The expanded version of the classic Beatles album Rubber Soul, including a “new” John Lennon song, looks set to take the group back to the top of the charts around the world.
Days after its release, the album is at the top of the midweek preliminary charts in the UK and edging towards the top in the United States.
Other markets, like Australia, are expected to follow the trend.
UMG and Apple Corps Ltd announced the special version of Rubber Soul, originally released in 1965, in July, 2026.
It includes the song Little Girl, described as a “previously unheard John Lennon song outline never before released or even rumoured”.
The Beatles, who were active only in the 1960s, are generally regarded as the best-selling and most influential musical act in history, having sold over 600 million records globally.
According to the official Beatles site, the new Rubber Soul collection “presents the album in stunning new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, alongside the original mono mix, the original Capitol US Album version, and expanded with previously unreleased session recordings and home demos”.
The package also has revamped versions of Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out and Michelle being re-released as singles.
Announced the launch, The Beatles described Rubber Soul as a pivotal moment in The Beatles’ evolution.
“(It arrived) at the end of a remarkable year that saw John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr reach artistic and commercial heights,” the statement said.
“The album revealed a band pushing beyond the conventions of pop music and embracing a more adventurous approach to songwriting and recording.”
The album features songs such as Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), Nowhere Man, Michelle, Girl and In My Life.
During the recordings, The Beatles experimented with new instruments, sounds and recording techniques.
It is widely regarded as having pioneered the long-form pop album as an art form.
The audio on the new version of the album uses “cutting-edge de-mixing technology” developed by Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd.
The album includes 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unreleased home demos.
The 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions are accompanied by an 88-page hardbound book featuring a new written introduction by Paul McCartney, and a foreword compiled from John Lennon’s own words. – Story by Newsreel
