This Perspective outlines recent advances concerning the formation and potential uses of block copolymer micelles, a class of soft-matter-based nanoparticles of growing importance. As a result of rapidly expanding-interest since the mid-1990s, substantial advances have been reported in terms of the development of morphological diversity, structural complexity, control over micelle dimensions, scale-up, and applications in a range of areas from nanocomposites to nanomedicine.