The Paul McCartney Archive Collection is a project to remaster and reissue Paul McCartney's solo catalogue, including various albums released with Wings. These editions feature deluxe packaging and bonus rare tracks. [1] Thus far, there have been 14 releases since the project began in 2010 (seven solo albums, six Wings albums, and one new Wings live album of previously unreleased material). [2] They are overseen by McCartney himself and remastered at Abbey Road Studios. [3] Albums reissued in this project are visually marked by a white stripe along the left side of the album cover that reads "Paul McCartney Archive Collection" and a copy of McCartney's signature.
The albums are typically released in a variety of formats: a "standard" edition that contains the original album digitally remastered on one CD; a "special" edition which contains additional discs of bonus tracks; and a "deluxe" edition which comes with extra features like bonus CDs or DVDs of unreleased material packaged in a hard-bound book. Some releases contain booklets, rare photos, interviews, artwork, promotional video clips, or documentaries. The "special" editions of the albums were also released as double LPs on 180 gram "audiophile vinyl", with the original album on one record and bonus material on the second. The records also come with a download card for MP3 versions of all tracks included. The special editions of the albums are available on streaming services worldwide. [1]
Below is a list of albums that have been reissued so far.
Album | Original release date | Archive reissue date | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Band on the Run | 5 December 1973 | 1 November 2010 [4] |
2 | McCartney | 17 April 1970 | 13 June 2011 [5] |
3 | McCartney II | 16 May 1980 | 13 June 2011 [5] |
4 | Ram | 17 May 1971 | 21 May 2012 [6] |
5 | Wings over America | 10 December 1976 | 27 May 2013 [7] |
6 | Venus and Mars | 27 May 1975 | 23 September 2014 [8] |
7 | Wings at the Speed of Sound | 25 March 1976 | 23 September 2014 [8] |
8 | Tug of War | 26 April 1982 | 2 October 2015 [9] |
9 | Pipes of Peace | 17 October 1983 | 2 October 2015 [9] |
10 | Flowers in the Dirt | 5 June 1989 | 24 March 2017 [10] |
11 | Wild Life | 7 December 1971 | 7 December 2018 [2] |
12 | Red Rose Speedway | 4 May 1973 | 7 December 2018 [2] |
- | Wings 1971–73 | Previously unreleased | 7 December 2018 [2] |
13 | Flaming Pie | 5 May 1997 | 31 July 2020 [11] |
The Paul McCartney Archive Collection received two Grammy Awards. [12]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Band on the Run | Best Historical Album | Won |
2013 | Ram | Best Historical Album | Nominated |
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package | Nominated | ||
2014 | Wings over America | Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package | Won |
2017 | Tug of War | Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package | Nominated |
2021 | Flaming Pie | Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package | Nominated |
Paul McCartney and Wings, often billed simply as Wings, were an English-American rock band formed in 1971 in London by former Beatle Paul McCartney; his wife Linda McCartney on keyboards; session drummer Denny Seiwell; and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. They were noted for their commercial successes, musical eclecticism, and frequent personnel changes. They went through three lead guitarists and four drummers. The core trio of the McCartneys and Laine, however, remained intact throughout the group's existence.
Band on the Run is the third studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released on 30 November 1973. It was McCartney's fifth album after leaving the Beatles in April 1970 and his final album on Apple Records. Although sales were modest initially, its commercial performance was aided by two hit singles – "Jet" and "Band on the Run" – such that it became the top-selling studio album of 1974 in the United Kingdom and Australia, in addition to revitalising McCartney's critical standing. It remains McCartney's most successful album and the most celebrated of his post-Beatles works.
Venus and Mars is the fourth studio album by the British–American rock band Wings. Released in May 1975 as the follow-up to Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' run of commercial success and provided a springboard for a year-long worldwide tour. The album was Paul McCartney's first post-Beatles album to be released worldwide by Capitol Records rather than Apple.
Ram is the only studio album credited to the husband-and-wife music duo Paul and Linda McCartney, and the former's second album post-Beatles. Released on 17 May 1971 by Apple Records, it was recorded in New York with guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken, and future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell. Three singles were issued from the album: "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "The Back Seat of My Car" and "Eat at Home". The recording sessions also yielded the non-album single "Another Day".
Wild Life is the debut studio album by the British-American rock band Wings and the third studio album by Paul McCartney after the breakup of the Beatles. The album was mainly recorded in seven sessions between 24 July and 4 September 1971, at EMI Studios by McCartney, his wife Linda, session drummer Denny Seiwell, whom they had worked with on the McCartneys' previous album Ram, and guitarist Denny Laine, formerly of the English rock band the Moody Blues. It was released by Apple Records on 7 December in the UK and US, to lukewarm critical and commercial reaction.
