As you’ve probably noticed from some of my previous articles, I’m obsessed with charts and with The Beatles. I was inspired to write this particular chart-o-phile fanatical Beatles related post by seeing that The Beatles jumped from #3 to #1 on this week’s Last.FM charts (maybe because of the recent release of The Beatles USB?) They jumped over Muse & Radiohead to get there, by the way.

For some reason, seeing that made me want to look up where The Beatles releases currently rank among Amazon’s bestselling music list. I know, I’m a sick person. But I’m hoping because I find this kind of trivial nonsense interesting that somebody else will as well.

#6 – The Beatles in Stereo Box Set

Still at #6 on the bestseller’s list even though it’s been out for a good three months now. Obviously a lot of folks are picking this up as a Christmas gift, and yes – it definitely makes a great gift for any Beatles fan. Remastered stereo versions of every song they officially released from 1962 through 1970? That’s pretty brilliant. And my enthusiasm for these remasters has not diminished at all since September. I really think they got it just right.

#20 – Abbey Road

The Beatles biggest selling album ever (in the US, anyway) is also their biggest selling album on Amazon at the moment (it was at #104 on last week’s Billboard chart – behind the stereo box set at #89.) Personally, Abbey Road isn’t my favorite Beatles album. It’s great, no doubt, but it’s a slight bit too slick and not quite tripped out enough for me in comparison with my favorites (The White Album, Sgt. Pepper, & Revolver.)

#31 – The White Album

This is really a great deal at just $12.99 (price as of this moment) for two CDs/30 songs of their best stuff (it’s actually my favorite album by anyone, ever.) I remember not long ago the old version of this was selling for over $30 in music stores.

#39 – Let It Be

This is surprisingly high until you consider that The Beatles in Mono includes all of their albums except Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road, & Let It Be. I imagine quite a few mono box set buyers got the mono set along with the stereo mixes of those three albums (well, most folks probably aren’t bothering with Yellow Submarine especially since it’s original songs are already included on the Mono Masters double disc compilation included in the mono box set.)

#52 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

See, Pepper is $12.99 too and it’s just one CD. I can’t really believe what a great deal The White Album is, actually. What’s up with that? I’m a huge Sgt. Pepper fan. I know it’s become a bit hip among certain groups to dismiss this album, but I think that’s BS. I think it’s absolutely fantastic. It’s overflowing with boundless creativity that still sounds fresh to my ears (what some call “dated,” I call “timeless.”)

#75 – Revolver

A good argument can be made that this is the band’s best (most consistently great) collection of songs.

#76 – Please Please Me

Their debut album which features the title track, “Love Me Do” (their first single), “I Saw Her Standing There” (the lead track), and their album closing cover of “Twist & Shout” (and their cover is so much better than the original that they essentially took ownership of the song.)

#78 – The Beatles 1

The biggest selling album of the millennium and obviously still going strong.

#80 – The Beatles in Mono Box Set

Remastered versions of the original mono mixes for their first 10 albums (1962′s Please Please Me through 1968′s The White Album) and the Mono Masters double disc set of non-album tracks. Their last three albums are not included because they were never mixed or released in mono. As of the moment Amazon is actually reporting that this box set has been “discontinued by the manufacturer” and they’re sold out of them but they’re still available at 3rd party stores. Collectors Choice Music still has the mono box sets in stock (as of this writing.)

#82 – Rubber Soul

I think there may be a higher percentage of “classics” on this album than any other. What makes it not quite as great as some of the above albums is that it’s also got a few weak tracks (most notably “What Goes On” although that has grown on me somewhat over the years.)

#125 – The Beatles USB

This is the first ever digital release (in MP3 & “better than CD” FLAC) of their catalog. It was released on the 8th and it has been sold out, but it’s set to be back in stock on the 17th. It’s essentially USB flash drive version of the 17 disc stereo box set as it includes all of the same stuff (including the mini documentary videos) just in a much smaller more portable format.

#135 – Magical Mystery Tour

What a glorious collection of psychedelic ear candy. I think this “album” is often overlooked because it wasn’t originally released as an album (but as an EP) and because it includes songs that were already released as singles (most notably “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane”) but if you don’t consider that context, I think this definitely ranks among their best CDs.

#139 – With The Beatles

I’m a bit surprised by some of the albums this is ranking ahead of since I personally consider it to be their worst album. Not that it doesn’t have it’s moments, I just think it has less of them than any of their other albums.

#169 – Past Masters

Like The White Album, this is an excellent deal. Two CDs which contain all of their non-album tracks from ’62 through ’70 for just $12.99, how can you beat that? A lot of their best work was never released on a studio album as the track listing on this double disc compilation makes clear. “Hey Jude,” “Revolution” (the fast single version), “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” “Day Tripper,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Paperback Writer,” “Rain,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” and “Lady Madonna” are all here. Brilliant stuff, especially the second disc (the first disc, admittedly, has some filler on it.)

