From 1962 to 1970, The Beatles released 22 UK singles; of those 44 A and B-side tracks, 29 were not included on the group’s British albums at that time. These singles, plus an exclusive new double A side single for the mid-1990s-issued tracks “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” are newly cut for vinyl from their original mono and stereo master tapes by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios for a new limited edition boxed set. The Beatles: The Singles Collection presents 46 tracks on 23 180-gram seven-inch vinyl singles in faithfully reproduced international picture sleeves, accompanied by a 40 page booklet with photos, ephemera, and detailed essays by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett.
The Singles Collection offers a fascinating view of the creative trajectory of The Beatles’ John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr across their relatively brief recording tenure together. Just three and a half years divide 1963’s “She Loves You” and 1967’s “Strawberry Fields Forever,” a remarkable, illustrative example of the band’s rapid, groundbreaking evolution. From the band’s star-making 1962 debut single, “Love Me Do” with its B-side “P.S. I Love You,” to their 1970 finale of “Let It Be” / “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number),” the new collection underscores The Beatles’ breathtaking creative arc.
Because it was rare in the 1960s for UK singles to be released in picture sleeves, the collection’s seven-inches are presented in reproduced picture sleeves from their original releases in several countries around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, France, Greece, Holland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, USA, and West Germany.
