September
26, 1969 - “Abbey Road”, the eleventh album by The Beatles is released (US
release is on October 1, 1969). Produced by George Martin, it is recorded at
EMI Abbey Road Studios and Trident Studios in London from February 22 - August
20, 1969. Following the acrimonious recording sessions for “Get Back/Let It Be”
earlier in the year, the band decide to put aside their personal differences,
to record one more album free of the conflict that marred those sessions.
Though it isn’t exactly like their past working relationship, the sessions are
productive and largely problem free. The first half of the album consists of
individual songs, while the second half comprises mostly of a nearly side long
medley running nearly sixteen and a half minutes with most of the songs written
by Paul (“You Never Give Me Your Money”, “She Came In Through The Bathroom
Window”, “Golden Slumbers”, and “Carry That Weight”, with “Mean Mr. Mustard”
and “Polythene Pam” being written by John). The end result of the sessions is
one of the strongest albums of the bands career. Though at the time of its
releases, it receives mixed reviews from critics who also complain about its
then record high list price of $6.98. The albums iconic cover by photographer
Iain Macmillan (with graphics designed by John Kosh “aka Kosh), is taken in the
zebra crossing in front of the famed recording studio. It spins off the double
A-sided single "Come Together/Something” (#1 Pop). “Abbey Road” spends
eleven weeks at number one (non-consecutive) on the Billboard Top 200. It is
the first of The Beatles albums to pass the ten million mark in sales worldwide
in 1980, becoming their largest selling studio album. It is the first Beatles
album to be issued on CD, when it is released by EMI/Odeon in Japan in 1983 as
part of the “Black Triangle” disc series. However, it remains in the
marketplace for only a brief time before it is withdrawn, as it has been
released without legal clearance from Apple Corps. “Abbey Road” is officially
released on a worldwide basis in 1987, and is remastered and reissued in 2009.
The vinyl release of the album, out of print since the mid 90’s is remastered
and reissued as a 180 gram LP in 2012.
To commemorate its fiftieth anniversary, the landmark album is newly
remixed in stereo and DTS 5.1 surround sound by Giles Martin. Released on
September 27, 2019, the deluxe edition is issued as a 3 CD + 1 Blu-ray disc,
and as a 3 LP box set. The session outtakes include twenty previously
unreleased tracks, documenting the evolution of the album. The set is also
available as a 2 CD edition, single vinyl LP and as a limited edition picture
disc, including the 2019 remix. “Abbey Road” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of
Fame in 1995, and is certified 12x Platinum in the US by the RIAA, receiving a
Diamond Certification.
