David Bowie’s sixth album, Aladdin Sane, was released in the United Kingdom on 19 April 1973.
Although the release date was long believed to be 13 April 1973, in 2018 Bowie’s official site stated that the official date was actually 20 April. However, in the UK it was brought forward by a day due to the Easter holiday.
Previously thought to have been issued on 13th April, 1973, new evidence has come to light that proves the release date was officially the 20th, but being Good Friday in the UK the album was ‘made available’ on the 19th.
Contemporary evidence does seem to bear this out. One full-page industry advertisement from MainMan in 1973 stated in large letters at the top: “Available April 19th”.
I wasn’t at all surprised Aladdin Sane made my career. I packaged a totally credible plastic rock star – much better than any sort of Monkees fabrication. My plastic rocker was much more plastic than anybody’s.
Rolling Stone, 12 February 1976
Abetted by advance sales of 100,000, Aladdin Sane became the fastest-selling British pop album since the Beatles. It entered the UK charts at number one, where it remained for five weeks, becoming Bowie’s first chart-topper. In the summer of 1973 Bowie had five albums simultaneously in the UK charts, for a total of 19 weeks.
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