Rock & Roll Globe’s Best Reissues of 2025

As the end of the year approaches, it’s naturally a time to look back, not only on the preceding months, but on certain musical memories as well.

As always, the record buyer, has been thoroughly tempted thanks to a flood of reissues and rereleases, begging the temptation to repurchase an album that may be already owned due to the addition of bonus tracks and other offerings in the form of booklets, liner notes, new packaging, and the other accoutrements mean to lure a customer to spend a few more dollars in pursuit of his or her obsessive desires.

To make the choice easier, we here at Rock & Roll Globe have narrowed down a list of recent reissued albums and box sets that made entry into the marketplace in 2025. – Lee Zimmerman 

 

David Bowie

I Can’t Give Everything Away: 2002-2016 (Rhino/Parlophone)

The latest in a series of box sets outlining specific periods in Bowie’s chameleon-like career, I Can’t Give Everything Away focuses in on 2002 – 2016, a prolific era that allowed the former Ziggy Stardust and Thin White Duke to take flight with more experimental and obtuse intentions that satisfied his own creative impulses even as they eschewed the commercial possibilities of his earlier efforts. Indeed, the title seems to indicate that Bowie was content to pursue his ambitions without any need to acquiesce to a wide audience. Nevertheless, Bowie boosters ought to take heed — the box contains three remastered original albums, a pair of live CDs (including his performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, released here for the first time), two EPs and a bonus disc containing single versions, B-sides and kick recordings. A companion book sheds further light on this otherwise obscure point in Bowie’s exceptional career. (Note: due to small print, reading glasses may be required.) – Lee 

 

The Monkees

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd.: Super Deluxe Edition (Rhino)

Produced by longtime archivist Andrew Sandoval, who also pens the expert liner notes, this super deluxe edition of The Monkees’ best studio LP is exploding with an astounding array of previously unreleased session recordings. In addition to such treasures as alternate takes on “The Door Into Summer” and “She Hangs Out” along with instrumental versions of faves like “Words,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “Daily Nightly,” the set also offers several mixes of songs made specifically for TV, like “Daydream Believer,” that have never appeared on a physical set before, not to mention an early demo of “A Man Without a Dream,” which would later be cut for 1969’s Instant Replay. A bonus 7-inch single rounds out the collection with previously unreleased alternate mono mixes of “Love Is Only Sleeping” and “Goin’ Down.” – Ron Hart

 

Neil Young

Tonight’s The Night 50th Anniversary Edition (Reprise Records)

It’s been 50 years since the release of one of Neil Young’s most pointed and personal LPs, the dark and rather dire Tonight’s The Night. Written in the wake of the drug demise of friend and bandmates Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry, it still ranks as an exceptionally memorable set of songs, a warning of sorts to those who teeter on the edge of the abyss. The new version includes six heretofore unreleased bonus tracks, including an unlikely take on “Raised on Robbery” with Joni Mitchell. It’s released in conjunction with the latest in the series of Young’s ongoing official box sets, a compendium of another four classic Young albums, Harvest Moon, Unplugged, Sleeps With Angels and Mirror Ball. – Lee 

 

America
Hearts (Omnivore Recordings)

The Sir George Martin-produced Hearts still ranks as one of America’s most memorable LPs, having spawned the hits “Daisy Jane” and “Sister Golden Hair.” Those two songs alone offer reason for a revisit, but the current expanded version adds further temptation, courtesy of varied versions of the original songs — some with strings, another with simply acoustic guitar and a take on “Sister Golden Hair” (“Con Tu Pelo Tan Dorado”) en Espanol. – Lee 

 

Unrest

Perfect Teeth: 30th Anniversary Edition (4AD)

Originally released in the day after my 20th birthday in August of 1993, Perfect Teeth closed the chapter on one of the important indie rock entities of the era — recorded at Pachyderm Studios only a few days after Nirvana leveled the rustic Minnesota space with the creation of In Utero. This belated 30th anniversary edition adds to the story with Extra Teeth, a collection of rarities from the era that further codifies the pop genius of this Mark Robinson/Bridget Cross/Phil Krauth lineup. 

