In a year in which the Rolling Stones issued a first anniversary edition of last year's Hackney Diamonds album, record companies celebrated birthdays more than ever. If a classic album turned 50, or 40, or 30, it would invariably be repackaged as an expanded edition, quite often with the word "deluxe" attached. Hell, some were even "super deluxe". And here are some of the best.
Queen - Queen I (50th Anniversary) (Universal)
What we said: "It’s taken Queen years to do what pretty much every other major band has done and crack open the door to their archives. They dipped a toe in the water with 2017’s 40th-anniversary News Of The World reissue, but this six-CD, one-LP deluxe box is on another level entirely.
"Queen I – no, the numeral isn’t a typo, it’s a new addition to the original title – is a thing of beauty on a musical, physical and historical level. Genuinely special. More than just a celebration of an album, Queen I provides a vivid snapshot of a moment in time."
Black Sabbath - Anno Domini 1989 – 1995 (BMG)
What we said: "In contrast to later victory-lap reunions with Ozzy and Dio, the four long-deleted, vibrantly remastered albums resurrected in Anno Domini chart an under-appreciated chapter in the Black Sabbath story.
"The notion of an Iommi-only Sabbath proved controversial among fans, but with gifted new vocalist Tony Martin (retained from 1987’s chaotic Eternal Idol period), long-serving keyboard player Geoff Nicholls and Cozy Powell brought in on drums, Iommi defied the odds with a formidable comeback. Anno Domini 1989-1995 highlights an intensely creative chapter of Sabbath history that’s ripe for re-evaluation."
Deep Purple - Machine Head (Super Deluxe) (Universal)
What we said: "Yup, the one with Smoke On The Water. That song, and this album, made Deep Purple legends all over the globe. This, essentially, is a three-CD version. The first disc pairs the Dweezil Zappa 2024 Remix with the 2024 Remaster; the second contains In Concert ’72; the third delivers the previously unreleased Montreux ’71.
"Given that you already own at least one copy of Machine Head and possibly bought In Concert ’72 on CD in 2012, you’ll need to know that this £100 box also contains: a 60-page booklet, Dweezil’s remix on vinyl in gatefold sleeve, and a Blu-ray audio disc containing a Dolby Atmos version, the 1974 quadraphonic mix and some Dolby 5.1 surround versions."
AC/DC - AC/DC 50: nine gold vinyl reissues (Sony)
What we said: "Another opportunity to buy into one of the greatest rock back catalogues of all time… It’s just that compared to the efforts some other bands go to in celebrating significant anniversaries, this is basically format tinkering. And pretty though these gold vinyl reissues are, fans value new music, something that would enhance the band’s extraordinary canon…
"For diehard AC/DC collectors, these reissues will doubtless be electrifying, wallet-emptying catnip. For everyone else these classic albums are readily available in far more mundane and budget-friendly formats."
Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies (50th Anniversary) (Rhino)
What we said: "Triple-vinyl Golden Jubilee expansion of Cooper magnum opus. It’s the packaging that’ll swing it for upgraders. Those new to The Coop’s ultimate statement as an album artist shouldn’t hesitate.
"The core record’s constituent material, Bob Ezrin’s immensely ambitious maximalist production and the band’s performances are reliably flawless. The live take of My Stars is simply extraordinary, and the single incarnation of Elected entirely essential. Billion Dollar Babies isn’t just another record, it’s a sonic portal into the most enduring and potent strain of morally bankrupt juvenile delinquency known to humanity."
Def Leppard - Pyromania 40 (Mercury)
What we said: “Sales of just over 10 million paint Pyromania as Hysteria’s snotty little brother. Fewer hits, less time on MTV for sure, but… rockier. The one that it’s cooler to love.
"The deluxe version, in a vinyl album-sized box, includes four CDs, a large-format book (ace notes by Classic Rock’s Paul Elliott) plus a Blu-ray (containing Atmos/5.1/ Stereo/ instrumental mixes, and five promo videos). As well as various vinyl configurations, there’s also a two-CD version that pairs the remasters with just 11 of the Rarities and four LA Forum tracks… But the four-CD box is ‘only’ £75, so spoil yourself.
