This October 17th marked National Album Day, a day to celebrate the album as an art form and highlight the music and stories that have shaped lives. From concept albums to compilations, the importance of the album has never faltered, acting as incredibly personal pieces of art to music fans everywhere.
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With this year’s theme being “icons”, it marks a celebration of legendary, cultural and contemporary artists and recordings. However, what truly makes an album iconic is often far more personal. It’s the memories attached to it, the life moments it’s soundtracked, and even the version of ourselves we associate with hearing it for the first time. An album can become inseparable from a certain summer, relationship, friendship or period of life change, meaning its legacy is shaped beyond how the artists originally released it.
To celebrate National Album Day 2026, we asked mitb.’s writers to share the albums that have become personal “icons” in their lives:
Bobby Freemont / 'the death of bobby freemont'
Released 8th July 2026 via Do No Wrong Inc.
Danielle Holian
“This album feels like a companion through grief, change and becoming. Bobby Freemont transforms deeply personal experiences of loss into something universal, creating music that feels both intimate and cinematic. Its honesty has stayed with me: a record about death that somehow feels deeply life-affirming, reminding us that letting go can also mean learning how to live.”
Sam Fender / ‘Hypersonic Missiles’
Released 13th September 2019 via Polydor Records
Francesca Wood
“This album is iconic for so many reasons, but I remember first listening to Fender when he had only a handful of songs out, and when I finally got to see him live at the O2 Ritz, it was monumental. But this album meant more than just that; I realised that music was more than just something fun to listen to. There’s a deeper meaning behind the lyrics, whether political or sentimental, rooted in grief or love. It was the first album I looked further into and felt connected to.”
Catfish and the Bottlemen / ‘The Balcony'
Released 15th September 2014 via Island Records
Eve Waterhouse
“An album that soundtracked my teenage years, Catfish and the Bottlemen’s ‘The Balcony’ could definitely be described as formative. An unskippable album that moves between themes of love, loss and recklessness, this trio is recognisable to many adolescents. From the unmistakable introduction of ‘Cocoon’ to the breathtaking ending of ‘Tyrants’, not only is ‘The Balcony’ one of the most accomplished debut albums, but it’s also unique in its understanding of universal experience”.
My Chemical Romance / ‘Danger Days’
Released 22nd November 2010 via Reprise Records
Laura Ellison
"I discovered My Chemical Romance after their breakup, and was unaware of the backlash this album faced for deviating from the macabre visuals and heavy, theatrical sound of their previous work. Instead, I was simply captivated by the bright colours, defiant choruses and hyperactive synth of ‘Danger Days’. With this explosive, psychedelic album crackling in my cheap earphones, I escaped to post-apocalyptic California between high school classes, the rebels’ fight against BL/ind’s sterile oppression on a dizzying neon loop".
The Amazons / ‘21st Century Fiction’
Released 9th May 2025 via Nettwerk Music Group Inc.
Francesca Wood
“This album is a modern rock icon, capturing the energy that defines the genre. My love for The Amazons is deep-rooted, but my excitement for this album and its epilogue was unrivalled. Every single and sneak peek was incredible. The album became one of my favourites of all time after seeing their stunning live show at Manchester’s Albert Hall. I consider it a true, yet underrated icon of the rock scene, with incredible drum and guitar work complementing the ethereal yet powerful vocals.”
Inhaler / ‘Cuts & Bruises’
Released 17th February 2023 via Polydor Records
Eve Waterhouse
“Inhaler’s second album, ‘Cuts & Bruises’, is iconic in many ways. Whether it’s in terms of the band’s evolution or their musicianship, on a personal level, it helped me navigate my first year of university. It would be my go-to album that I’d rinse and repeat around campus, on the way to meet new friends and when coming back exhausted from studying. Each song is linked to places in a city I called home, which will always be special”.
Kings Of Leon / ‘Youth And Young Manhood’
Released 19th October 2023 via RCA Records
Lana Marshall
“I’d long been into indie, but hadn’t ventured far past glitter clad guitar bands, bedroom pop and Mac DeMarco wannabes. This, in 2026, wouldn’t even really be classed as indie; it’s barely surface level. But to me, this (and Manchester music) was transformative - Superfood, The Wombats, Swim Deep, Circa Waves - they had me in their hook-laden grip. And that’s not to take away from the bands - they’re all still incredible.
Naively, I thought this was as original as music got, that was until ‘Youth And Young Manhood’. As many of us did, I misjudged Kings of Leon based on the overly radio-friendly ‘Sex On Fire’, but they were due to headline Leeds Festival, and this was the first year I’d got the parent stamps of approval to attend, so I dove into their catalogue.
'Spiral Staircase’ was a whiplash from what I’d known; chicken screams echoed with the hefty realisation that I’d been unknowingly living in a well-confined box of “indie”. The Followills woke me up; this was the first album that genuinely, truly stayed with me. It’s the only record that transcends moods, outlasts the unpredictability of life, and is an album I can comfortably return to whenever I like, and instantly be reminded why I fell in love with music.
I still, however, roll my eyes at ‘Sex On Fire’."
The Beatles / ‘Abbey Road’
Released 26th September 1969 via Apple Records
Keir Shields
“Their final time recording together, ‘Abbey Road’ distils everything The Beatles represented into a near-perfect 47 minutes. From the politically charged ‘Come Together’ to perhaps the greatest love song ever in ‘Something’, the album has soundtracked my life: ‘Golden Slumbers’ was even my lullaby as a baby. The breathtaking Side B medley is not only among the greatest recordings ever, but it closes on words to live by: “In The End / The love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Fall Out Boy / ‘Save Rock And Roll’
Released 15th April 2013 (UK) via Island Records
Rachel Furnish
“If I had to attribute my entire music taste to just one album, it would be ‘Save Rock And Roll.’ My dad had it on CD and would play it all the time in the car when I was younger. It introduced me to one of my favourite bands, and I still consider it one of the most iconic comeback albums of all time”.
Arctic Monkeys / ‘AM’
Released 9th September 2013 via Domino Recording Company
Laura Ellison
"I love the sharp-tongued almost-rap of early Arctic Monkeys as much as anyone, but ‘AM’ was a turning point for their genre, and I won’t pretend its popularity is unjustified. Hardly a leap from the sultriness that reared its head on ‘Humbug’ and saturated ‘Suck It And See’, ‘AM’ boldly combined Alex Turner’s newly discovered falsetto with a glut of catchy riffs, providing a backdrop for an aesthetic movement propagated on Tumblr during what many remember as its golden age".
Declan McKenna / ‘Zeros’
Released 4th September 2020 via Columbia Records
Daisy Cumpson
"'Zeros' is McKenna’s second album, and was recorded entirely during the pandemic. It encapsulates the youth experience of a rapidly changing world and the political futility felt by young people across the globe, captured in a glam, psychedelic and elated sound. This album brought me into the world of live music (ironic since ‘live’ shows around the world were at a standstill), and it is the album I still return to time and time again for McKenna’s brilliant writing".
Samantha Hall
Image: National Album Day Official Logo
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