such as headlining the Pyramid Stage at on June 26, 2015, featured a mix starting with "Dunes" and incorporating "Rise to the Sun," "Future People," and "Heartbreaker," allowing the band to test the new songs' live energy before larger crowds. These performances highlighted Brittany Howard's commanding vocals and the group's improvisational flair, with arrangements adapted to extend instrumental sections for greater emotional depth. Key highlights included the band's debut on Saturday Night Live on March 1, 2015, where they performed "Don't Wanna Fight" and "Gimme All Your Love" as musical guests, marking an early live introduction of Sound & Color material to a national television audience and generating buzz for the tour. The set further solidified their festival presence, drawing praise for Howard's raw delivery amid the event's historic lineup. Live adaptations played a crucial role in the tour's evolution, with the band incorporating larger ensembles at select shows to flesh out the album's layered production, such as adding horns and percussion to tracks like "Over My Head" for extended, jam-like explorations that amplified the song's introspective tension during encores. In February 2025, announced their first tour in eight years, a reunion run celebrating the 10th anniversary of Sound & Color and featuring a career-spanning setlist with heavy emphasis on the 2015 album. The tour commenced on July 16, 2025, at The Salt Shed in , followed by dates in Nashville on July 19, on August 2, New Orleans on August 9, Austin on September 25, and New York City's Forest Hills Stadium on September 17, among others, with additional festival appearances like Shaky Knees in on September 21. The reunion also heralded the band's return to recording, with the release of their first new single in ten years, "Another Life", on August 29, 2025. Performances retained the improvisational spirit of the original tour, with tracks from Sound & Color like "Don't Wanna Fight," "Gimme All Your Love," and "Over My Head" receiving updated arrangements that included prolonged jams to evoke the album's sonic experimentation. The reunion shows, supported by opening acts including Shannon & the Clams, , , , , and Bahamas on select dates, drew strong reviews for recapturing the band's live intensity without signs of rust.

Commercial Performance

Chart Performance

Sound & Color debuted at number one on the US chart, marking ' first chart-topping and surpassing the peak position of their debut Boys & Girls, which reached number six. The also debuted at number one on the Top Rock Albums and Alternative Albums charts, where it demonstrated strong longevity, remaining in the top ten for multiple weeks on the Alternative Albums chart. Internationally, the album achieved top-ten peaks across several markets, reflecting its broad appeal compared to the more modest chart runs of Boys & Girls. In the , Sound & Color peaked at number six on the Official Albums Chart and spent 15 weeks on the listing, a lower peak position than the debut's number three entry but with shorter overall duration. In , it reached number six on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album also entered the top ten in , peaking at number two on the Canadian Albums chart, and in various European countries including the (number five) and (number eight).

Sales and Certifications

Sound & Color achieved significant commercial success, with total sales exceeding 500,000 units in the by 2021, reflecting both physical shipments and streaming equivalents under RIAA guidelines implemented post-2015. Worldwide, the album has amassed approximately 600,000 units across major markets including the , , and , incorporating digital and track sales alongside traditional album purchases. The album received Gold certification from the (RIAA) on March 4, 2016, for 500,000 units shipped in the United States. In Canada, it was certified Gold by in 2015 for 40,000 units. The (BPI) awarded it Silver certification in the on January 13, 2017, for 60,000 units, with actual sales surpassing 84,000 copies.
RegionCertificationCertifying BodyUnits CertifiedDateSource
GoldRIAA500,000March 4, 2016BestSellingAlbums.org
Gold40,0002015BestSellingAlbums.org
SilverBPI60,000January 13, 2017BestSellingAlbums.org
The 2021 deluxe , featuring seven bonus tracks and revised artwork, spurred renewed interest and additional sales, particularly in vinyl formats, contributing to the album's ongoing commercial longevity.

