The Plastic blog
May 12th
album anniversaries
By Plastic · Published


Harry Styles • Harry Styles
Released 12 May 2017 · 10th anniversary
Stepping away from his boy band roots, this debut marked a bold shift toward classic rock influences and introspective songwriting. It captures a raw, vulnerable side of the performer that many listeners didn't expect to hear.
The production leans heavily into 1970s soft rock and folk textures, trading polished pop synths for acoustic guitars and organic instrumentation. Released on Columbia Records, the record feels like a deliberate nod to the singer-songwriter era of the past.

Paramore • After Laughter
Released 12 May 2017 · 10th anniversary
Vibrant synthesizers and infectious melodies define this 2017 release, marking a significant sonic shift toward new wave and pop sensibilities. The production balances upbeat, danceable rhythms with introspective lyrics that explore themes of burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Listeners encounter a polished soundscape that contrasts heavy subject matter with bright, retro-inspired instrumentation. This record serves as a definitive turning point in the band's discography, blending rock roots with a modern, synth-driven aesthetic.

The Rolling Stones • Exile On Main St.
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary
Recording sessions took place in the humid, cramped basement of a villa in the south of France while the band was in tax exile. The result is a sprawling, murky masterpiece that feels like a late-night party that refuses to end.
Layers of grit and booze-soaked atmosphere define the sound, blending blues, country, and gospel into a dense wall of rock and roll. It captures the band at their most loose and unvarnished, favoring raw energy over polished studio perfection.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience • Are You Experienced?
Released 12 May 1967 · 60th anniversary
Guitar playing changed forever the moment this record hit the shelves in 1967. It introduced a vocabulary of feedback, distortion, and wah-wah effects that turned the instrument into a sonic paintbrush rather than just a rhythm tool.
Recorded in London, the sessions captured the raw energy of a power trio pushing the boundaries of blues and rock. The production leans into the experimental spirit of the mid-sixties, blending heavy riffs with trippy, outer-space textures that defined the psychedelic era.

Ethel Cain • Preacher's Daughter
Released 12 May 2022 · 5th anniversary
Southern Gothic storytelling finds a new voice in this sprawling, haunting narrative that feels like a fever dream. Every track builds a world of deep, melancholic atmosphere that lingers long after the final note.
Slowcore influences blend with ethereal pop production to create a sound that is both massive and intimate. The production choices lean into reverb-heavy textures that mirror the complex, often dark themes of the lyrics.

The Black Keys • Turn Blue
Released 12 May 2014 · 13th anniversary
Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney channeled a period of intense personal turmoil into these recordings, resulting in their most introspective work to date. The record trades the band's usual garage-rock grit for a sprawling, psychedelic atmosphere that feels both heavy and deeply vulnerable.
Danger Mouse returned to co-produce, pushing the duo toward a lush, cinematic soundscape layered with synthesizers and soul-inflected textures. It captures a distinct moment where the band stepped away from their raw blues roots to embrace a more expansive, melancholic studio aesthetic.
Also on this day

The Jo Jones Trio • Jo Jones Trio
Released 12 May 1958 · 69th anniversary

Chuck Berry • The Latest And The Greatest
Released 12 May 1964 · 63rd anniversary

Jimi Hendrix • Re-Experienced
Released 12 May 1967 · 60th anniversary

Procol Harum • Procol Harum
Released 12 May 1967 · 60th anniversary

Mita y Su Monte Adentro • Arecibo
Released 12 May 1968 · 59th anniversary

Muddy Waters • After The Rain
Released 12 May 1969 · 58th anniversary

Weather Report • Weather Report
Released 12 May 1971 · 56th anniversary

Boones Farm • Boones Farm
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary

The Who • Tommy - Part 1
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary

The Rolling Stones • The Alternate Exile On Main St
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary

The Sun Ra Arkestra • The Solar-Myth Approach Vol. 1
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary
Chi Coltrane • Chi Coltrane
Released 12 May 1972 · 55th anniversary

Charles Aznavour • Del Mio Amare Te
Released 12 May 1975 · 52nd anniversary
Maxophone • Maxophone
Released 12 May 1975 · 52nd anniversary
Roy Ayers Ubiquity • Everybody Loves the Sunshine
Released 12 May 1976 · 51st anniversary

Stone Alliance • Stone Alliance
Released 12 May 1976 · 51st anniversary

September • Zadnja Avantura
Released 12 May 1976 · 51st anniversary

Lenny Williams • Choosing You
Released 12 May 1977 · 50th anniversary
The Stranglers • Black And White
Released 12 May 1978 · 49th anniversary

Kati Kovács • Tíz
Released 12 May 1980 · 47th anniversary
How to track album anniversaries in your collection
Give the records on your shelf another spin. Plastic helps you organize your vinyl and CDs, sync your collection with Discogs, and discover album anniversaries and the stories behind them. Explore new releases and rediscover something you already own.