Vinyl Nostalgia Discography
The Beatles Official Discography (UK)
No one has come even close for 60 years – they are the best!
The Beatles are the best-selling artists of all time with over 520 million album sales. Michael Jackson is the runner-up, more than 175 million sales behind.
Let’s look at the others. The Rolling Stones have accumulated approximately 237 million total equivalent album sales — impressive for a band still recording six decades on, but less than half the Beatles’ total. ABBA, across a mere eight studio albums, accumulated 156.6 million equivalent album sales — remarkable efficiency, but still less than a third of the Beatles’ figure. Crucially, their management team was notorious for communicating grossly exaggerated sales claims, which led the general public to view their success as bigger than it actually is, placing them alongside The Beatles and Michael Jackson — a league they do not, by verified data, belong to.To put the Beatles’ total in perspective: it surpasses the combined sales of the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, or the sum of the Beach Boys, ABBA, and U2 — groups that together issued smash records for 50 years. Michael Jackson comes closest on individual albums: Thriller is the world’s best-selling album, estimated at over 67 million copies worldwide. But Jackson’s catalog success is heavily concentrated in that single record. The Beatles’ strength lies in the extraordinary consistency of their entire catalog — every album selling, not just the peak.
The Beatles have the most number-one hits in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, with 20 songs having reached the top position — a record they have held since 1965, when they surpassed Elvis Presley. The contrast with their competitors is sharp here. The Rolling Stones scored 8 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — a respectable achievement, but less than half the Beatles’ count, despite a career now spanning more than 60 years. ABBA scored nine number-one singles in the UK, but their American chart performance was far more limited; they had only one US number-one single (Dancing Queen, 1977). Michael Jackson is the only artist who can mount a credible case: with 13 number-ones on the Hot 100, he is closer — but still three behind.
In 1964 alone, the Beatles earned 10 top-five Hot 100 hits — a single-year record that still stands today. That same year, they also became the only act in history to simultaneously hold the top two positions on both the singles and albums charts in America. The Beatles have 19 number-one albums on the Billboard 200 — the most of any artist in the chart’s history. Jay-Z, the closest rival, has 14.
According to Guinness World Records, „Yesterday” holds the record for the most cover versions of any song ever written — over 1,600 recorded versions. BMI asserts it was performed publicly more than seven million times in the 20th century alone. „Eleanor Rigby” has over 752 known cover versions, „Norwegian Wood” over 510, „And I Love Her” over 574.
The Rolling Stones wrote visceral, often brilliant rock and roll, but their best-known songs — „(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, „Paint It Black”, „Sympathy for the Devil”, „Gimme Shelter” — rarely attract the cross-genre, cross-generation covering culture that Beatles songs do. ABBA’s songwriting was impeccable within its own tight pop idiom, but their catalog shows little of the stylistic scope the Beatles demonstrated from album to album.
The Beatles were active as a recording unit for eight years (1962–1970). In that span, they did not merely produce a handful of classic records — they produced an unbroken sequence of albums that critics and musicians consistently rank among the greatest in the history of recorded music. When Rolling Stone ranked the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, four Beatles records appeared in the top ten: Revolver, Rubber Soul, the White Album, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at number one.
No other band in this comparison can match that density. The Rolling Stones produced three or four undisputed masterpieces (Exile on Main St., Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers) — but over a 60-year career, not eight years. ABBA’s peak was compressed into roughly 1974–1981 and produced consistently enjoyable pop; their best albums simply don’t occupy the same critical altitude. Michael Jackson’s run from Off the Wall (1979) through Dangerous (1991) is extraordinary — but it represents a peak of roughly 12 years and three truly dominant albums, not the unbroken sequence of creative reinvention the Beatles achieved.
During their active years, the Beatles had the top-selling US single one out of every six weeks, and the top-selling US album one out of every three weeks. That is a commercial consistency that no other artist has matched in any era.
