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National Album Day 2023 to celebrate the 90s
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 14 March 2023
UK trade groups BPI and ERA will once again stage National Album Day in October, this year with a focus on the 1990s – aka the last time anyone listened to an album. Just kidding, obviously. My mate Darren listened to an album just after Christmas. The celebration will also coincide with the 75th anniversary of the much-loved album format.
Lots of albums came out in the 90s. Some of them now deemed to be classics. Quite a lot of them really fucking shit. It was, of course, the boom times for the record industry, with CDs flying off the shelves. Who could forget the drama of Blur v Oasis? Or the golden age of hip hop? Or the birth of the Spice Girls? Or Maureen from ‘Driving School’? Actually, I don’t think she released an album. Forget I mentioned her. The 90s though, eh?
Of course, it’ll also be the perfect time to commemorate the arrival of Napster right at the end of that decade, which proved revolutionary for the record business by helping to kickstart music’s digital boom. You know, after it had stuffed the industry into the toilet. Fun, fun, fun.
“So long as story-telling remains central to making great music, the album will always occupy a special place in the hearts of artists and fans alike”, says BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim CEO Sophie Jones. “The 90s were an especially rich decade for the format, with diverse genres, spanning Britpop, hip hop and trip hop among others, and brilliant artists who went onto become mainstays of our popular culture”.
“We invite everyone with a love of the album to join us on this year’s National Album Day journey of appreciation and discovery that will highlight, as it does each year, the enduring appeal of the art of the album and celebrate a truly memorable decade of albums that are now inspiring the next generation of talent”, she adds.
Meanwhile, ERA CEO Kim Bayley comments: “With the album celebrating the iconic milestone of 75 years, it couldn’t be a more exciting time to delve into a decade so rich in musical heritage and culture”.
“From giving birth to legendary genres to launching the careers of many much-loved artists, the 90s is a decade that continues to connect and bring joy to music lovers, young and old, to this day”, she goes on. “We’re looking forward to not only celebrating the albums that shaped the decade but also to championing undiscovered gems and those that have inspired so many of today’s generation of artists”.
Hmm, neither of them mentioned Napster, did they? I guess they’ll probably make a separate announcement about that later, as they build up the excitement about National Album Day. Seems like too big a milestone to ignore.
Anyway, you can start having a think now about what album or albums you will listen to on 14 Oct. That being National Album Day. Though, just to be clear, this is a UK-only event. There will yet again be no provision for people elsewhere in the world who might like to try listening to an album this year. You’ll just have to buy an NFT and quietly sob at the meaninglessness of it all.
