National Album Day 2025 is turning walls into stages. The winner of this year’s National Album Day Mural Competition, celebrating the spirit of rock in all its forms, has been announced. 

The winning design, created by Brandon Burch, will be placed on the side of The Gryphon, one of Bristol’s most iconic rock venues, in partnership with Black City Records. The design will be brought to life by artist Seán Whelan, with Brandon credited and featured across all National Album Day channels. 

The competition drew dozens of emerging and established artists. A full list of the shortlisted entries can be found here. The winner, Brandon Burch, is a freelance artist and heavy metal musician from Plymouth who studied at Arts University Plymouth. His art style draws inspiration from 19th-century etchings, with music playing a major role in his creative process. 

 Brandon Burch, winner, said: 
“It’s genuinely a dream come true to have my artwork on the side of The Gryphon. Being part of the Bristol Metal Quarter is thrilling. Huge thanks to John at The Gryphon for bringing this vision to life, and to David at Black City Records for their support. National Album Day is so important - buy records, support local businesses, and keep the album format alive!” 

National Album Day, the annual celebration of the album as an art form, encourages fans to listen to, purchase, and appreciate albums while giving artists a platform to share their stories. As part of the 2025 Rock-themed celebrations, the mural campaign invited artists to create a piece capturing the spirit of rock. The winning design was chosen by a panel of judges including Em Quillin (ERA), John Ashby (Gryphon), Black City Records and Seán Whelan. 

John Ashby, Owner of The Gryphon, said: 
“Brandon's design embodies the real spirit of the Bristol Metal Quarter with an original bold idea that pays tribute to subtle rock references in a unique image. We received so many weird and wonderful submissions, and with so many talented artists in the mix it was difficult to narrow down. Brandon's design adds another iconic scene that we hope becomes an instantly recognisable statement piece for the legacy of the Bristol Metal Quarter. Long live Rock’n’Roll.” 

Stay tuned to National Album Day social channels for behind-the-scenes of the mural coming soon.