National Album Day 2026 will celebrate some of music history’s biggest names with a wide-ranging collection of exclusive album releases arriving for this year’s “Icons” edition on 17 October 2026.
The ninth annual National Album Day, held in association with BBC Radio 2, will bring together classic albums, anniversary editions, reissues and newer releases spanning rock, pop, soul, electronic music, country and more.
The 2026 programme includes albums from George Michael, Sade, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, New Order, Simple Minds, Emeli Sandé and Goldie, among many others.
All of the titles have been selected for exclusive limited-edition releases and will be available through physical and online music retailers as part of this year’s event.
National Album Day 2026 champions
Melanie C, PinkPantheress and Max Richter have been announced as Album Champions for National Album Day 2026, with further names expected to join the campaign.
The event’s “Icons” theme follows a different focus each year. The 2025 edition celebrated rock, while previous National Album Day campaigns have highlighted the 1990s, women in music, debut albums and great British groups.
A National Album Day spokesperson said this year’s selection represents the organisation’s “strongest-ever line up of album releases and classic reissues, drawn from across all eras and genres”.
“We thank our record label partners for delivering such an outstanding selection of titles,”
The spokesperson continued:
“And we look forward to working with the music retail community – on the high street, online, and digitally – alongside BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, and our official supporters, Cherry Red, DP World, Official Charts, PPL, Proper, and Trapeze, to offer the most engaging National Album Day yet.”
National Album Day 2026 release list
The full collection spans decades of music, from foundational albums by The Velvet Underground, Janis Joplin and The Who to landmark records from Pulp, Suede, Sade, Tears For Fears and Simply Red.
The list also includes anniversary editions such as Dire Straits’ On Every Street for its 35th anniversary, Elbow’s Asleep In The Back for its 25th anniversary, Louise’s NAKED for its 30th anniversary and The Who’s My Generation for its 60th anniversary.
Other notable releases include George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice, Goldie’s Timeless, Michael Jackson’s Invincible, Nina Simone’s It Is Finished, Olivia Newton-John’s Physical, Pink Floyd’s Meddle and Sade’s Lovers Rock.
The complete National Album Day 2026 list is:
- Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier
- Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill
- Alter Bridge – One Day Remains
- Anne Akiko Meyers – East Meets West
- Annie Lennox – Bare
- Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Gold
- Bad Company – Live In London
- Bad Company – Straight Shooter
- Be Bop Deluxe – Modern Music
- Billy Bragg – Talking With The Taxman About Poetry
- Billy Joel – Turnstiles
- Billy Ocean – Love Zone
- Bob Dylan – Desire
- Bruce Dickinson – Accident Of Birth (2026 Remix)
- Bryan Ferry – Boys And Girls
- Creed – Human Clay
- Delerium – Karma
- Derek & The Dominos – Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs
- Desmond Dekker – Essential Artist Collection
- Dire Straits – On Every Street (35th Anniversary)
- Don Broco – Nightmare Tripping
- Donna Summer – Four Seasons Of Love
- Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
- Elbow – Asleep In The Back (25th Anniversary)
- Emeli Sandé – Our Version Of Events
- Fionn Regan – The End Of History
- George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice
- Goldie – Timeless
- Ian Dury – Mr Love Pants
- INXS – Welcome To Wherever You Are
- Janis Joplin – Pearl
- Johnny Cash – With His Hot & Blue Guitar
- Judas Priest – Turbo
- Kirsty MacColl – Desperate Character
- Labi Siffre – Happy
- Ladytron – Velocifero
- Louise – NAKED (30th Anniversary)
- M People – Elegant Slumming
- Marc Almond with Starcluster – Silver City
- Max Richter – While The Flood Rages
- Michael Jackson – Invincible
- Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells (Icons And Inspirations)
- Mike Peters of The Alarm – Icon 1992 – 2025
- New Order – Brotherhood
- Nina Simone – It Is Finished
- Olivia Newton-John – Physical
- Paradise Lost – Icon
- Paris Paloma – Cacophony
- Paul Weller – Saturns Pattern
- Phil Collins – Dance Into The Light (30th Anniversary)
- Pink Floyd – Meddle
- Pretenders – Get Close (40th Anniversary)
- Pulp – Different Class
- S’Express – Original Soundtrack
- Sade – Lovers Rock
- Simple Minds – Street Fighting Years
- Simply Red – Life
- Skids – The Absolute Game (45th Anniversary)
- Slade – Nobody’s Fools (Expanded)
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor – The Song Diaries
- Status Quo – Blue For You
- Suede – Coming Up
- T. Rex – Futuristic Dragon
- Tears For Fears – Seeds Of Love
- The Damned – Not Like Everybody Else
- The Fall – Ersatz GB (15th Anniversary)
- The Farm – Spartacus
- The House Of Love – The Gift (Rehearsals And Live Recordings 1996 – 1988)
- The Housemartins – London 0 Hull 4
- The Offspring – Ixnay On The Hombre
- The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Framed
- The Shadows – 20 Golden Greats
- The Velvet Underground – Loaded
- The Vines – Highly Evolved
- The Who – My Generation (60th Anniversary)
- Thin Lizzy – Night Life
- Third World – Journey To Addis
- Various Artists – Blues Icons: From The Delta To The City
- Various Artists – Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons: A Musical Revolution
- Various Artists – Street Corner Icons: The Story Of Doo Wop
- Various Artists – Country Icons: From Hillbilly To Honky Tonk
- Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes
- Whitesnake – Whitesnake
- Yes – Tales From Topographic Oceans
