thebeatles.com

thebeatles.com is the official website of The Beatles. It is where the band's estate and label publish news, announce and sell album reissues and special editions, link to the official US and UK stores, and post stories and rare recordings. Use it when you want release information or official merchandise directly from the source rather than from a retailer or fan site.

What the site covers

The homepage currently centers on the Rubber Soul Special Edition, described as a new special edition marking the band's 1965 album. The page states the collection spans 10 music formats plus an exclusive merch range.

Music releases

The Rubber Soul Special Edition is presented as newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, in a new stereo mix, the original mono mix, and the Capitol US album version, plus Dolby Atmos mixes. It is expanded with previously unreleased session recordings and demos, along with the contemporary single "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out."

Formats listed on the page:

The page shows pre-order links for these editions and separate USA Store and UK Store entry points, so availability and shipping depend on which store you use.

Stories and rare recordings

Beyond product listings, the site publishes editorial features. Two examples on the page:

• A track feature on "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)." It explains that the first version, then titled "This Bird Has Flown," was recorded on the opening day of the Rubber Soul sessions with George Harrison introducing the sitar. The band were unhappy with it, so nine days later they recorded three more performances. Unlike the final recording, this arrangement opens with George's double-tracked sitar playing the bridge melody rather than an instrumental version of the verse melody.
• A story on the "Day Tripper (Songwriting Work Tape)," described as capturing John Lennon and Paul McCartney writing at John's home, Kenwood, in Weybridge, Surrey, before the famous riff existed, with the pair audible laughing as they worked.

How to use it

1. Open thebeatles.com to see the current featured release and news.
2. Read the album or track story if you want context on a specific recording.
3. Follow the pre-order or order link for the format you want.
4. Choose the USA Store or UK Store depending on where you are buying from.

The page does not state prices, payment methods, or whether any content requires an account, so check the individual store listing for those details.

The Rubber Soul Special Edition presents the 1965 album in a newly mixed stereo version by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, alongside the original mono mix, the Capitol US album version, and Dolby Atmos mixes. It also expands the album with previously unreleased session recordings and demos, plus the contemporary singles "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out." According to thebeatles.com, the collection spans 10 music formats and an exclusive merch range, with pre-orders open now.

The mixes

The Special Edition is built around four distinct ways of hearing the album:

• New stereo mix — a fresh stereo presentation by Giles Martin and Sam Okell.
• Original mono mix — the album as originally issued in mono.
• Capitol US album version — the American configuration of the record, which differed from the UK release.
• Dolby Atmos mixes — an immersive spatial audio presentation.

Which of these you can actually hear depends on the format you buy. A standard 1CD or 1LP will not carry every mix; the larger box sets are where the full spread of versions lives. Check the tracklist and format description before ordering if a specific mix matters to you.

The unreleased recordings and demos

Beyond the album itself, the Special Edition adds session material that had not been released before, including demos. The site highlights one example in detail: "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)."

The background, as described on thebeatles.com:

• The first version of the song — then titled "This Bird Has Flown" — was recorded on the opening day of the Rubber Soul sessions, with George Harrison introducing the sitar to the track.
• The band were not happy with that version, so nine days later they recorded three more performances.
• In this take, the arrangement opens with George's double-tracked sitar playing the tune of the bridge section, rather than the instrumental verse melody that opens the final recording.

That kind of detail is the point of the expanded material: it shows the song before the decisions that shaped the released version were made.

The contemporary singles

The set also includes "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out," the single released in the same period as the album. Separately, the site notes a rare release, "Day Tripper (Songwriting Work Tape)," which captures John Lennon and Paul McCartney working at John's home, Kenwood, in Weybridge, Surrey. At that stage the famous riff had not yet been written; the recording is based on an old folk song John had written the previous month, and the two can be heard laughing as they develop it.

Formats at a glance

The Special Edition is offered across multiple LP, CD, and Blu-ray configurations. The formats named on the page include:

All are listed as available to pre-order, with separate USA and UK stores.

How to decide

If you want the widest range of mixes and the unreleased session material, the Super Deluxe box sets are the ones that carry the full collection; the standard 1CD and 1LP are the album-focused options. If Dolby Atmos matters to you, confirm which format carries it before ordering, since it is not available on every edition. And if you are choosing between the 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe sets, the difference is the physical medium and the inclusion of the 7" single and posters on the vinyl side — the underlying audio content is the same.

The official place to order the Rubber Soul Special Editions and the exclusive merch range is thebeatles.com, which links out to the official USA Store and UK Store. All ten music formats and the merch range are listed there, and the page shows a Pre-Order action on each physical and digital edition, so you can reserve items before release rather than buying from a third party.

What you can order

The site presents the Rubber Soul Special Edition collection as 10 music formats plus an exclusive merch range. The formats named on the page are:

The page also refers to "Multiple LP, CD, and Blu-ray Formats," so the list above covers the editions it names individually.

What the audio contains

The newly mixed album is credited to Giles Martin and Sam Okell, and the collection is presented in:

• New Stereo Mix
• Original Mono Mix
• Capitol US Album version
• Dolby Atmos Mixes

These are expanded with never before released session recordings and demos, plus the contemporary single 'Day Tripper' and 'We Can Work It Out'. One preview track, 'Michelle (Take 1)', is listed as out now, and the page also features 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)' with a "Listen Now" option.

