National Album Day announces its 2025 Artist Album Champions: Wolf Alice, Nova Twins, Architects and Iron Maiden

National Album Day announces Wolf Alice, Architects, Nova Twins, and metal icons Iron Maiden as Album Champions for National Album Day 2025, set to return on Saturday 18th October and which this year celebrates Rock Music.

The newly appointed Album Champions will take centre stage in promoting National Album Day and are set to unveil a series of promotional activities around National Album Day as the day draws nearer.

National Album Day is organised jointly by the BPI – the UK association of record companies and independent labels (BRIT Awards and Mercury Prize) - and ERA, the digital entertainment and retail association (Record Store Day). Presented in association with official broadcast partner BBC Radio 2 and now in its 8th year since launching in 2018, National Album Day sees the music community come together once again to celebrate and promote the art of the album, and will pay tribute to artists who tell their stories behind these significant and influential bodies of work. The event draws support from the artist community and wider music industry, including music bodies AIM and PPL, the Official Charts Company, and album platforms including Classic Album Sundays and Pitchblack Playback.

This year’s theme, Rock Music, aims to highlight some of Britain’s most influential rock artists and bands. Spanning genres and styles from punk and metal to pop and hip hop, they have all helped build Britain’s varied musical landscape and global reputation for classic and contemporary albums. The new champions of varying genres and styles showcase some of today’s Great British Rock.

Wolf Alice - Ellie Rowsell (vocals/guitar), Joff Oddie (guitar), Theo Ellis (bass) and Joel Amey (drums) are the Mercury Prize-winning band (and newly shortlisted for 2025!) redefining British rock. Emerging from North London’s indie scene, their debut My Love Is Cool introduced a dynamic mix of alternative rock, shoegaze, and dream pop, while their critically acclaimed sophomore record, Visions of a Life won the Mercury Prize in 2018. They pushed their sound further with Blue Weekend, earning Grammy and BRIT nominations and topping charts worldwide. Their latest album, The Clearing arrived straight at No. 1 in the charts, further cementing their position in rock music.

Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice says: "We are very happy to be part of National Album Day this year. Albums are so important to us - it’s one of the most romantic parts of being an artist/musician/band. You get to create a little world, a piece of theatre, a snapshot of time, tell a story, spread a message or none of those things at all; there’s no formula, there’s no rules and that’s why it’s so exciting. Between the four of us, we never stop discussing what our faves are, what makes a good one, what we want ours to be like etc. I hope the romance of the album never dies and we’re so grateful for things like National Album Day.”

Nova Twins – Amy Love (vocals/guitar) and Georgia South (bass) are the bold, genre-defying duo rewriting the rules of alternative rock. Their debut album Who Are the Girls?, marked them as outsiders on the rise, while their critically acclaimed, Mercury Prize shortlisted follow-up, Supernova, solidified their reputation as musical innovators. Their recently released third album Parasites & Butterflies debuted at No. 1 in the Official Rock & Metal charts. Renowned for their mind-blowing live shows, Nova Twins have toured the globe and conquered stages at major festivals, earning co-signs from artists like Elton John and Tom Morello. The band hit the road for a headline Europe and UK tour this month, with the final date taking place at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, on National Album Day itself on 18th October. Nova Twins’ relentless drive has brought top accolades, including two nominations at the BRIT Awards in 2023.

Nova Twins say: “What an honour to be a part of National Album Day! Albums have always been the soundtracks to our lives. Listening to a favourite album is a form of escapism, losing yourself in another world. They’re portals to different moments in time, each one marking a significant memory. They are often a source of comfort, love, joy, or healing. We will always treasure the album format, it’s the only way artists can truly share their whole story. A single just isn’t enough to capture the full picture! Put on your favourite albums today and reminisce about the first time they stole your heart. You’re guaranteed to be slingshot through the many eras of your life. Hold on tight and enjoy the ride!”

Architects - Architects are a Brighton-based metalcore band formed in 2004 consisting of Dan Searle (drums), Sam Carter (vocals), Alex Dean (bass), and Adam Christianson (guitar). Albums like Lost Forever // Lost Together (2014), All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (2016), and Holy Hell (2018) cemented their reputation, while For Those That Wish to Exist (2021) and The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit (2022) showcased their fearless evolution. In 2025, they dropped The Sky, the Earth & All Between, a bold new chapter in their sound. Known for their explosive live shows and genre-defying songwriting, Architects continue to push metal’s boundaries without losing their edge.

Sam Carter of Architects says: "We’re really happy to be part of National Album Day this year! There’s nothing better than throwing on one of your favourite vinyl records, grabbing a coffee, and just enjoying the full thing. Albums have always been a big deal for us, that’s why we’ve ended up with so many in our back catalogue. Each one takes me right back to the time we recorded it whenever I listen to them. I feel like albums soundtrack the most important moments in our lives, and whenever you listen to them, they take you right back. I hope albums always remain as important to music lovers as they are now.”

Iron Maiden - From the early days of their coveted, self-released vinyl EP “The Soundhouse Tapes”, and the 1980 eponymous EMI debut album that put the band on the map, to the double album packages of their last two studio albums, IRON MAIDEN have always believed in the power of the album. Making each release a spectacle – something worthy of the unveiling of a new Eddie and marked by a tour and instore album signings, the band, who celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year, are proud to be champions of National Album Day 2025.

Speaking for NAD 25 Album Champions, Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson said:
“Albums matter. They always have not just to Maiden but to all of the band members that have done solo projects – none of them have just toured – they have always recorded and released product too – especially me!! The rush of first seeing the vinyl or the CD or back in the day the cassette for the first time never leaves you, and it’s great that fans are coming full circle to enjoy the totemistic experience that was lost for a while in this digital era.”

Forever manager of Iron Maiden, Rod Smallwood, explains the enduring appeal of the album:
“Back in the day, and before the internet made the smallest snippet of conjecture about a band into global news, we had to rely on the release of a new album to do the heavy-lifting for us – it would herald new music of course, but also launch a tour, market the band to a wider audience with the title and the cover and - the bit I always loved - birthed a new Eddie! When things really exploded for Maiden back in 1982, with The Number of The Beast, the band were still finishing the album right up to going out on tour to promote it! They were different times and an amazing experience to connect with our fans.”

Since its launch in 2018, National Album Day has been supported by a broad range of artist champions, including Kylie Minogue, Joy Crookes, Sharleen Spiteri, Lewis Capaldi, Mark Ronson, La Roux, Elbow, Paloma Faith, Blossoms, Alice Cooper, Novelist, Tom Odell, Mahalia, Toyah Willcox, Jazzie B, Gabrielle, Declan McKenna, Tricky, Nuno Bettencourt, Shola Ama, and The Corrs, to name a few. In 2024, Catherine Marks, Jazzie B, Liam Fray (Courteeners), Nova Twins, Shed Seven, Travis, and Jeff Wayne were the latest talents to add their voices as passionate advocates of the album.

Keep track of National Album Day online for regular news updates, including exclusive product news, and for details of how to get involved over the coming weeks.