5 Things to Know About Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's Two Release Dates

Wilco self-released Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as a free stream on their website on September 18, 2001. This was after their label, Reprise, rejected the album and dropped the band.

The official retail release came on April 23, 2002, through Nonesuch Records. Nonesuch picked up the album after Reprise’s rejection.

The two release dates are often confused because the self-release was a stream, not a physical product. The stream was a direct response to the label’s rejection.

The September 2001 stream was a deliberate move to bypass the traditional label system. Wilco wanted fans to hear the album on their own terms.

The April 2002 retail release marked the album’s commercial debut and eventual critical acclaim. It became one of the most celebrated albums of the 2000s.