David Bowie - Rock ’N’ Roll Star! (Parlophone)
What we said: "For punk-presaging impact and shapeshifting socio-cultural resonance, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars felt like the first truly significant rock album of the seismic 70s, precipitating David Bowie manifesting as the first modern superstar.
"It’s taken 52 years for the album to get its box set, and the glittering gold mine of previously unheard song doodles, demos and out-takes doesn’t disappoint… Enhanced by photos and a memorabilia-stacked book plus a 36-page reproduction of Bowie’s notebooks, the package provides a suitably chaotic time capsule of a magical period."
Hawkwind - In Search Of Space (Deluxe Edition) (Atomhenge)
What we said: “When in 1973 Pink Floyd said ‘I’ll see you on the dark side of the Moon’, they didn’t realise that Hawkwind had been there, done that and bought the spacesuit a full two years previously. Released in October 1971, In Search Of Space touched down a little over a year after the Hawks’ self-titled debut, and it’s light years ahead of that fledgling far-out fandango.
"This three-disc set includes the original album mix remastered, new stereo mixes, and a Blu-ray disc in 5.1 surround sound. (The big bonus is the inclusion of pamphlet The Hawkwind Log, available only with the earliest vinyl copies.)”
The Yardbirds - The Ultimate Live At The BBC (Repertoire)
What we said: "On record they were often compelled to be brief, hooky and sometimes goofy. Live they were able to stretch out, and in their radio sessions, as this expanded collection of BBC appearances shows, they often went for it like a starving lion in a chicken coop.
"The songs that would invent Zeppelin and their imitators – Train Kept A Rollin’ and Dazed And Confused – appear here in only mildly truncated form, but fans of the band, and of great beat music, will enjoy the best of the greatest of R&B bands in their rawest, most exciting form. From blues soup to rock nuts, everything here is entirely thrilling."
Mark Lanegan - Bubblegum XX (Beggars Banquet)
What we said: "Much-missed blues maestro Mark Lanegan has rarely sounded more soulful, more poignant than on his sixth solo album, 2004’s Bubblegum, an album stunning in its simplicity and candour. Desolate beauty and drug-induced despair, but shrouded in a redeeming light that highlights Lanegan’s status as arguably the greatest singer of his generation (and yes that includes Cornell and Cobain)…
The original crammed 15 songs, 50 minutes, onto one vinyl record. The four-LP box set reissue expands this to a double album, plus two bonus LPs featuring rarities, out-takes and demos, including 12 previously unreleased tracks. All of which are unmissable."
What we said: "In 1976 it all came together for Thin Lizzy with two classics that belong in every record collection: Jailbreak, which included worldwide hit The Boys Are Back In Town, and Johnny The Fox, heralded by the robust Don’t Believe A Word, which was very nearly as good.
"1976 collects both albums, plus new stereo mixes. The five-CD-plusBlu-ray set is fleshed out with offcuts and radio sessions… 1976 is a worthy celebration of a remarkable year in the career of this remarkable band, and a nice package, as the actress probably said to the bass player."
UFO - Lights Out – 2024 Remaster (Deluxe Edition) (Chrysalis)
What we said: "Lights Out is a very fine album indeed. This remaster comes in two-CD or three-LP formats and includes an April ’77 show from London’s Roundhouse.
"The vinyl is the gold. Given the relatively small number of tracks spread across three 12-inch platters, the grooves are so deep and wide they could double up as a Scalextric set. Thus the sonics are out of this world, as deep and resonant as Phil Mogg’s tonsils at the top of their game.”
Robin Trower - Bridge Of Sighs (50th Anniversary edition) (Chrysalis)
What we said: "Robin Trower’s career-defining second album came out in 1974 and propelled him into the pantheon of the Second Wave Of British Blues Guitarists… The first CD of this four-disc set remasters the original mix, the second remixes the original tapes, broadening the sound and separating the instruments without losing the density of sound, and the third has a 1974 live US radio show from the Record Plant in Sausalito.
