UMG and Apple Corps Refresh The Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’

UMG and Apple Corps have re-released The Beatles’ 1965 album Rubber Soul in an expanded form, featuring previously unreleased session recordings.

On Friday, Universal Music Group (UMG) and The Beatles’ Apple Corps released an expanded special edition of the band’s landmark 1965 album, Rubber Soul. Newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the collection presents the album in new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, alongside the original mono mix and original Capitol U.S. album version.

The album has been expanded with previously unreleased session recordings and home demos, as well as the contemporary “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out” single. The special edition is available to buy now.

Released with an accompanying visualizer, “I’m Looking Through You (Second Version – Take 3)” shows the evolution of one of Rubber Soul’s songs. Three different versions of the song were attempted—the first was recorded on October 24, followed by two further takes during a six-hour session on November 6. The third and final version was recorded on November 10 and 11. This version comes from the November 6 session and shows how both the tempo and arrangement changed from the early version, while still including two instrumental 12-bar sections. Paul McCartney subsequently wrote a bridge to replace these sections in the final version.

The new special edition brings together these previously unreleased recordings with the album’s new stereo mix, original mono mix, original Capitol U.S. album version, and the contemporary “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out” single, offering unprecedented insight into the making of the album.

“Rubber Soul was a very exciting record to make,” Paul recalled, describing it as “a strong advance on what had gone before.” Ringo Starr called it “the departure record,” reflecting that “we were stretching a lot more in the writing and the playing” and “opening up to a lot of different attitudes, a lot of experimentation.”

George Harrison had said that the album was his favorite, “even at that time. I think it was the best one we made; we certainly knew we were making a good album.” John Lennon once described it as “the first album where we took over control completely.”

Across the Super Deluxe collections, fans can explore 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unreleased home demos—among them early versions of “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out,” plus “Little Girl,” a previously unheard John Lennon song outline never before released or even rumored.

The collections also include the original mono album, the original Capitol U.S. album version, and the 1965 double A-side single, while the 2-CD and 2-LP Deluxe features a curated selection of session highlights, demos, and the single.

The 4-CD and 5-LP Super Deluxe editions are accompanied by an 88-page hardbound book featuring a brand-new written introduction by Paul McCartney and a foreword compiled from John Lennon’s own words, bringing together reflections on Rubber Soul from across his life, including the years following The Beatles’ breakup. The two pieces offer a unique perspective on the making and enduring impact of the album, alongside rare photographs, in-depth album background, and track notes.

First released on December 3, 1965, Rubber Soul marked a pivotal moment in The Beatles’ evolution. Arriving at the end of a remarkable year that saw its four members reach artistic and commercial heights, the album revealed a band pushing beyond the convention of pop music and embracing a more adventurous approach to songwriting and recording.

More than six decades after its original release, Rubber Soul continues to be recognized as a defining album in popular music.