Celebrating music, Britain to have 'National Album Day'

[July 23, 2018]  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is to have its first ever "National Album Day" this autumn, an event organizers hope music fans will celebrate annually to mark their appreciation of the format.

Music lovers around the country will honor singers, songwriters, producers and sleeve designers on Oct. 13 and various events, organized by industry players and BBC Music, celebrating "all aspects of the UK's love of the album" will be held in the run-up to the day.

Fans are also being asked to play their favorite album in full that afternoon.

"Streaming may be broadening our ability to access and discover music," Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive of the British Phonographic Industry, said in a statement.

"But the concept of the album as a body of work that expresses a narrative or an artist's creative vision at a given moment, remains as relevant and inspiring as ever."

Monday's announcement comes as the music industry this year marks 70 years since the release of the very first vinyl LP, or long playing record.

Like other countries, Britain already has a "Record Store Day" when independent record shops are celebrated each year with vinyl releases and events and performances.

(Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Gareth Jones)

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.