On This Day, Nov. 20, 1995 …
The Beatles released the 60-track compilation album Anthology 1, featuring rarities, outtakes and live performances recorded from 1958 to 1964.
It also included the first new Beatles song in 25 years, “Free as a Bird,” which featured audio from a demo John Lennon recorded in 1977. It was given to Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr by his widow, Yoko Ono, and the trio then recorded new music that was incorporated into the song.
Anthology 1 reached #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and went on to be certified eight-times Platinum. “Free as a Bird” peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Anthology 1 was the first in a trio of compilations. Anthology 2, which featured the song “Real Love,” was released in March 1996, and Anthology 3 was released in October 1996.
That same Lennon demo on the Anthology series was used to create the song “Now and Then,” which was released in 2023. It debuted at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for best rock vocal performance.
The Beatles are now revisiting Anthology with the release of the Anthology Collection box set on Nov. 21. It will feature the original three Anthology albums plus a new fourth installment, Anthology 4.
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