No artist in music history appears at the top of as many authoritative lists as consistently as the Beatles. Rolling Stone ranked the Beatles number one on its list of the Greatest Artists in History in both 2004 and 2011. Billboard ranked the Rolling Stones as the second greatest artist of all time — directly behind the Beatles. Michael Jackson ranked at or near the top of commercial metrics but is less uniformly dominant in critical rankings that measure long-term artistic significance. ABBA, beloved and critically rehabilitated over the past two decades, tends to place high in genre-specific and popularity-based lists, but rarely in the broadest critical surveys.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the first rock album to win Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, in 1968 — a watershed moment that legitimized rock music as a serious art form in the eyes of the industry’s most prestigious institution. Neither the Rolling Stones, ABBA, nor Michael Jackson triggered a comparable institutional shift.
The Beatles also hold a unique distinction at the individual album level: they are one of only four artists to have three albums on the list of best-selling records with over 20 million copies each — alongside Michael Jackson (who has five, the most of any single artist), Celine Dion, and Madonna.
Studio Albums
UK home market
Help!
Only the A Side of this album is from the film soundtrack.
Abbey Road
With over 31 million copies sold, Abbey Road is one of the most successful albums worldwide.
Argentina
Socorro!
Mono version of the album was made by local label Odeon from original UK stereo master. Both channels were mixed down to a single channel to create a false mono version.
Let It Be
The Argentinian mono version of Let It Be is a fold-down (two stereo channels combined into one channel) from the stereo mix, not a unique, separate mono mix.
Australia
Brazil
Beatlemania
Zawierała większość utworów z With The Beatles, ale brakowało na niej np. "I Wanna Be Your Man" czy "Not A Second Time", które zastąpiono singlami "She Loves You" i "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
The Beatles 65
This is a true stereo (not duophonic) edition released at the same time as the mono one.
Help!
Kolejność utworów na stronie A i zawartość strony B różnią się od wersji brytyjskiej.
Chile
The Beatles
Original chilean edition - unique version of the White Album split in two separate releases.
The Beatles Vol. II
Original chilean edition - unique version of the White Album split in two separate releases.
Czechoslovakia
Abbey Road
The cover is imported from UK release with Apple Records logo and the old boxed Supraphon logo (used until 1972) and Gramofonový klub logo added in upper right corner with catalogue numbers. Track "Her Majesty" not listed on cover.
Denmark
Help!
Tylko strona A tego albumu pochodzi ze ścieżki dźwiękowej filmu.
Magical Mystery Tour
Made in Denmark and HÖR ZU reference (typeset, not logo) on labels. SHZE 327 is the German catalogue number. The new HÖR ZU logo as shown on the front cover was introduced in 1972.
France
Spain
Netherlands
Something New
The album includes eight songs from the original British release of A Hard Day's Night, as well as the tracks "Slow Down" and "Matchbox" from the Long Tall Sally EP and the German-language version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Help!
Tylko strona A tego albumu pochodzi ze ścieżki dźwiękowej filmu.
India
Japan
The Beatles’ Second Album
A different set of songs than on the American original record.
The Early Beatles
The version of "Love Me Do" is the September 11, 1962, recording with Andy White on drums and Ringo on tambourine.
Beatles VI
"Yes It Is", the B-side to the single "Ticket to Ride" is a "duophonic" stereo remix from the original mono track, with additional echo and reverb.
Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Album zawiera 12 utworów, w tym piosenki nagrane przez The Beatles oraz partie instrumentalne w wykonaniu Kena Thorne'a i jego orkiestry, skompilowanych przez Capitol w USA.
Something New
Album zawiera osiem utworów z oryginalnego brytyjskiego wydania A Hard Day's Night, a także utwory „Slow Down” i „Matchbox” z EP Long Tall Sally oraz niemieckojęzycznej wersji „I Want to Hold Your Hand”.
Yugoslavia
Magical Mystery Tour
"Penny Lane" and "Baby, You're a Rich Man" are in duophonic stereo. "All you need is Love" is in true stereo.
Canada
Something New (kopia)
The album includes eight songs from the original British release of A Hard Day's Night, as well as the tracks "Slow Down" and "Matchbox" from the Long Tall Sally EP and the German-language version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Beatles VI
„Yes It Is” (strona B singla „Ticket to Ride”) to tzw. „duofoniczny” remix stereo z oryginalnej ścieżki monofonicznej, z dodatkowym echem i pogłosem.
Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Album zawiera 12 utworów, w tym piosenki nagrane przez The Beatles oraz partie instrumentalne w wykonaniu Kena Thorne'a i jego orkiestry, skompilowanych przez Capitol w USA.
