National Album Day Returns, Melanie C Appointed ‘Album Champion’

National Album Day will return to the UK for its ninth edition on October 17, with Spice Girls’ Melanie C announced as ‘Album Champion.’ The initiative is organized by the BPI – the UK association of record companies and independent labels – and ERA, the digital entertainment and retail association (Record Store Day).

Album Champion:

• Melanie C joins already announced Album Champions PinkPantheress and Max Richter CBE.

• Together they will advocate for the cultural importance of the album format.

• More Album Champions will be announced prior to October 17.

• Previous Champions include Kylie Minogue, Lewis Capaldi, Alice Cooper, Joy Crookes, Wolf Alice, Iron Maiden, and more.

• This year’s event celebrates the theme of “Icons.”

Celebrations:

• UK labels will release new albums, or reissue classic ones, exclusively for National Album Day, with details of this year’s releases to follow.

• There will also be a series of yet-to-be-announced activities, with National Album Day in the past hosting listening events, live performances, in-store artist appearances, in-conversations, and more.

• The celebration is presented in association with BBC Radio 2, while official supporters include Cherry Red Records, DP World, Official Charts, PPL, Proper Music, and Trapeze Music.

What they said:

• Melanie C: “I've always loved albums because they tell a story. They're a chance for an artist to take you on a journey, to share different sides of themselves and create something that's bigger than just a collection of songs. Some of my favorite musical memories come from listening to an album from start to finish, and I still love discovering new records in that way today. There's something magical about the artwork and owning an album you can actually hold in your hands. Music has always been such a huge part of my life, so I'm really proud to become a National Album Day Album Champion and celebrate the magic of the album format.”