Until now, the only DSP (digital streaming platform) listeners could stream Dr. Dre’s iconic and groundbreaking 1992 debut album The Chronic on was Apple Music. That will change this month, as Dre and Entertainment One distribution team up to finally bring The Chronic to all streaming services on the most appropriate day for it: April 20. That’s right; on 4/20, you’ll be able to stream he West Coast classic from Spotify, Tidal, and more to soundtrack your day’s — ahem — “activities.”
It’s been a big year for The Chronic in general. In March, it was announced that The Chronic had been selected for archiving in the Library Of Congress. Each year, the National Recording Registry selects a collection of records for inclusion into the Library, choosing recordings considered “worthy of preservation because of their cultural, historical, and aesthetic importance” to American culture and history. Dr. Dre himself was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 Grammys, which seems like a decade ago already.
Intriguingly, the last time the album was made available for streaming — as an Apple Music exclusive in 2015 — it charted for the first time in over 20 years. With the conjunction of the streaming availability and significant date, it’s possible that it just might repeat that feat once again.
The Chronic comes to Spotify, Tidal, and all DSPs 4/20 via eOne.