Reception

Critical Reviews

Upon its release in April 2015, Sound & Color received widespread critical acclaim, earning a Metascore of 80 out of 100 on based on 34 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. Critics praised the album's evolution from the band's debut Boys & Girls, noting its departure from straightforward retro-soul toward more experimental and psychedelic territory. This shift was seen as a bold risk that broadened ' sound, incorporating elements of funk, art rock, and atmospheric production while retaining raw emotional intensity. Standout reviews highlighted Brittany Howard's vocal prowess as a central strength, often describing her performance as a commanding force that elevated the material. awarded the album 8.1 out of 10, commending its "strange, mystical, and unexpected" quality and Howard's ability to blend soulful depth with innovative arrangements, free from the "retro-soul box" of their earlier work. gave it 4 out of 5 stars, emphasizing the record's "weirder, woozier, fiercer and sexier" vibe compared to the debut, with particular acclaim for the soulful urgency in tracks like "Gimme All Your Love" and the layered, exploratory textures that deepened the band's emotional core. described it as a "bravely freshened sound," appreciating the integration of synthesizers and unconventional structures that refreshed their garage-rock roots, though noting it built on the debut's success without fully replicating its immediate hooks. Common themes across reviews included the album's innovative ambition, with Howard's versatile vocals—ranging from gritty roars to ethereal whispers—frequently cited as the highlight that unified its diverse styles. However, some critiques pointed to uneven pacing, particularly in more ambient or experimental cuts like "Gemini" and "Over My Head," which were seen as occasionally meandering despite their atmospheric intent. In the 2015 context, amid a rock landscape dominated by indie and alternative acts, Sound & Color was lauded for revitalizing soul-rock traditions, positioning as maturing artists willing to challenge expectations set by their breakout debut.

Accolades

Sound & Color received significant recognition at the in 2016, earning six nominations and four wins. The album won Best Alternative Music Album, while the track "Don't Wanna Fight" secured Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Additionally, the album was awarded Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for the work of engineers and mastering engineer . Among the nominations, Sound & Color was in contention for Album of the Year, highlighting its broad appeal across genres. The album's other Grammy nods included Best Rock Album. The album also featured prominently in several year-end and decade-end critic polls. In Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums of 2015, it ranked at number 37. For the 2010s decade, placed Sound & Color at number 138 in their 200 Best Albums of the list. In the Village Voice's poll for 2015, a critic-voted aggregation, the album finished at number 13.

Legacy and Influence

Cultural Impact

The album Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes has left a notable mark on popular media through strategic sync licenses that introduced its tracks to wide audiences via television and film. The song "This Feeling" featured prominently in the first season of HBO's Big Little Lies (2017), playing during a key driving scene in episode 5, which highlighted the track's emotional intensity and contributed to its renewed streaming popularity. Similarly, "This Feeling" closed the series finale of Amazon Prime's Fleabag in season 2, episode 6 (2019), amplifying its resonance in scenes of personal reckoning and propelling the song up iTunes charts in the UK. The title track "Sound & Color" appeared in the end credits of the 2019 A24 film Waves, directed by Trey Edward Shults, where it underscored themes of grief and redemption, aligning the song's introspective soul with the movie's narrative depth. Beyond media placements, Sound & Color played a pivotal role in the mid-2010s revival of indie and , blending raw blues-rooted energy with experimental production to inspire a new generation of artists rooted in Southern traditions. The album's fusion of soulful grooves and genre-defying arrangements positioned at the forefront of this movement. Lead singer Brittany Howard's subsequent solo album Jaime (2019) built directly on the exploratory ethos of Sound & Color, expanding her genre-blending approach while maintaining the raw emotional core that defined the band's sophomore effort. The record also advanced the visibility of female-fronted rock bands in a male-dominated genre landscape, with Howard emerging as a vocal icon whose powerful, versatile delivery—spanning guttural blues wails to ethereal falsettos—challenged stereotypes and elevated women's roles in rock performance. Her commanding presence on tracks like "Don't Wanna Fight" exemplified a bold femininity that resonated widely, inspiring discussions on authenticity in rock. Critics have noted the album's engagement with themes of and resilience, reflecting broader narratives in American music. This coverage underscored the album's contribution to ongoing conversations about identity in American music, with outlets highlighting its role in redefining for diverse audiences. In 2025, the band ended their hiatus with the release of the single "Another Life" on August 29, marking their first new music in a decade, and performed live shows for the first time in eight years during the summer. These developments extended the legacy of Sound & Color, reaffirming ' influence in .