"There are also numerous previously unreleased out-takes and alternative and instrumental versions spread around. The fourth, Blu-ray, disc with its 5.1 mix is a blast for audiophiles."
Thunder - Complete EMI Recordings 1989-1995 (HNE)
What we said: "For anybody who wasn’t there at the time, it’s difficult to imagine just how exciting Thunder were when they emerged seemingly out of nowhere in 1989. Amid the candy-floss frippery of hair-metal, they were a proud throwback to an earlier, classier time, drawing on the influence of Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, the Faces.
"Thunder were legitimately, if briefly, rock’s next Great White Hopes. That initial excitement was all down to their debut album, Back Street Symphony, one of three studio albums they recorded for original label EMI which, collectively, provide the spine for this stacked, seven-disc box set."
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell (40th Anniversary) (UME)
What we said: "As devoted Idolators will rightly be expecting, this 40th Anniversary Deluxe Expanded Edition comes with a generous helping of bonus content.
"Of the two bonus tracks, the cloying, overproduced Best Way Out Of Here is best ignored, but Idol’s version of Rose Royce’s 70s hit Love Don’t Live Here Anymore is magnificently overwrought… It all turned out well, however, and Rebel Yell is back for more (more, more)."
Kiss - Creatures Of The Night (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe) (UMR)
What we said: "Kiss are nobody sensible’s idea of a great albums band, but their catalogue is littered with records that are much better than generally advertised. Creatures Of The Night is a case in point…
"For Kiss diehards, this Super Deluxe reissue is a gold mine, with a ludicrous amount of demos, rarities, out-takes and live material, all from 1982 and 1983. Spread across nine LPs (and one Blu-ray disc), this is a definitive snapshot of an important moment in the story of a band with plenty of hits but only a few full-length records of this quality."
The Police - Synchronicity Deluxe (UMR/Polydor)
What we said: "The trio’s best-seller gets better with archive gold. While there’s no arguing with Synchronicity’s classic status, Andy Summers’ observations regarding objectivity appear especially pertinent in the light of this new six-CD expanded edition, which adds unreleased, arguably superior, versions of weaker tracks that made the final cut.
"New remastering bolsters the album’s strengths, adding warmth and definition to King Of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger and Every Breath You Take, career-high examples of Sting’s craft as a songwriter, of Summers’s ability to strengthen the material with melodic counterpoints, and of the centrality of drummer Stewart Copeland’s inventive rhythmic drive to The Police’s appeal."
Jack Bruce - Songs For A Tailor (Remastered Edition) (Cherry Red)
What we said: "Bass legend, composer and fiery virtuoso blessed with a powerfully expressive voice. On Songs For A Tailor, his debut solo album, after leaving Cream, he wove strong autobiographical elements, both musical and personal, intertwined with jazz, blues, folk and classical styles. Stephen W Tayler’s stereo and Surround Sound mixes enhance an already superbly crafted album.
"The extras on the two-CD/DVD are mainly session out-takes and demos, including early versions of two songs from follow-up Harmony Row. The 1970 film Rope Ladder To The Moon follows Bruce back to his Scottish roots, giving visual insight into an incredible talent."
Fish - Reissues (Chocolate Frog)
What we said: “Fish goes back to the beginning as his musical journey comes to an end. As the former Marillion singer continues his farewell Road To The Isles tour he leaves us with this love letter to the past.
"His two most commanding albums, Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors and Internal Exile (argue among yourselves), come with a panoply of extras – live albums, demo versions, remixes, B-sides – and leave us with the overwhelming feeling that we’ll never have it this good again."
Rory Gallagher - Best Of Rory Gallagher At The BBC (Rhino)
What we said: "The Best Of Rory Gallagher At The BBC is released in two-CD and triple-vinyl formats. Of its 24 tracks, 11 are taken from live-in-the-studio sessions. Even without an audience to feed off, Gallagher delivers electrifying performances of his heavier numbers, Cradle Rock and Walk On Hot Coals, backed by the rock-solid trio of bassist Gerry McAvoy, drummer Rod de’Ath and keyboard player Lou Martin.
