On This Day: February 26 1987 The First Four Beatles Albums Were Released on CD

On this day February 26 1987 the first four albums by The Beatles were officially transferred to CD (compact disc) marking a major step in bringing their music into the digital era. This release allowed fans to experience the band’s early catalog in a new format as CDs were rapidly becoming the dominant music medium.

The albums included in this release were:

• Please Please Me (1963)
• With the Beatles (1963)
• Introducing... the Beatles (1964)
• Meet the Beatles! (1964)

The transition to CD was part of a larger effort to reintroduce The Beatles’ discography to a new generation of listeners while also improving sound quality. However, the first wave of Beatles CDs was released in mono, which disappointed some fans who preferred the stereo versions. The remastered stereo editions wouldn’t be widely available until the 2009 reissues.

This historic moment in music technology helped ensure The Beatles’ legacy continued into the digital age, allowing their groundbreaking work to be preserved for future generations.

Fun fact: The Beatles were one of the last major artists to have their catalog released on CD due to ongoing disputes over sound quality and remastering decisions.

Trivia question: Before the CD era The Beatles' music was originally released on vinyl but another format became popular in the 1970s for portable listening. Can you name the format that competed with vinyl before CDs took over?