New York, NY (Top40 Charts) National Album Day returns for its fourth edition on Saturday 16th October, and this year will spotlight women artists and their huge contribution to music and culture through the art of the album.
Revisiting iconic and influential albums by women artists, from the earliest pioneers to present-day legends, and pointing towards exciting new and future talent, the 2021 event will also highlight the integral role women play within the wider music community, not only as recording artists, but as songwriters, producers, and cultural influencers.
We are delighted to announce our 2021 ambassadors, who will be championing their love of the album between now and the build up to the day itself. They are: multi-platinum recording artist Sharleen Spiteri, 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize shortlisted
Laura Mvula, R'n'B/soul queen Ray BLK and BRITs 2020 Rising Star nominated Joy Crookes.
Sharleen Spiteri, chart topping singer songwriter with the phenomenally successful band
Texas said: "With albums, you go on a journey with the writer. The moment when the songs become yours, the people and places, the heartaches and nights out in your life, merge into that album and forever stick with you. The album is one of the most important art forms that exist in our times, that is why we need to protect and celebrate it."
Laura Mvula, who has received critical acclaim for her brand new album Pink Noise, said: "The feeling of physically holding an album and listening to an artist paint a full technicolour picture through music and lyrics is magic and unlike anything else. I can credit so many amazing women whose albums have been integral in my life, not just as an artist but as a human being."
Ray BLK, a previous winner of BBC's Sound, said: "My favourite albums have been the soundtrack to moments in my life. They've made me think, healed me and inspired me as a writer. Hearing a body of work from an artist is an opportunity to see inside their mind and their life, And so to be releasing my own album and sharing my innermost thoughts with my supporters means everything. In an era of viral singles, of which we rarely know the creators, protecting and supporting albums is so necessary because it's how we truly connect to an artist and emotionally invest in them, and without that attachment there's no incentive to buy a ticket to their shows or follow their journey - which ultimately leads to the demise of artists, and a soulless industry."
Joy Crookes, who was nominated for a BRIT Rising Star award in 2020, said: "Albums are bodies of work. Journeys, immortalising memories of an artist and packaging it chapter by chapter into a sonic book. I have always been besotted by the adventure of an album. The use of voice notes from people's family members, the atmospheric sounds that never made it to radio mixes to paint a picture, and the orchestras nurturing a rapper's poetry to form a song.
Ever since I was a child, my favourite possession was an album. My Wednesday evening trips to HMV, cursing at the man at the till for not knowing whether he liked
James Blake's voice, slipping an extra 3 Trojan collection albums (40 songs for a tenner) into my basket and drooling over
Grace Jones' artwork has made me the 'body of work' artist I am today. It is important we protect the album artform as removing it and oversaturating our industry with singles removes the stage for musicians to tell their story."
Fans can join in the
National Album Day fun by heading to their favourite store or digital service to explore a selection of new albums, boxsets and classic reissues including: Stevie Nicks, Donna Summer, HAIM, Eva Cassidy, Dido, Garbage, Nina Simone, Roisin Murphy, Patti Smith, Solange, Lykkie Li,
Amy Winehouse and more. A selection of albums announced so far that are being re-issued or released in various formats exclusively for
National Album Day is below, with more confirmed titles to come.