"Most powerful of all is his interpretation of Muddy Waters’s I Wonder Who, a classic blues, played and sung with raw emotion. The other 13 tracks are all from a single show at The Venue in London in 1979, in which a version of Lead Belly’s cowboy song Out On The Western Plain has Gallagher at his most playful, while his own song Hellcat is as badass as they come. In all of this, a simple truth remains: if ever a musician was the real deal, it was Rory Gallagher."
Faces - Faces At The BBC: Complete BBC Concert & Session Recordings 1970-1973 (Rhino)
What we said: "The classic Faces discography centres on four studio albums and a bunch of great singles. There have been add-ons to the story, and this new, exhaustive trawl of the BBC archive reaches us with 85 live and session tracks plus a DVD and 48-page booklet.
"Fresh listeners might baulk at the size of the set, with numerous versions of Wicked Messenger and Had Me A Real Good Time, but believers will hear an important telling of the band’s woozy trajectory. They rolled on blues, ballads and soul, assisted by Pimm’s, ciggies and Courvoisier… Faces became the entry-level, fall-about boogie experience for a generation of music fans. They winged it well, and this release affirms the fun that came of it."
Neil Young - Archives Vol III (Reprise)
What we said: "I could happily listen to almost all the 198 tracks here on 17 CDs all day, every day for the next month… and still be aching to hear the next instalment in this mind-numbingly comprehensive archive series.
"Vol. III, covering the period 1976- 87, contains 121 previously unreleased versions of live, studio, mixes or edits, and 15 previously unreleased songs… and man, it’s just one undiscovered treasure after another. Sure, the standard slips in places – as any set containing such attention to detail is sure to do – but the heights it reaches!"
Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') (Zappa/UME)
What we said: "It goes without saying that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the original Apostrophe ('). It’s scintillating, euphoric, dumb as a brick and clever as hell. So what could possibly draw the listener in all these decades later?
"Well, in the case of Zappa Records, you raid the seemingly limitless family vaults for not only the original album but also the subsequent tours tapes, out-takes and whatever else happened to be lying around on the studio floor. It’s a glorious step back in time to when you could make a gold record and have one of its most celebrated tracks be titled Stink-Foot."
Suede - Dog Man Star (30th Anniversary) (Demon)
What we said: “Unlike many 90s records, Suede’s seminal second album hasn’t dated a day, but aged like a grand mausoleum. It’s a record that still stuns with every note and nuance. An immaculate final blow-out for the crumbling musical marriage between Bernard Butler’s scorched-sky vision and Brett Anderson’s melodic poetry from a broken bohemia.
"Incredibly, some of the B-sides here trump half the record: the murderous sashay of Killing Of A Flash Boy, or The Living Dead, a heart-rending acoustic depiction of hollow heroin life. The rarely heard This World Needs A Father is a revelation too.”
Talking Heads - 77 Super Deluxe (Rhino)
What we said: "77 was released in September 1977, and it felt like an emotional blast carefully packed into tight, angular arrangements. It wasn’t the loudest or most aggressive of the punk-era albums, but it was perhaps the most unsettling…
"The reissue comes as an expanded two-LP set, or three-CD-plus-Blu-ray deluxe edition complete with 80-page hardcover book written by band members Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison. The out-takes – live performances drawn from CBGB (of course!), mighty raging debut single Love - Building On Fire, various acoustic and alternative versions of familiar numbers – are damn near indispensable."
Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood (35th Anniversary) (BMG)
What we said: “Nothing wrong with stroking your chin to the likes of Radiohead, but sometimes you need to throw a few shapes to something patently ridiculous yet undeniably great. This is where Mötley Crüe’s fifth and, by some considerable distance, best record Dr. Feelgood comes in.
Reissued yet again to celebrate its quick-think-of-something 35th anniversary, this is where the reprobates who made Aerosmith seem abstemious and resembled what might arrive if you ordered Guns N’ Roses off Temu got it utterly and perhaps unexpectedly right.”
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