The Beatles: Abbey Road Anniversary Edition (Super Deluxe 3CD + Blu-ray)

What's in the Box

The Abbey Road 50th Anniversary Edition was released by Apple on September 27, 2019, one day after the album's 50th birthday. The super deluxe edition holds 40 tracks on three CDs and a Blu-ray: the album's 17 tracks newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, plus 23 session recordings and demos, most of them previously unreleased. The four discs are housed in a slip-sleeved, 12 by 12 inch, 100-page hardbound book.

The other formats are a 3LP set with the new mix and sessions, a 2CD deluxe edition, single CD and LP versions, a limited picture disc LP and digital. The Blu-ray in the super deluxe carries the new mix in Dolby Atmos, in 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution stereo and in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1.

Among the highlights of the sessions programme is 'The Long One', a trial edit and mix of the side two medley that includes 'Her Majesty' in its original position between 'Mean Mr. Mustard' and 'Polythene Pam'. For McCartney fans, it is a fascinating look at how Paul's big suite came together.

Some context: Abbey Road was the last album the Beatles recorded, even though Let It Be was released after it, and the final mixing and sequencing session on August 20, 1969 was the last time all four were in a studio together. The album came out in the UK on September 26, 1969, with Iain Macmillan's zebra crossing photograph, taken on August 8, on the cover. The anniversary edition sent it back to number one in the UK in October 2019, fifty years after it first topped the chart.

Sound and Mixing

Abbey Road was recorded between February and August 1969 at EMI, Olympic and Trident studios, largely on eight-track tape. The original stereo mix was already the most polished the group ever made, so Giles Martin and Sam Okell took a light-touch approach. The 2019 mix adds low end and separation, most noticeably on Paul's bass and Ringo's drums, while keeping the balance and character of the 1969 record.

The Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes on the Blu-ray are where the bigger differences lie. The side two medley gives surround mixing the most to work with: the stacked harmonies of 'Because' and the guitar exchanges between Paul, George and John in 'The End' can be placed around the room in a way stereo cannot manage. Critics were almost unanimous, and the deluxe edition holds a Metacritic score of 99 out of 100.

This set predates the machine-learning de-mixing used on Revolver in 2022. Abbey Road's eight-track masters gave Giles and Sam Okell enough separation without it, which is also why the stereo remix sounds closer to the original than the Revolver remix does; our Revolver Special Edition review covers that set.

The Sessions and Demos: Paul's Ideas on Tape

The session recordings are a treat for McCartney fans. They include 'Oh! Darling' (take 4), 'You Never Give Me Your Money' (take 36), 'Golden Slumbers' and 'Carry That Weight' (takes 1 to 3), 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' (take 12), 'The End' (take 3) and 'Her Majesty' (takes 1 to 3), which together show Paul shaping both the album's rockers and its medley.

'You Never Give Me Your Money' (take 36) is a good place to start, since the song opens the medley's run of linked themes and the outtake lets you hear the structure before the finished overdubs. 'Oh! Darling' (take 4) connects to a well-known studio story: Paul reportedly came in early on several days to sing it fresh, chasing a raw vocal he was not yet happy with. Heard in sequence, the takes show how much work went into a record that sounds effortless.

There are also two Paul demos written for other artists: 'Goodbye', the home demo of the song he gave to Mary Hopkin, and 'Come and Get It', the studio demo of the song that became a hit for Badfinger. Both are almost finished performances, and they show how much Paul was writing in 1969 beyond what the Beatles used.

George and John are well represented too. George's studio demo of 'Something' and take 9 of 'Here Comes the Sun' are highlights, and the Trident recording session and reduction mix of 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' opens the sessions programme. There are also related singles from the same period, 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' (take 7) and 'Old Brown Shoe' (take 2).

Packaging and Extras: The 100-Page Book

The 100-page hardbound book is one of the best in the series. It has a foreword by Paul, an introduction by Giles Martin and in-depth chapters by the Beatles historian Kevin Howlett covering the months before the sessions, track-by-track details, session notes and the story of the cover. It is illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photographs and documents.

Housing the discs inside the book rather than in a separate box makes the set compact and sturdy, and the 12 by 12 inch footprint lines up with the other Giles Martin anniversary sets. On a shelf with Sgt. Pepper, the White Album, Let It Be and Revolver, and the Rubber Soul set due October 2, 2026, it forms part of a consistent series.

The limited picture disc LP is a separate collectable. It carries the new mix only and is aimed at display rather than serious listening. Buy it for the wall or the shelf, and keep a black vinyl copy for the turntable.

Which Format Should You Buy?

The 4-disc super deluxe is the complete package and the only physical way to get the Atmos and 5.1 mixes. It has generally sold for well over $100, with occasional discounts. If you own a surround system, it is worth the premium.

The 3LP set is the pick for vinyl listeners, with the new mix on one disc and the sessions on two more. The 2CD deluxe is the budget option for the new mix and a selection of the sessions. The single LP or CD is enough if you only want the new stereo mix.

For how this set compares with the other Beatles boxes, see our roundup of the best Beatles box sets. Our preview of the Rubber Soul Special Edition covers the next set in the series.

Who It's For

This set is for fans who love Abbey Road, and especially for McCartney fans, since the album's second side is one of Paul's great achievements as an arranger. Hearing the medley in Atmos, then in its trial form as 'The Long One', shows how the pieces were fitted together.

It is less essential if you are happy with the 2009 remaster and have no surround setup, since the stereo changes are modest. The sessions, the two demos Paul gave away and the book still add enough that most collectors will find it worthwhile seven years after release.

If you are planning a trip, reading Kevin Howlett's chapters before visiting the studio and the zebra crossing on Abbey Road makes the visit far more meaningful; our London Beatles and McCartney walking guide includes the route.