The Early Beatles
The version of "Love Me Do" is the September 11, 1962, recording with Andy White on drums and Ringo on tambourine.
Colombia
Beatles For Sale Vol. 5
Two songs from the original release were omitted: "Kansas City" and "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby".
The Early Beatles
This album is a direct clone of the US release with the addition of the A side of the recent single, “I Feel Fine” (a true stereo mix).
Help!
Tylko strona A tego albumu pochodzi ze ścieżki dźwiękowej filmu.
Revolver
This version doesn't include "Yellow Submarine".
South Korea
Costa Rica
Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Album zawiera 12 utworów, w tym piosenki nagrane przez The Beatles oraz partie instrumentalne w wykonaniu Kena Thorne'a i jego orkiestry, skompilowanych przez Capitol w USA.
Mexico
Help! (Version Original De La Pelicula)
Album zawiera 12 utworów, w tym piosenki nagrane przez The Beatles oraz partie instrumentalne w wykonaniu Kena Thorne'a i jego orkiestry, skompilowanych przez Capitol w USA.
New Zealand
Beatles VI
"Yes It Is", the B-side to the single "Ticket to Ride" is a "duophonic" stereo remix from the original mono track, with additional echo and reverb.
West Germany
The Beatles’ Second Album
Distributed to U.S. military bases in West-Germany for only 2 month in 1964.
Something New
The album includes eight songs from the original British release of A Hard Day's Night, as well as the tracks "Slow Down" and "Matchbox" from the Long Tall Sally EP and the German-language version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Help!
Tylko strona A tego albumu pochodzi ze ścieżki dźwiękowej filmu. W USA wydano zmodyfikowaną wersję albumu zawierającą wyłącznie utwory z filmu.
Russia
South Africa
Switzerland
Help!
"Special Edition" is printed on labels and on front cover below the label logo and "Stereo". Original copies are extremely rare.
Rubber Soul
Grammoclub Ex Libris Club edition released in Switzerland only. Made in Germany for export on unique yellow/black Odeon label.
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
German pressing for the Swiss market; Sgt. Pepper's has been released in Germany by Odeon / HÖRZU exclusively, only a small amount of copies were pressed for the Swiss book club "Ex Libris".
Taiwan
USA
Something New
The album includes eight songs from the original British release of A Hard Day's Night, as well as the tracks "Slow Down" and "Matchbox" from the Long Tall Sally EP and the German-language version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
The Early Beatles
The version of Love Me Do appearing on The Early Beatles is the September 11, 1962, recording with Andy White on drums and Ringo on tambourine.
Beatles VI
"Yes It Is", the B-side to the single "Ticket to Ride" is a "duophonic" stereo remix from the original mono track, with additional echo and reverb.
Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
This album is the 12-track soundtrack consisting of songs recorded by The Beatles and instrumentals by Ken Thorne And His Orchestra, compiled by Capitol in the US.
Yesterday And Today
This album is famous for its controversial original cover photograph, known as the "Butcher Cover". The initial response to the cover from the estimated 60,000 advance copies was so negative that Capitol recalled all 750,000 manufactured copies from its distributors for repackaging with a more conventional photograph.
Revolver
US "Revolver" has 3 songs less than the UK original release ("And Your Bird Can Sin", "Dr Robert" and "I'm Only Sleeping" ).
Venezuela
The Early Beatles
The version of Love Me Do appearing on The Early Beatles is the September 11, 1962, recording with Andy White on drums and Ringo on tambourine.
Help! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
This album is the 12-track soundtrack consisting of songs recorded by The Beatles and instrumentals by Ken Thorne And His Orchestra, compiled by Capitol in the US.
Hungary
Italy
Live Albums
UK home market
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Wszystkie 30 piosenek z kaset zarejestrowanych w Star Club w grudniu 1962 roku w Hamburgu na podwójnym albumie.
Historic Sessions
All 30 songs from the Star Club tapes on a double LP.
Argentina
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Australia
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
France
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Spain
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Netherlands
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Japan
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Colombia
The Beatles Live!
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
West Germany
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in 1962.
USA
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Venezuela
En Vivo! En El Star-Club De Hamburgo, Alemania: 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Italy
Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962
Double LP featuring live tracks recorded in Hamburg in December 1962.