Red Rose Speedway is the second studio album by the English-American rock band Wings, although credited to "Paul McCartney and Wings". It was released through Apple Records on 4 May 1973, preceded by its lead single, the ballad "My Love". By including McCartney's name in the artist credit, the single and album broke with the tradition of Wings' previous records. The change was made in the belief that the public's unfamiliarity with the band had been responsible for the weak commercial performance of the group's 1971 debut album Wild Life.
The discography of British musician Paul McCartney consists of 26 studio albums, four compilation albums, ten live albums, 37 video albums, two extended plays, 111 singles, seven classical albums, five electronica albums, 17 box sets, and 79 music videos. Before his career as a solo artist, McCartney enjoyed success as a member of the rock band the Beatles.
Flaming Pie is the tenth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 5 May 1997 by Parlophone in the UK and Capitol Records in the US. His first studio album in over four years, it was mostly recorded after McCartney's involvement in the highly successful Beatles Anthology project. The album was recorded in several locations over two years, between 1995 and 1997, featuring two songs dating from 1992.
Wings at the Speed of Sound is the fifth studio album by the British–American rock band Wings, released on 26 March 1976. Issued at the height of the band's popularity, it reached the top spot on the US album chart—the band's fourth consecutive album to do so—and peaked at number 2 on the UK album chart. Both singles from the album also reached the top 5 of the UK and US singles charts, with "Silly Love Songs" reaching number 1 in the US.
Wings over America is a triple live album by the British–American rock band Wings, released in December 1976. The album was recorded during the American leg of the band's 1975–76 Wings Over the World tour. It peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and reached number 1 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.
McCartney II is the second solo studio album by the English musician Paul McCartney, released on 16 May 1980. It was recorded by McCartney at his home studio in the summer of 1979, shortly before the dissolution of his band Wings in 1981. Like his debut solo studio album, McCartney (1970), he performed all the instruments himself. It yielded three singles: "Coming Up", "Waterfalls", and "Temporary Secretary".
Pipes of Peace is the fourth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, released on 31 October 1983. As the follow-up to the popular Tug of War, the album came close to matching the commercial success of its predecessor in Britain but peaked only at number 15 on America's Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. While Pipes of Peace was the source of international hit singles such as "Say Say Say" and the title track, the critical response to the album was less favourable than that afforded to Tug of War.
Flowers in the Dirt is the eighth solo studio album by Paul McCartney. The album was released on 5 June 1989 on Parlophone, as he was embarking on his first world tour since the Wings Over the World tour in 1975–76. It earned McCartney some of his best reviews for an album of original songs since Tug of War (1982). The album made number one in the United Kingdom and Norway and produced several hit singles. The album artwork was a collaboration between artist Brian Clarke, who painted the canvas and arranged the flowers, and Linda McCartney, who produced the cover photography.
Tug of War is the third solo studio album by the English musician Paul McCartney, released on 26 April 1982. It is his 11th album overall following the break up of the Beatles in 1970, his first album released after the dissolution of his band Wings the previous year, and his first album following the murder of his former songwriting partner John Lennon. The cover features an abstract oil painting by the artist Brian Clarke, a frequent McCartney collaborator, incorporating an overpainted transparency of a portrait of Paul taken by Linda McCartney.
"Soily" is a song written by Paul McCartney in 1971. It was included in the setlist of his band Wings during their 1972 tour of Europe and their 1973 tour of Britain. In 1973 it was the first song of the set. It was then reworked and a faster, heavier version was played during the Wings Over the World tour, 1975–76. In the British leg of this tour, it ended the rock part of the set, after which Wings played a number of acoustic songs before returning to electric music. From the Australian leg up to the end of the tour, "Soily" served as an encore although it was not played during every concert.
One Hand Clapping is a live-in-studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released on 14 June 2024, nearly fifty years after it was recorded.
"Wonderful Christmastime" is a Christmas song by English musician Paul McCartney. Recorded during the sessions for his solo album McCartney II (1980), it was released as a single in November 1979 following Wings' final album Back to the Egg earlier that year. It was McCartney's first solo single in over eight years since "Eat at Home" in 1971. "Wonderful Christmastime" has charted within the top 10 in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom as well as the top 20 in Canada, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is a lauded song during Christmas and has been covered throughout the years by numerous artists.
Kisses on the Bottom is the fifteenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, consisting primarily of covers of traditional pop music and jazz, ranging from the 1920s to the 1950s. Released in February 2012 on Starbucks' Hear Music label, it was McCartney's first studio album since Memory Almost Full in 2007. The album was produced by Tommy LiPuma and includes just two original compositions by McCartney: "My Valentine" and "Only Our Hearts". The former features jazz drummer Karriem Riggins. Kisses on the Bottom peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and number 5 on the US Billboard 200, while also topping Billboard magazine's Jazz Albums chart.
The Beatles: 50th Anniversary Edition is an expanded reissue of the 1968 double album The Beatles by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in November 2018 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original album. It includes a new stereo remix of the album by Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer George Martin who had died in 2016.