A new survey suggests that 41 per cent of adults in the UK have not listened to an album in full in the last year.
National Rail’s Track Reset campaign, which aims to encourage listeners to seek music outside of their comfort zones, shared the results of a survey of 2,000 UK adults which painted a stark picture of the popularity of the album format in an era where streaming dominates.
41 per cent of those surveyed had not listened to a full album (from beginning to end) in the last year, with eight per cent admitting they had never done so. Repetition was also a common factor, with those surveyed listening to their favourite track an average of 343 times a year. Reasons given for going back to the same songs include nostalgia (50 per cent), comfort (50 per cent), and simply “I like what I like” (65 per cent).
To encourage exploration in listeners, National Rail partnered with DJ Adriano Desire and music psychologist Dr Ruth Herbert to create Track Reset, a three minute track designed to “clear the palette” and make the listener more receptive to musical discovery. Listen to the piece below.
National Album Day was launched in 2018 to celebrate “the album as an art form”, with artists chosen as Album Champions each year. The 2026 event will be held on October 17, and in May announced PinkPantheress among the latest Album Champions.
“Music is experienced in ways that are unique to every listener,” the artist said in a statement. “I love revisiting albums that I discovered at different times in my life, while always keeping an ear out for new sounds. This year, I encourage everyone to do the same for National Album Day.”
Last month, NME celebrated the best albums of 2026 so far, with BTS, Kneecap, and Olivia Rodrigo among others named on the list.