Artist Title Label Format
Amy Winehouse Back To
Black Universal
Music LP
Belinda Carlisle Nobody Owns Me Demon Records LP (180g White Vinyl)
Billie Holiday Lady In Satin Sony
Music LP (12" Navy Blue Vinyl)
Buffy Sainte-Marie Medicine Songs True North LP
Carroll Thompson Hopelessly In Love (2021 Remaster) (Limited Edition) BMG LP (Colour Vinyl)
Carroll Thompson Hopelessly In Love (2021 Remaster) (Expanded Edition) BMG CD
Debbie Gibson Out Of The Blue Cherry Pop CD
Dido No
Angel Sony
Music LP (12"
Silver Vinyl)
Donna Summer I'm A
Rainbow - Recovered & Recoloured Driven By The
Music LP (180g Transparent Blue Vinyl)
Eartha Kitt I'm Still Here SFE Entertainment CD
Elena Urioste; Tom Poster The Jukebox Album Orchid Classics LP
Eurielle Lady In Waiting Eurielle Records Limited CD
Eva
Cassidy Live At Blues Alley (25th Anniversary Edition) Blix Street CD
Eva
Cassidy Live At Blues Alley (25th Anniversary Edition) Blix Street LP
Fanny Azzuro Rachmaninov Preludes
Rubicon Classics CD
First Aid Kit Stay Gold Sony
Music LP (12" Gold Vinyl)
Gabrielle Rise Universal
Music LP
Garbage Garbage (Limited Edition) BMG 2LP (Pink Vinyl)
Haim Something To Tell You Universal
Music 2LP
Joan Jett Bad Reputation Sony
Music LP (12" Purple Vinyl)
Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke, Julia Fordham Woman To Woman (Special Edition) Right Track Records CD
Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke, Julia Fordham Woman To Woman (Special Edition) Right Track Records LP (Picture Disc)
Katie Melua Ultimate Collection (Limited Edition) BMG 2LP (Silver Vinyl)
Kirsty MacColl Kite Demon Records LP (180g
Magnolia Vinyl)
Kirsty MacColl Tropical
Brainstorm Universal
Music LP
Kylie Minogue Fever (20th Anniversary Edition) Parlophone LP (White Vinyl)
Lea Birringer Transformation
Rubicon Classics CD
Lykke Li Wounded Rhymes (Anniversary Edition) Rhino 2LP (180g)
Maria Muldaur with Tuba Skinny Let's Get Happy Together Stony Plain LP
Mariah Carey Emotions Sony
Music LP (12" Baby Pink Vinyl)
Marianne Faithfull Broken English Universal
Music LP
Marin Alsop Bernstein: Candide LSO Live CD
Mayfield Records House Band Mayfield Soul Mayfield Records LP
Ms Dyamite A
Little Deeper Universal
Music 2LP
Nina Simone Nina Simone: The Montreux Years (Limited Edition) BMG 2LP (Turquoise, Yellow & White Splatter Vinyl)
Omara Portuondo Buena Vista Social Club Presents (Limited Edition) BMG LP (Purple Vinyl)
Patti Smith Horses Sony
Music LP (12" White Vinyl)
Roisin Murphy Róisín Machine (Limited Edition) Skint 2LP (Splatter Viny)
Sinead O'Connor So Far...The Best Of Chrysalis 2LP (Clear Vinyl)
Siouxsie & the Banshees Tinderbox Universal
Music LP
Solange A Seat At The Table Sony
Music 2LP (12" White Vinyl)
Stevie Nicks Live In Concert The 24 Karat Gold Tour (Limited Edition) BMG 2LP (Blue & White Splatter Vinyl)
Various Artists Different Frequencies Different Recordings LP (12" Vinyl)
Weyes Blood Titanic Rising Sub Pop LP
Xenia Rubinos Una Rosa ANTI LP
National Album Day is organised jointly by the BPI - the UK independent and major labels association (The BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize) - and the Entertainment Retailers Association - representing retailers and digital services (Record Store Day). Presented in partnership with official audio partner Bowers & Wilkins, the event is supported across broadcast partner the BBC, who will support
National Album Day across television, radio and digital with bespoke programming on BBC iPlayer, BBC
Radio 2 and highlights available to listen to on BBC Sounds, along with the UK's recorded music community including AIM and other trade associations, retailers and digital/streaming services, and album platforms such as Classic Album Sundays and The Record Club.
Renowned audio brand, Bowers & Wilkins, continues its support for
National Album Day as official audio partner. Built on a passion for music, Bowers & Wilkins has been on an unrelenting pursuit of the highest quality listening experiences for music fans for 55 years, always delivering sound that remains true to how the artist intended their album to be heard.
Giles Pocock, Vice-President,
Brand Marketing, Bowers & Wilkins said: "We're proud to continue our support for
National Album Day and celebrate the huge contribution and exceptional talent of women artists and those involved in the creation of music in all its forms. This year's ambassadors are a true reflection of the breadth of outstanding, multi-generational female music talent that we have here in the UK."
Keep track of the
National Album Day website for more news and updates and how to get involved over the coming months.
