Beatles

Both surviving members of The Beatles — Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney — have just released fine new solo albums that take different approaches toward reflecting on their respective long and winding careers. Ringo released his Long Long Road LP on April 24, 2026, while Sir Paul released The Boys of Dungeon Lane a little more than a month later on May 29, 2026. Read Mark Smotroff’s combo review (and AP editor Mike Mettler’s detailed footnotes) to see if either or both of these Fab Two LPs are worthy of purchase and repeat spins accordingly. . .

As we noted last week, the month of November traditionally means there will be major Beatles-related releases in the hopper — and this year is no different, as a Holy Grail 180g 12LP Beatles box set is being released by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMG this Friday, November 21, 2025. It is known as Anthology Collection, and it features upgraded versions of the first three Anthology 3LP editions originally released in 1995-96, in addition to an all-new, 3LP fourth volume consisting of additional rarities and 2025 demixes alike. Read AP editor Mike Mettler and chief vinyl reviewer Mark Smotroff’s deep-dive combo review to see if Anthology Collection is worth its aural weight in Beatles gold (and/or platinum) . . .

If it’s November, then it must mean it’s time for another round of Beatles-related vinyl reissues, remasters, and upgrades — and we are all-in to cover everything that’s coming our way. First up, it’s time to give the drummer some — meaning that today’s Fabs-centric focus is on Richard Starkey, a.k.a. Ringo Starr, who saw his first four 1970s solo LPs on Apple reissued by Capitol/UMe on limited-edition color vinyl on October 25, 2025. Read AP editor Mike Mettler’s combo review to see if you should order the new vinyl copies of Sentimental Journey, Beaucoups of Blues, Ringo, and Goodnight Vienna as soon as possible. . .

The 67th Grammy Awards — sorry, I meant the all-caps GRAMMY Awards — were handed out in Los Angeles last night, February 2, 2025, and we applaud the wide range of actual, great-sounding winning recordings, as evidenced by what we’ve heard of their vinyl incarnations. Over the past year(ish), we’ve indeed reviewed some of those key, Grammy-winning LPs and songs here on AP, so if you’re keen on finding out if they make the grade on vinyl and are worthy of your hard-earned dollars and/or valuable listening time, then read on. . .

The music you make is equal to the console you make it on — or something like that. To that end, mega online gear retailer Reverb has just announced that the EMI TG12345 recording console used by The Beatles to record September 1969’s seminal Abbey Road LP is going up for sale through MJQ Ltd., their official artists partner, starting on October 29, 2024. Read on to see how you might be able to get your hands, and ears, on a true piece of recording history. . .

Periodically, artists will issue an album that unintentionally divides their audience, as John Lennon did with his October 1973 solo LP, Mind Games. A new 2LP set dubbed Mind Games: The Ultimate Mixes & The Out-takes, released on July 12, 2024, may change some of that perspective, as it aims to bring listeners more inside Lennon’s 1973 recording sessions at New York’s Record Plant studio. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see if this new edition of Mind Games is worth the investment. . .

The jailer man and Sailor Sam are at it again. Paul McCartney & Wings will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Band on the Run on February 2, 2024, with a 2LP edition featuring previously unreleased “Underdubbed” mixes on LP2, and a separate half-speed-mastered 1LP version of the original December 1973 release. Read on to see just what “Underdubbed” mixes entail, and if these new versions of Band on the Run