 

Rain Parade

Crashing Dream Deluxe (Label 51 Recordings)

Though it might be overshadowed by the band’s acclaimed debut Emergency Third Rail Power Trip and the departure of David Roback from the fold, the Rain Parade’s second album remains a formidable document of quality mid-80s jangle pop that helped bring their scene, LA’s Paisley Underground movement, such international renown. In recognition of its 40th anniversary, Label 51 Recordings indeed did a fantastic job reminding fans of college radio’s Silver Age by expanding the original 10-track LP to include a bonus disc loaded with demos and live cuts that further present the creative fertility the band experienced during this time. They might have broken up shortly after its release, but Crashing Dream deserves this second wind it gets here. – Ron

 

John Weider

Self-titled (Think Like A Key Records)

Moonrider

Moonrider (Think Like A Key Records)

John Weider’s tenure in the New Animals and the pop-oriented British band Family did little to raise his profile here in the States, but that doesn’t demean his individual efforts. Credit goes to Think Like A Key Records for bringing two of Weider’s most prominent solo projects back to the surface, those being Weider’s eponymous debut offering and that of his short-lived band Moonrider, which also found Elvis Costello and the Attractions’ bass player Bruce Thomas in tow. Both albums are decidedly melodic, easily accessible and well worth a spin. Sadly, Weider passed away earlier this year, which makes these two discs a well-deserved requiem. – Lee

The Beckies
Good To Know: The Beckies Story (Omnivore Recordings)

Undeniably obscure, The Beckies were formed by one Michael Brown, the musician behind the chamber pop band The Left Banke (“Walk Away Renee”) and Stories, a harder edge combo  featuring singer Michael Lloyd (“Brother Louie”). The Beckies continued to share Brown’s penchant for Beatle-esque melodies and could of — should of propelled them to the top of the charts. Unfortunately, the band released only one album, but those who have always yearned to hear me now have that opportunity with Omnivore Records’ belated release of Good To Know: The Beckies Story, a double disc set boasting the self-titled debut and an entire disc of demos, many of which were undoubtedly intended for the band’s sophomore set. Indeed, they’re polished and precise, belying any test trial intentions. – Lee

 

Buckingham Nicks 

Buckingham Nicks (Rhino)

After spending much of its existence in OOP oblivion, one of the most sought-after albums in rock history finally got the proper rollout it should’ve enjoyed with Polydor in 1973. This gorgeous remastered edition of Buckingham Nicks illustrates just how crucial their songwriting style would be to Fleetwood Mac upon the duo joining the band after producer Keith Olsen played Mick Fleetwood the song “Frozen Love.” It’s a mitzvah this album has finally gotten the release it deserves 52 years later, and still sounds as fresh as it did back in the day. – Ron

 

Christopher Cross

All Right: The Worldwide Singles 1980-1988 (Omnivore Recordings)

Christoper Cross’s remarkable debut LP was responsible for no less than five Grammy nods his first time out, a remarkable accomplishment by any measure. While the new All Right compilation gathers those  hits, it adds a string of B-sides and deep cuts over the course of its two CDs. Those that still have fond memories of when Cross’s music dominated the Top 40 will find that All Right does indeed live up to its name.  – Lee

 

Tears For Fears

Songs From the Big Chair: 40th Anniversary Edition (Mercury)

As far as many Americans were concerned, Songs From The Big Chair was the first real introduction to the British duo Tears For Fears., thanks in large part to the mega success of the hit single “Shout,” an irresistible anthem of sorts that aimed for the rafters and left listeners compelled to simply sing along. In truth however, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith had achieved substantial success in their native UK earlier on. Still, there’s no denying the fact that Songs From The Big Chair was a major milestone in the band’s career, reason enough for a new expanded three CD reissue, featuring alternate, edited and extended versions of the album’s original songs, plus remixes, a handful of B-sides and even an exclusive interview with Orzabel and Smith. The booklet that’s included with the set does a fine job of recapping the group’s career, making it a timely revisit for fans and a belated introduction for those who somehow remain unaware. Taken in tandem, it pays heed to the statement shared in another of their famous titles, “Everybody Wants To Rule the World.” Indeed, as far as the airwaves were concerned, this band did just that. – Lee 

