Radio 2 will turn back the clock to a decade which started 33 years ago by celebrating the music of the 1990s for National Album Day on Saturday 14 October. The centrepiece is the Official Most Streamed Albums of the 90s, presented by Steve Wright, revealing the Top 40 most-streamed albums released in the UK in the 90s.

The programme will be available from Saturday 7th October (00.01am) on BBC Sounds and broadcast on Radio 2 on Saturday 14 October (1-3pm).

Oasis are the chart toppers AND take the silver medal position with (What’s the story) Morning Glory? at No.1, and Definitely Maybe in second place. 2001 by Dr Dre is at No. 3 and fourth and fifth positions are both held by Nirvana, with Nevermind and In Utero. The rundown also features records by Westlife, Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, Metallica, Shania Twain and more.

The Official Most Streamed Albums of the 90s chart features the Top 40 most-streamed albums from that decade, based on UK streams, as compiled exclusively by the Official Charts Company for National Album Day.

Commenting on (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? being No. 1, Noel Gallagher says: “I’m thrilled, but I wouldn’t say I was that surprised that (What’s The Story) Morning Glory has been voted the most streamed album of the 90s – I still do have my faith in the taste of people in this country. I mean if you’ve got Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back In Anger on an album, you’re gonna be all right aren’t ya… For certain people, it’ll be bringing back memories of their youth in the 90s and that brilliantly amazing decade we all lived through and then for the young people coming to it now, the songs deal with just the universal truths of life, and they will always be timeless… You know, of love and loss and heartbreak and friendship and the weather. All the universal things that we that we live through on a day-to-day basis that we don’t really notice. So thanks to everybody.”

In the programme, commenting on second placed album, Liam Gallagher says: “All right, this is Liam G and I’m here to congratulate Definitely Maybe for being the second most streamed album of the 90s. Love that record, without it god knows where I’d be and god knows where we’d all be! I’ll be celebrating it in my own way next year by doing some gigs, so stay tuned and listen out for details in a bit.”

Steve Wright says: “The joy of this chart is that it shows which 90s albums have truly endured. And that’s because they’re all really memorable, really influential, or just really well-loved. It’s a great mix, with all the albums you’d expect to be in there and some that, maybe, you wouldn’t…”

Jeff Smith, Head of Music, Radio 2, says: “For National Album Day, the Most Streamed 90s Album Chart on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds is a fantastic look back and reminds us just what an incredible decade of music it was.”

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of Official Charts: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Radio 2 on this fantastic National Album Day chart, in celebration of the great studio albums of the Nineties. This fascinating rundown is a superb reminder of what an eclectic decade it was, dominated by Britpop and hip-hop, country and soul, metal and grunge, plus (of course) plenty of pop. What a decade it was.”

The Official Top 20 Most Streamed 90s Albums are:

1. (What’s the story) Morning Glory? by Oasis (1995)
2. Definitely Maybe by Oasis (1994)
3. 2001 by Dr. Dre (1999)
4. Nevermind by Nirvana (1991)
5. In Utero by Nirvana (1993)
6. Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell by Meat Loaf (1993)
7. The Lion King Original Soundtrack (1994)
8. Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
9. Metallica by Metallica (1991)
10. Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G (1994)
11. All Eyez on Me by 2Pac (1996)
12. Come On Over by Shania Twain (1997)
13. Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine (1992)
14. OK Computer by Radiohead (1997)
15. Urban Hymns by The Verve (1997)
16. Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette (1995)
17. The Slim Shady LP by Eminem (1999)
18. Be Here Now by Oasis (1997)
19. The Bends by Radiohead (1995)
20. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill (1998)

