First released three decades ago in 1995, The Beatles' eight-part Anthology series reinvented the music documentary, featuring John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Sir Ringo Starr candidly telling their own story of the band's history.
It introduced The Beatles to new generations of viewers and listeners and marked the start of a creative and commercial afterlife that continues to this day.
Now, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Anthology series, Fab Four fans are to get a new Anthology album and a new ninth episode of the documentary, which will stream on Disney+.
The new episode of the documentary series will offer unseen backstage footage of Paul, George and Ringo Starr uniting between 1994 and 1995 to create the Anthology collections in the absence of their late bandmate John, who was shot dead in New York in December 1980, and reflecting on their shared life as The Beatles.
Anthology 4 is slated for release on November 21 in a new box set, accompanied by remastered versions of Anthology 1, 2 and 3, courtesy of Giles Martin, son of Beatles producer George Martin.
Among the 13 unheard tracks are demos and session recordings and other rare recordings. It also includes new mixes of The Beatles' Anthology-associated hit singles: Free As A Bird and Real Love, each being given new life by their original producer Jeff Lynne, using de-mixed John Lennon vocals.
Both new mixes are placed alongside the band's most recent UK Number One hit single, 2023's Grammy-winning Now And Then, which was released as the last ever Beatles song.
All three singles were created from rudimentary home demos John recorded in the 1970s, later completed with vocal and instrumental parts recorded by Paul, Ringo and George - who died in November 2001 from cancer aged 58.
The series' original eight episodes trace the legendary journey of The Beatles that began in Liverpool and Hamburg and went on to captivate the world.
The documentary covered Beatlemania, the band's ground-breaking arrival in America, their role at the forefront of the 1960s counterculture, their spiritual exploration in India and their eventual break-up.
The restoration has been overseen by Apple Corps' production team, working with Peter Jackson's Wingnut Films Park Road Post teams along with Giles Martin, who has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.
Across all the Anthology albums, there are 191 tracks which will be released on November 21 by Apple Corps Ltd./UMG for digital purchase and streaming, and in deluxe 12LP 180-gram vinyl and 8CD box sets.
Both box sets include the original sleeve notes for Anthology 1, 2 and 3; the new Anthology 4 includes track notes written by Kevin Howlett and an introduction compiled from 1996 interviews recorded with The Beatles' close friend and adviser Derek Taylor. The Beatles Store's exclusive editions for both box sets add four 12-inch band photo art cards in a numbered envelope.
The Anthology documentary series, including new episode, will stream on Disney+ from November 26.
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