Back catalogue: 50s/60s

Review: Initially put forward as a potential Beatles single during the mid 1990s 'Anthology' period but shelved due to objections from George Harrison, 'Now and Then' has been trailed as the iconic band's 'final single'. It's re-emergence now in finished form (it was completed partially using AI, but also some studio trickery by Giles Martin) ties in with the reissue of the band's two 1973 'best of' compilations (the so-called 'Red' and 'Blue' collections). Like their two singles of the 90s, it features Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison finishing off an early 70s John Lennon demo, with a little help from producer Jeff Lynne. It comes backed with a freshly remixed, 'proper' stereo version of their debut single, 'Love Me Do', thus completing the band's musical journey once and for all.

Review: With a million preorders in the UK alone, The Beatles' 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' soared to number 1 in December 1963 and knocked their own 'She Loves You' off the top spot. It became their first official single on Capitol Records and was backed by an aggressive marketing campaign. The single, which had 'I Saw Her Standing There' on the B-side, was rush-released in the USA in January 1964 and quickly hit number 1 on the Hot 100 by February 1st. Selling over 12 million copies worldwide, it marked the arrival of Beatlemania. Now it has been remastered from original US tapes by Kevin Reeves for this special 7" reissue.

Review: Billed as "the last Beatles song", though originally stemming from a solo piano home demo recorded by John Lennon in 1979, 'Now & Then' was first considered to be used as the band's third reunion single for their 1995-96 retrospective The Beatles Anthology, following 'Free As A Bird' and 'Real Love'. Shelved for decades before eventually being completed by Lennon's surviving bandmates, the recording now finally sees the light of day, on a variety of limited double A-side 7" vinyl complimented by the band's debut single 'Love Me Do', as well as this CD single and retroactively being included on the tracklist for the upcoming half-speed remaster of their 1967-1970 Blue Album compilation. With additionally penned lyrics from McCartney, and Lennon's voice extracted from the original demo recording using the same AI-backed audio restoration technology that was commissioned by director Peter Jackson for his acclaimed 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back, this is one final slice of audible greatness.

Review: This is real catnip for hardcore fans of The Beatles (is there any other kind)? It is a long awaited, much talked about, often delayed 50th anniversary edition of the Liverpool band's Let It Be album. It is a super special package on 180-gram, half-speed vinyl across four different slabs. There is also a a 45rpm 12-inch vinyl EP as well as a large 105-page book in its own tasty die-cut slipcase. There are 57 tracks in all, all of which are in new stern mix format thanks to some great work by Giles Martin and Sam Okell. What else is there to say other than make suer you cop this true collector's masterpiece?

Review: Famously first released in 1973 and transferred to CD in the 1980s with no significant remastering, the Beatles two colour-coded 'best of' collections have long been in need of an overhaul. Apple has typically gone all-out on this 50th anniversary re-issue, not only remastering everything (or at least those tracks that hadn't already been tweaked by Giles Martin in recent years), but also expanding each collection to three discs via the addition of other fan favourites and tracks that missed out first time round. As for the vinyl itself, it has been half-speed remastered to guarantee superior sound quality. This boxed edition boasts both compilations, plus an insert with fresh liner notes from music journalist-turned-Guardian scribe John Harris.