On Saturday 14 October from 8am, Radio 2 will play 90s tracks within the shows across the day and will feature music from special National Album Day record releases. Louise Wener from Sleeper and Betty Boo will be chatting to Anita Rani (sitting in for Dermot O’Leary, 8-10am). In Sounds of the 80s (8-10pm) Gary Davies celebrates the biggest 80s artists still doing it in the 90s, such as U2, De La Soul, Kylie and Duran Duran, with 80s and 90s chart star Marc Almond as his guest, plus a 90s Madonna Mastermix. In a Sounds of the 90’s Special, Fearne Cotton is joined by fellow 90s superfans – and hosts of Alternative Sounds of the 90s and Dance Sounds of the 90s – Dermot O’Leary and Vernon Kay. The trio will discuss their favourite albums from the decade, pit their favourite 90s tunes head to head, and will be joined by a very 90s mystery guest! The programme is on BBC Sounds from Saturday 7 October and on Radio 2 on Saturday 14th October (10pm-12am)

From Monday 9 October, a BBC Sounds Collection goes live – search ‘Radio 2 90s’ for the content – and features:

• Shania Twain – Still the One, presented by Scott Mills who introduces a celebration of Shania’s iconic 1997 album Come On Over, one of the biggest-selling of all time. The programme includes an interview with Shania, alongside the likes of Lewis Capaldi and Kelsea Ballerini.

• Moby: 20 Years of Play in which the internationally renowned artist takes listeners on a track by track account of his acclaimed album, Play, 20 years after its release; and in Mixing Influences… with Moby, the DJ takes us back to his NYC roots, mixing an hour of tunes that have had the biggest impact on him and his career – from punk to soul, dance to rock.

• You’ve Come A Long Way Baby: Fatboy Slim with Norman Cook telling the story of one of the most unique albums in British pop through the 57 major samples of rock and pop, classical, folk, hip hop and soul that built the record; and in Mixing Influences the dance music legend picks the songs that have had the most influence on his incredible music career.

• In Mixing Influences… With Jamiroquai, Jay Kay mixes an hour of tunes which have influenced his songwriting, performance and style – featuring Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Candi Staton and his mum!

• Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love of Hip Hop focusses on the classic 1997 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

• In Dermot’s Greatest Albums of the 90s he selects his favourite alternative 90s albums, which include The Color and The Shape, Urban Hymns and Automatic For the People, plus Kylie picks her favourite 90s band.

• Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco with an hour of 90s party hits.

• OJ Borg’s One Hit Wonders features tracks which all featured on albums, including Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison (1990), 4 Non Blondes – What’s Up (1993) and Deep Blue Something – Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1995).

• Michelle Visage’s Handbag Hits featuring non-stop party tunes from classic 90s albums.

• Vernon’s Dance Albums of the 90s features hits from the biggest dance albums of the decade.

• Scott Mills’ Wonder Years starting in 1990 and working through the decade, with Scott’s top tune selection (available on BBC Sounds from 10 October).

• Sara Cox’s Half Wower with lots of 90s tunes to get you dancing (available on BBC Sounds from 12 October).

Following the very first National Album Day in 2018, subsequent years have had a specific theme which the BBC has reflected in its content and programming – Celebrating Debut Albums (2022), Celebrating Women in Music (2021), Celebrating the 80s (2020), and ‘Don’t Skip’ to encourage fans to discover albums in full, as a complete body of work (2019).

Now in its sixth year, National Album Day celebrates the creativity and artistry which goes into making an album, and the continuing cultural and social importance of this much-loved music format. BBC Sounds is the broadcast partner for National Album Day.

BBC Radio 2 is the UK’s most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 13.5 million (RAJAR Q2, 2023). The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show is most listened to breakfast show in the UK with an audience of 6.7 million (RAJAR Q2, 2023). The network’s presenters include Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Rob Beckett, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Rev. Kate Bottley, Rylan, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Gary Davies, Paul Gambaccini, Angela Griffin, Bob Harris, Vernon Kay, Cerys Matthews, Scott Mills, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Dermot O’Leary, Elaine Paige, Mark Radcliffe, Romesh Ranganathan, DJ Spoony, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Michelle Visage, Johnnie Walker, Jo Whiley, Phil Williams, Claudia Winkleman, Steve Wright and Owain Wyn Evans.