Back in Black
A serious, dusty near-black violet
Back in Black is a dusty, near-black violet with extremely low saturation. This shade creates a serious, moody atmosphere that works well as a grounding base for dark mode interfaces. Because it offers massive contrast ratios against white text, it remains perfectly readable for long-form content. Use the hex code #16141c alongside muted metallic accents to keep the design from feeling too flat.
About Back in Black
Charcoal shadow with a bruise of violet underneath
What does back in black mean?
Darker purples often carry associations with mystery, night, and quiet formality, and near-black shades commonly read as serious and understated. Its extreme darkness and low saturation give it a heavy, closed-in presence, like a room an hour after the lights go out.
Where you see back in black
- record album sleeves
- velvet theater curtains
- charcoal evening suits
- vinyl records
- slate roofing tiles
- black leather jackets
What it works for
Use it as a near-black background with a faint violet cast for dark interfaces, evening packaging, and moody editorial layouts.
What colors go with back in black?
Dusty Rose #b56f76The muted pink lifts the darkness without breaking its low, ashy mood.Sage #9caf88Gray-green reads as soft against this shade while keeping the whole palette dim and dusty.Marigold #fcc006A hot yellow cuts through the darkness and makes the violet cast visible.Periwinkle #ccccffThe pale blue-violet shares its hue family but brings the light this color lacks.Antique Brass #6c461fWarm metallic tones flatter deep violets and read as intentional against near-black.Powder Blue #b0e0e6A cool, airy blue gives the heavy shade contrast and a cleaner edge.
Questions about Back in Black
What is the hex code for Back in Black?
Back in Black is #16141c. In RGB that is rgb(22, 20, 28), in HSL hsl(255, 17%, 9%) and in CMYK 21%, 29%, 0%, 89%.
Does #16141c work well for UI text?
Yes, #16141c is excellent for dark mode interfaces because it offers a softer, more sophisticated alternative to pure black while maintaining enough contrast against white text to ensure readability remains high for long-form content.
Is Back in Black readable on white or black?
Back in Black has a 18.24:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.15:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it is too faint for text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.