The British Music Experience in Liverpool, represented by TravelBeat, will host a temporary exhibition, Don’t Believe the Hype…, uncovering the artwork of Arctic Monkeys’ debut album. The exhibition explores the creation and cultural legacy of one of the most recognisable album covers of the 21st century: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, the 2006 debut by Arctic Monkeys, which launched 20 years to the day of the album’s release.
Centred on the artwork surrounding the album, the exhibition moves beyond the iconic cover image to examine the wider visual world from which it emerged – a sequence of ordinary moments, encounters, and traces that together formed an authentic portrait of youth culture at the time.
The exhibition documents Scott Jones’s conceptual journey as Creative Director for the album, alongside original photographic material, outtakes, interior imagery, and personal artefacts from the period. It traces a day-in-the-life approach to the album’s visual identity: the cover image, single artwork, and photographic sequences that documented a specific moment in time.
Scott Jones said, “Most album artwork reflects youth culture after the fact. This was different. The images didn’t try to perform or exaggerate what was happening around them – just document them. The artwork came from ordinary moments, from waiting around, from nights out, from being there. The poetry was already present; the work was in celebrating it.”
Don’t Believe the Hype… runs from 23 January to 22 March 2026 and is included with all general admission tickets. To book tickets, please visit www.britishmusicexperience.com.
