The Beatles to release special editions of Rubber Soul on October 2

The Beatles to release special editions of Rubber Soul on October 2

UMG and Apple Corps Ltd. Will release new special editions of Rubber Soul on October 2, 2026. The 1965 album, recorded over four weeks in October and November of that year, is being reissued in several formats: standard single-disc CD and LP editions, two-CD and two-LP Special Editions, and four-CD and five-LP Super Deluxe Editions.

The collection was newly mixed by engineer Sam Okell and producer Giles Martin. These versions include newly created Dolby Atmos and stereo mixes, the original mono mix, and the Capitol US version. To achieve the new stereo mixes, which were sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes, the team used de-mixing technology developed by the sound team led by Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd. According to a press release, this process was designed to provide stunning clarity while remaining faithful to the spirit of the original recordings.

The reissue follows previous special editions of Revolver, Let It Be, Abbey Road, The White Album, and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club. Martin had previously discussed the challenges of remixing early albums in interviews with Rolling Stone in 2021 and Times Radio in 2022, noting the difficulty of positioning vocals and guitars within the stereo field.

The Super Deluxe editions offer an extensive amount of archival material, including 24 early session recordings. This comprises 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unreleased home demos. Notable inclusions are early versions of We Can Work It Out and Day Tripper. One of the most significant additions is Little Girl, a previously unheard song outline penned by John Lennon. Lennon reportedly plotted the song on the back of a postcard George Harrison had received from a fan in Japan.

Further additions to the collection include:

• The double A-side single Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out.
• A Blu-ray edition containing the Dolby Atmos mix, high-resolution stereo audio, and promotional films for Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out.
• Limited-edition orange vinyl.
• A D2C-exclusive Zoetrope vinyl edition.

The Super Deluxe versions also feature an 88-page hardbound book. This volume includes rare photos, track notes, in-depth album background, a foreword compiled from Lennon's own words, and an introduction by Paul McCartney.

The announcement followed a cryptic teaser on the band's website on July 28, 2026, which read, Good things come to those who Wait. The capitalization of the word Wait served as a reference to the song of the same name from the album.

Recorded shortly after a concert for more than 55,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York, Rubber Soul is viewed by some as a bridge between the rock 'n' roll of early Beatlemania and later psychedelic sounds. The original December 3, 1965, release featured tracks such as In My Life, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), and Nowhere Man. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys previously stated that the album inspired him to write Pet Sounds, which then inspired Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Organizers have released Michelle (Take 1) as a preview of the upcoming release. Pre-orders for the various editions are currently available.