Where to actually place the order

1. Go to thebeatles.com and open the Rubber Soul Special Edition section.
2. Choose the edition you want from the format list.
3. Use the Pre-Order action on that item.
4. For regional shipping and pricing, select the USA Store or UK Store link under "Shop The Collection."

The Zoetrope edition is flagged as an Official Stores Exclusive, so it is the one item you should expect to find only through the official stores rather than other retailers.

Common snags

• Region matters. The page separates a USA Store and a UK Store, so pick the one matching your delivery address before ordering.
• Exclusivity limits stock channels. If you specifically want the Zoetrope edition, ordering through the official stores is the route the page describes.
• Pre-order vs. available now. The editions are listed as pre-orders, while 'Michelle (Take 1)' is described as out now — so a pre-order does not necessarily mean the whole collection is shipping immediately.

For background on the album itself, the page describes Rubber Soul as The Beatles' groundbreaking 1965 album, and the 'Norwegian Wood' entry explains that the first version, then called "This Bird Has Flown," was recorded on the opening day of the sessions with George introducing the sitar, before the band re-recorded it nine days later.

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)" is an early, previously unreleased recording of the song, taped nine days after the band's first attempt. It is included in the new Rubber Soul Special Edition, and its most distinctive feature is that it opens with George Harrison's double-tracked sitar playing the bridge melody — not the instrumental verse melody heard on the finished album track.

How this take fits into the Rubber Soul sessions

The song was recorded under a working title, "This Bird Has Flown." The timeline, as described in the official release notes, runs like this:

• Opening day of the Rubber Soul sessions: the first version is recorded, with George Harrison introducing the sitar to the track.
• The band is unhappy with that first version.
• Nine days later: they tape three more performances. "Second Version – Take 2" comes from this later session.

So this take is not an alternate mix of the released song — it is a distinct performance from the second round of recording, made after the group decided the first attempt didn't work.

What makes this arrangement different

The key difference is structural, not just sonic:

In other words, if you know the album version well, the opening bars here will sound immediately unfamiliar: the sitar states the bridge tune first, rather than easing in with the verse melody.

Why it's worth hearing

This take documents a specific decision point in the sessions. The first version (with the sitar's debut on the track) didn't satisfy the band, so they returned to it over a week later and cut three more performances. Hearing the second version lets you compare what changed between the rejected first attempt and the arrangement that eventually became the familiar recording — including how the sitar's role was reworked at the top of the song.

Where to find it

The track appears in the Rubber Soul Special Edition collection, which the official site describes as spanning 10 music formats. The new mixes are by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, presented in new stereo, original mono, the Capitol US album version, and Dolby Atmos, expanded with never-before-released session recordings and demos, plus the contemporary singles "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out."

If you want to hear this take, look for the Special Edition releases on the official store — the formats listed include Super Deluxe (5LP + 7" single box set, and 4CD box set), Deluxe (2LP and 2CD), Blu-ray, Standard (1LP and 1CD), a Zoetrope edition exclusive to official stores, and digital.

The Rubber Soul Special Edition is available in 10 music formats, spanning vinyl, CD, Blu-ray, and digital. The range runs from a standard 1LP or 1CD up to two Super Deluxe box sets — a 5LP + 7" single set and a 4CD set, both including posters and art cards. All editions present the album newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, with the new stereo mix, original mono mix, and the Capitol US album version, plus Dolby Atmos mixes where the format supports it. The expanded editions add previously unreleased session recordings and demos, along with the contemporary singles "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out."

The full format list

The official store lists these editions for pre-order:

That accounts for the 10 formats advertised on the site. The Super Deluxe sets are the only ones explicitly described as bundling posters and art cards, and the Zoetrope LP is flagged as an Official Stores exclusive — so it is the one edition you cannot expect to find through general retail.

What every edition shares

Regardless of format, the core content is the same album, newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell. The presentation covers:

• New stereo mix
• Original mono mix
• Capitol US album version
• Dolby Atmos mixes (on formats that support them, such as Blu-ray)

The expanded editions go further, adding never-before-released session recordings and demos plus "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out." A sample of that material is already streaming: "Michelle (Take 1)" is out now, and the site also highlights "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second Version – Take 2)," an early take where George Harrison's double-tracked sitar opens with the bridge melody rather than the verse figure used on the final recording.

Choosing between them

• Want the most complete physical package: the Super Deluxe 5LP + 7" single box set or the 4CD box set, both with posters and art cards.
• Want the surround/immersive mix: the Blu-ray Edition is the format listed for the Dolby Atmos presentation.
• Want a collectible vinyl variant: the Zoetrope LP, sold as an Official Stores exclusive.
• Want the album without the extras: the standard 1LP, 1CD, or digital editions.
• Middle ground: the Deluxe 2LP or 2CD.

Where to order

The site directs buyers to a USA Store and a UK Store, and each edition is listed with a pre-order option. If you want the Zoetrope pressing, order through the official stores rather than waiting for it to appear elsewhere.