#181 – A Hard Day’s Night

The only album comprised entirely of Lennon/McCartney originals. It includes some great classics like the title track, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “And I Love Her,” “Things We Said Today,” and “If I Fell.” I’m surprised it’s so far below Please Please Me, because I think this is definitely a better album than that. I suppose a lot of folks are drawn in by the mystique of Please Please Me being their debut album (and the very groovy detail that 10 of the 14 songs were recorded in a single day.)

#196 – Help!

An underrated album in my opinion. I think it’s better than A Hard Day’s Night. The title track, “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Ticket to Ride,” & “Yesterday” are standout songs.

#319 – Yellow Submarine

“Hey Bulldog” and “It’s All Too Much” are excellent and the CD is worth getting just because of them. The George Martin instrumentals are mildly interesting (at least for a listen or two) but overall, I rarely break this out.

#325 – Beatles For Sale

Terribly underrated. I think the originals on this album outpace those on Please Please Me & With The Beatles yet you see how it’s easily outsold by those two earlier albums. The opening three songs (“No Reply,” “I’m A Loser,” & “Baby’s in Black”) are a great mood setter. Sure it loses it’s way a bit with the covers (which are pretty bad for the most part) but if you listen to it as an 8 song EP (just the Lennon/McCartney originals) it’s really quite good.

#338 – The Red Album (’62-’66)

See below. I’m surprised this one is beating out the ’67-’70 set, but perhaps it’s because of the type of people who prefer getting a greatest hits collection also being the type of people who prefer the earlier simpler Beatles to the later more psychedelic Beatles? Just a theory.

#402 – The Blue Album (’67-’70)

Considering that this is not remastered (although it was mastered in the ’90s and I think it sounds better than the ’80s CDs) and that it’s $27.99, I don’t think this is much of a deal. I understand some folks just like rolling with greatest hits CDs, but really, the albums are where it’s at. Although, I must admit – I became a Beatles fan because of this very greatest hits compilation. There’s no doubt that it’s amazing collection of songs.

#433 – Love

This is a pretty interesting CD, although I wouldn’t recommend it for people new to their music. I think it’s more for people who have already heard all of their albums countless times and who will enjoy picking out where the different bits are coming from and listening to the unusual combinations of different songs (the “Tomorrow Never Knows” + “Within You Without You” combo was particularly effective, so much so that they included in The Beatles Rock Band.)

#1479 – Let It Be… Naked

This is a cool idea, in theory. Release Let It Be as it was originally meant to be heard, rough & ready without Phil Spector’s often overbearing orchestration (most notably on “The Long and Winding Road.”) Unfortunately I don’t think this CD really gets that idea across. The big problem for me is that the remastering is way too “clean” on this version (which was released in 2003) and that takes away from the mood that the album should be setting. I think this track listing with these more stripped back mixes would work real nicely with the more “organic” and “warm” sounding approach that the 2009 remasters took.

#1641 – Anthology 1

#1673 – Anthology 2

#1773 – Anthology 3

I’m a bit surprised that these Anthology CDs are not doing better but on the other hand they’ve been around since ’95 and ’96 and they’re not what’s being hyped right now (obviously.) These are not a good introduction to the band (the new remasters of their official catalog are) but these are excellent for the fan who already owns all of their studio albums. It’s interesting for hardcore fans to hear these alternate versions of the songs they already love (and there are some previously unreleased songs too such as the surreal “What’s the New Mary Jane?” on Anthology 3. And by the way, Anthology 3 is my favorite of the the three sets because it contains the most tracks that are the most different from the officially released versions.)

#2234 – Yellow Submarine Songtrack

This is a 1999 release which is entirely different from (and far better than) the original Yellow Submarine album. It’s not only remastered, but it’s also remixed. For example, this is the place to go if you want to hear a stereo version of “Eleanor Rigby” with the vocals in the middle. This is a great CD for fans who already own all of their studio albums.

#3370 – The Capitol Albums Vol. 2

Looks to be a bit more popular than Vol. 1 (see below.)

#4278 – Live at the BBC

Their only live album. Strictly for fans of the early era as there’s nothing from anything after the Help! album on it. Most of the songs are covers.

#4839 – The Capitol Albums Vol. 1

This box set of the American versions of their early albums was initially released in 2004. This seems like something for only the biggest “completest” especially with the new remasters now available. I guess it is kind of interesting to hear how American audiences first heard them back in the ’60s but overall I think it’s more righteous to dig the UK versions as they were intended.

Old Beatles CDs

All of the above are the new 2009 remastered versions but their old 1987 remasters are still being sold as well. I’m not sure if people are actively looking for the old CDs for some reason or if they’re buying them by accident but they’re still selling at a pretty good clip, for example the old version of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is currently at #831.

Beatles Vinyl

Although there are rumors of the new 2009 remasters being released on vinyl next year, there are still a lot of people buying the old masters on vinyl, for example the vinyl version of Abbey Road is currently at #414 in music (beating out quite a few of the CDs above.)

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