The number 1 album on Amazon this morning? Why, it’s a box set that will sell for $149.98 and won’t be released until May 26th.
It’s the Beatles’ 50th anniversary edition of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” A 6 CD, two LP package with lots of trimmings, the box was sort of backwardly announced yesterday after this site and a couple of music sites published its leaked promo video from You Tube.
With very little promotion, the package zoomed to the top of Amazon’s album chart.
The vinyl only 2 LP version, which sells for $38.98, is number 12 on Amazon.
Luckily some of us have the original 1967 album, and subsequent vinyl reprints through 1987 when the first CD was issued. There was also a second CD version, which came out sometime in the 90s. (Maybe someone can help on this– email me showbiz411@gmail.com.)
There’s also the boxed set version from 2009 and the mono box version.
The new package will feature the first remixed, remastered version from Giles Martin, which will match the incredible sound of the Beatles “1” reissue from two years ago.
What’s unclear if all this stuff will be good to go for streaming and downloading on May 26th. That would kind of defeat the purpose of the box, I’d think. But who knows, now that streaming is taking over the world.
Still, if you want to hear this music properly, an iPhone or iTouch won’t do the trick. Get an Astell and Kern player. Get really good heaphones from Grado, Master and Dynamic, AKG, Sennheiser, etc. Get a really great CD player, like from Creek Audio, and top notch speakers. Apple earbuds aren’t going to cut it! See if Dick Sequerra still sells his Met 7.7’s. That’s how you want to hear Billy Shears!
