Record Store Day UK, Official Charts and National Album Day are delighted to unveil the extension and relaunch of The Record Club in association with Bowers & Wilkins on 21 October for a new 12-month series. The newly relaunched series will kick off again with synth-pop four-piece Future Islands, as guests, discussing their brand new album As Long As You Are.

Order. Listen. Watch: Supporting record shops and new releases through lockdown and beyond

A collaborative project from the brands at the heart of the British music industry with a combined digital audience of over 3 million music fans, The Record Club livestream series was launched in May to support physical record shops and new releases through the challenge of lockdown.

Designed as a book club for albums, the bi-monthly livestream is hosted by BBC Music’s Jess Iszatt on Facebook Live every other Wednesday at 6.30pm. Fans are encouraged in the week beforehand to order the selected new-release album from their favourite local record shop either in-store or on home delivery, listen to it in full, then tune into the broadcast armed with their questions for the artist and a chance to win a prize.

Originally launching with artist Rina Sawayama talking about her debut album “Sawayama”, The Record Club has already welcomed a busy schedule of celebrated acts and albums onto the show including no less than one Number 1 album (Doves’ ‘The Universal Want’) and two midweek chart frontrunners (Sleaford Mods’ ‘Eton Alive’, Declan McKenna’s ‘Zeros’) plus Laura Marling (whose ‘Song For Our Daughter’ was later shortlisted for the Hyundai Mercury Prize), Phoebe Bridgers, All Time Low, Neck Deep and Groove Armada.

The Record Club unveils new identity and welcomes aboard Bowers & Wilkins as official partner

The Record Club is delighted to welcome premium audio brand Bowers & Wilkins on board as official partners of the new series to support its continuation across the next 12 months in not only championing the best new album releases of the year, but importantly connecting music fans with their local record retailers as they get back on their feet following the pandemic.

Episode 1 of the all-new series, featuring Future Islands, will take place 21 October at 6.30pm across The Record Club’s network of host Facebook social accounts – The Record Club, Record Store Day, Official Charts, National Album Day, as well as Future Island’s Facebook pages. Fans can buy a copy of new album “As Long As You Are” in advance from their local record shop. Find your nearest retailer here and set your reminder here.

Coinciding with the relaunch, a newly revamped brand identity is unveiled, created by east London creative agency, Midnight Movement, who were tasked with repositioning The Record Club’s aesthetic and unifying all four participating partner brands under the new look and feel.

Dave Sheen, Executive Vice-President of Product, Brand and Strategic Partnerships said: “We’re proud to be joining The Record Club in an exciting new chapter. As passionate fans of music, we have always believed in the importance of connecting music makers with fans – something that has never been as vital as it is now – to celebrate the art of making music and to experience an album as the artist intended. We’re delighted to be helping to connect talented music creators with music lovers in a more meaningful way by providing an opportunity for artists to share their own creative journey in making their album.”