The Beatles Anthology 4 WILL be available as a standalone album after fan outcry

17 September 2025, 11:30

The Beatles - Anthology 4
The Beatles - Anthology 4. Picture: Alamy/Apple Records

By Mayer Nissim

Beatles fans who already have Anthology 1, 2 and 3 can now add the final chapter to their collection.

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When The Beatles announced Anthology 4 earlier this year there was plenty of excitement.

Not only would final song 'Now and Then' have a proper home (it made no real sense at the end of the Blue album remake) alongside remixes of 'Free as a Bird' and 'Real Love', but we'd also get 13 previously unreleased songs, alongside 17 tracks that had already popped up elsewhere on various reissues.

Fans were also excited to hear that the original eight-part The Beatles Anthology TV series would be coming to Disney+ along with a bonus new episode.

But there was one pretty major problem with Anthology 4.

Even if you could stomach paying full whack for an album where you may already have over half of the songs, the original announcement was that the double-album would only be available in a box set of all four Anthology compilations.

The Beatles – Anthology 2025 (The music, the book, the series)

That meant that even if you already had them, you'd have to buy Anthology 1, 2 and 3 all over again just to get a copy of Anthology 4.

It's fair to say that Beatles fans weren't too happy. Some grumbled and pre-ordered anyway, but may voted to keep their wallets closed and make their opinions known.

And it seems as though Apple Records has paid attention.

The Beatles - Anthology Collection
The Beatles - Anthology Collection. Picture: Apple Records

It's now been confirmed that Anthology 4 will be available as a standalone 2CD (£22.99) or 3LP (£69.99) release.

Given that apparently no-one makes the chunky "fatbox" design for double CDs anymore, those obsessed with neatness may still want to buy the full Anthology collection on CD (£89.99) or vinyl (£309.99) so it looks all pretty on their shelves.