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The Plastic blog

May 12th
album anniversaries

May 12th album covers: Harry Styles, After Laughter, Exile On Main St., Are You Experienced?, Preacher's Daughter , Turn Blue
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Harry Styles sleeve

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.

After Laughter sleeve

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.

Exile On Main St. sleeve

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.

Are You Experienced? sleeve

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.

Preacher's Daughter  sleeve

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.

Turn Blue sleeve

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.

How to track album anniversaries in your collection

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