Compilations
UK home market
Off The Beatle Track
Orchestral instrumental versions of The Beatles big hits by The George Martin Orchestra
The Beatles’ First With Tony Sheridan & Guests
The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan & guests
Argentina
Australia
The Beatles Greatest Hits Volume 1
The mono masters for this album were fold downs of the stereo tapes, with only "She Loves You" and "I’ll Get You" appearing in true mono, due to the unavailability of stereo mixes at the time of compilation. For some unknown reasons the stereo version of Volume 1 was not released until twenty months after the mono release.
The Beatles’ Greatest Hits Volume 2
The Stereo Volume 2 was released prior to Stereo Volume 1. Volume 2’s was the only album worldwide, until the 1980 Beatles Box release, to contain the stereo mix of "She’s A Woman".
Belgium
Portrait Of The Beatles
The Beatles, Tony Sheridan
Brazil
Bulgaria
Popular Singers
The historic first LP with a Beatles song in the Eastern Bloc (under the communism regieme).
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
France
Dansez Beatles avec Geoge Martin et son orchestre
Orchestral instrumental versions of The Beatles big hits by The George Martin Orchestra
Spain
Lo Primero De The Beatles
The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan & guests
The Beatles Again
In this Spanish release "Ballad Of John & Yoko" was not included because it was censored.
Netherlands
The Beatles In Italy
Label states "STEREO" and STEMRA, but only 4 tracks are in stereo (A4 From Me To You, A5 I Want To Hold Your Hand, A6 Ticket To Ride, B6 I Feel Fine-with the whisper intro), remaining tracks are mono mixes
India
Japan
The Fresh Sounds From Liverpool
This record contains two songs "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Please Please Me" by The Beatles.
The Beatles’ First
The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan & guests
ビートルズ・ヒット・ソング集 = Off The Beatle Track
Orchestral instrumental versions of The Beatles big hits by The George Martin Orchestra
Yugoslavia
Canada
Twist And Shout
This record consists of songs mostly drawn from "Please Please Me".
Long Tall Sally
Capitol Records of Canada could not release the cover with text proclaiming that this was "The Beatles' Second Album", for this was Canada's third Beatle album for the company.
Off The Beatle Track
Orchestral instrumental versions of The Beatles big hits by The George Martin Orchestra
Colombia
Mexico
The Beatles Con Tony Sheridan
The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan
New Zealand
The Beatles Greatest Hits Volume 1
The mono masters for this album were fold downs of the stereo tapes, with only "She Loves You" and "I’ll Get You" appearing in true mono, due to the unavailability of stereo mixes at the time of compilation. For some reasons the stereo version of Volume 1 would not be released until twenty months after the mono release.
East Germany
A Collection of Beatles Oldies
W notatkach na okładce błędnie podano, że ostatni koncert zespołu The Beatles odbył się 29 sierpnia 1968 r., podczas gdy prawidłowo powinno być 1966 r.
The Beatles
Pressed By – Мелодия – М90-44569
Peru
West Germany
My Bonnie
Tony Sheridan And The Beat Brothers
Twist-Club II
It is a reissue of My Bonnie record.
Die Große Star Parade 1964 Vol.1
Besides various recordings with different artists, the record contains the song "My Bonnie" with The Beatles.
The Beatles’ First
The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan & guests
The Best Of Tony Sheridan
The Beatles’ name isn’t mentioned anywhere, neither on the label nor on the cover of this LP. It includes possibly three recordings where The Beatles participate (“My Bonnie”, “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In” and “Swanee River”). According to Yoko Ono, “Sweet Georgia Brown”, however, is a version recorded by Tony Sheridan without The Beatles’ help in December 1961 (unlike in case of other albums released by Polydor).
Die Spitzenreiter 1964
The record's title advertises "Top riders on the lists in 1964". Besides various recordings with different artists, the record contains the song "Ain't She Sweet" with the Beatles.
Die Große Star Parade 1964 Vol.2
Besides various recordings with different artists, the record contains the song "Ain't She Sweet" with The Beatles.
South Africa
Singapur
Sweden
USA
Off The Beatle Track
Orchestral instrumental versions of The Beatles big hits by The George Martin Orchestra
