The second edition of National Album Day has been announced, with the aim of once again drawing attention to the format’s relevance and legacy across musical genres.

Streaming may be the favoured way of listening for ever-increasing numbers of people, though it doesn’t always reflect the nature of an album programmed as a thought-through work of art, something which perhaps happens more naturally when listening to physical formats such as the LP or CD. This can be just as true for classical as for pop and rock, where a symphony coupling, or collection of arias, can reflect an artistic vision that might well be lost if not listened to as a whole. 

It’s this that National Album Day aims to address. It will be held on October 12, and the main theme this year will be ‘Don’t Skip’. The initiative will also promote the idea that listening to an album in its entirety can have positive wellbeing and mental health benefits.

A number of pop and rock musicians have already been announced as National Album Day champions; from classical music, pianist Gabriela Montero is already expected to be involved, with more artists and classical-related events expected to be announced in due course.

The initiative is jointly organised by UK record industry body, the BPI, and the organisation representing the nation’s music retailers and digital/streaming platforms, ERA, (Entertainment Retailers Association). Others involved include BBC Sounds, the official broadcast partner. 

Last year, Gramophone’s Editor Martin Cullingford was asked by National Album Day to reflect on what an album means: you can read his article here.