Reissues and Retrospectives

In 2021, released a deluxe edition of Sound & Color on October 29 through , expanding the original with revised artwork, new photographs, and seven bonus tracks drawn from unreleased studio sessions, B-sides, and live recordings from their 2015 tour. The additional material included B-sides such as "Rugged Road (feat. )" alongside live performances of key tracks like "Don't Wanna Fight," "Future People," "Dunes," and "Over My Head," offering fans deeper insight into the band's creative process during the 's era. This repackaged set, available in digital, CD, and limited-edition vinyl formats, celebrated the 's growing legacy while introducing previously unavailable content that highlighted the group's raw energy and improvisational style. As of November 2025, no further major remasters or reissues had emerged beyond periodic vinyl represses of the deluxe edition, with scheduling additional shipments of the limited 2xLP variant for November, maintaining accessibility for collectors without altering the original mastering. Marking the album's tenth anniversary in 2025, Glide Magazine published a retrospective titled "10 Years Later: ' Sophomore Effort 'Sound & Color' Paints Realized Indie Vision," which lauded it as a revitalizing force in music through its fusion of rootsy grooves, jazzy undertones, and powerful funk vocals led by . The piece emphasized the album's enduring appeal as a "musical refuge," noting its global chart success—debuting at #1 on the —and critical acclaim from outlets like (4.5/5 stars) and (A-), while highlighting its Grammy wins for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for "Don’t Wanna Fight" at the as a lasting testament to its innovative blend of genres. The experimental ethos of Sound & Color, with its genre-defying shifts from lo-fi in tracks like "Dunes" to in "The Greatest," profoundly shaped 's subsequent solo career during the band's hiatus, enabling her to pursue more introspective and boundary-pushing work on albums such as Jaime (2019) and What Now (2024). Following the hiatus, Howard channeled this liberated approach into personal narratives and eclectic production, as seen in Jaime's ethereal soul and electronic elements, which built directly on the sonic risks taken in Sound & Color.

Credits

Track Listing

The standard edition of Sound & Color, released on April 21, 2015, by , features 12 tracks with a total runtime of 47:19. All music is credited to (Brittany Howard, Zac Cockrell, Heath Fogg, and Steve Johnson), with lyrics by except for tracks 4, 7, and 11, which are co-written by Howard and .
  1. "Sound & Color" – 3:02
  2. "Don't Wanna Fight" – 3:53
  3. "Dunes" – 4:18
  4. "Future People" – 3:22 (lyrics: , Mills)
  5. "Gimme All Your Love" – 4:03
  6. "This Feeling" – 4:29
  7. "Guess Who" – 3:16 (lyrics: , Mills)
  8. "The Greatest" – 3:50
  9. "Shoegaze" – 2:59
  10. "Miss You" – 3:47
  11. "Gemini" – 6:36 (lyrics: , Mills)
  12. "Over My Head" – 3:51
The deluxe edition, released on , 2021, adds seven bonus tracks consisting of previously unreleased studio outtakes, B-sides, and live recordings. These include:
  • "Drive By Baby"
  • "Joe"
  • "Someday"
  • "Don’t Wanna Fight" (live from Capitol Studio A)
  • "Future People" (live from Capitol Studio A)
  • "Dunes" (live from Capitol Studio A)
  • "Over My Head" (live from Capitol Studio A)

Band

  • – vocals, guitar, , percussion, string arrangements
  • Heath Fogg – guitar, percussion
  • Zac Cockrell – bass, percussion
  • Steve Johnson – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

Production

References

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