 

Patti Smith

Horses: 50th Anniversary Edition (Legacy Recordings)

It was my unshakable faith in R.E.M. that led me to Horses in high school, and in college. I found a vinyl copy at Rhino Records in New Paltz, New York, for like $4.99. Patti’s spirit on this album still hits me the same way it did the first time I heard her sing, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine.” Catholicism hitting the bricks, respecting the man but recognizing the real. This 50th anniversary edition, which includes eight previously unreleased songs like the jubilant “Snowball” and a guitar-led version of “Birdland,” along with Patti’s 1975 RCA audition tape with a primal run through “Gloria: In Excelsis Deo” and a run through “Redondo Beach.” Produced with love by longtime Patti Smith Group member Tony Shanahan, this is by far the best version of Horses to come out since the first pressing. Save your other versions for liner notes and stuff, though. – Ron

 

The Beatles

Anthology 4 (Apple/Universal)

Long ago, the ex-Beatles insisted that there was no unreleased music remaining in the vaults and that everything of note had already been made public. That of course proved false when the Anthology series first appeared in the ‘90s, and subsequent reissues of their later albums were released with any number of outtakes and alternate versions. Indeed, some 30 years on from the first three-part Anthology series, it could easily be assumed that that’s now the case. Nevertheless, with the release of what’s been termed as The Beatles last single, “Now and Then,” it’s clear that Apple hasn’t given up on giving the Fab’s fans yet another lingering look at their heroes’ legacy. For those that own the original multi-disc Anthology, the idea of spending more money on another arguably expensive repurchase might seem too much of a financial  investment even for the most diehard devotees. Fortunately Apple is offering buyers the option of simply picking up Anthology 4 without having to re-purchase the entire anthology. The various Giles Martin remixes of The Beatles’ “Now and Then,” as well as “Real Love” and “Free As A Bird” will likely prove the major temptation to at least buy Anthology 4, however given the fact that there are only 13 new unreleased tracks amongst the 36 selections, buyers are in fact forced to duplicate much of what they already have. So while it’s sad there aren’t more new unearthed nuggets, this is The Beatles after all, and any new material whatsoever requires a new for absolute acquisition.

Wings

WINGS Deluxe (Capitol/UMe)

By the way, and while we’re at it, the new Wings self-titled collection featuring 32 of the band’s hits and deeper cuts also makes a cool Christmas gift. It’s a nice overview, and while there are no curios included, other than some deeper cuts, the booklet of pictures and notes on the original albums (including a foreword from Macca himself) may be the tipping point when it comes to acquiring this compilation. – Lee

 

Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg

No Resemblance Whatsoever (Omnivore Recordings)

No Resemblance Whatsoever, the follow-up to Fogelberg and Weisberg’s initial collaboration, Twin Sons Of Different Mothers, was a belated sequel of sorts in the fact that it took 17 years for it to follow the pair’s debut. Released exactly 30 years ago,  it catered to both men’s soft pop, jazz-lite inclinations, making it a pleasant, if somewhat unobtrusive entry. Omnivore’s rerelease adds no bonus tracks, but given the fact it was rather overlooked to begin with, it allows for a pleasant diversion regardless. – Lee

 

Drive By Truckers

The Definitive Decoration Day (New West Records)

The Drive By Truckers take a return route to the album many consider the band’s definitive masterpiece, Decoration Day. With expanded artwork and expansive liner notes to boot, fans are offered a double dip of Drive By treasures — the original remastered album and a special bonus disc recorded live at Flicker Bar in the band’s hometown of Athens, Georgia a full year before Decoration Day’s release. With stripped-down takes on most of the forthcoming album’s tracks — many performed for the first time ever — these live recordings showcase the band at the peak of their early prowess. Notably, Decoration Day lived up to its title, earning several kudos at the Athfest/Flagpole Music Awards. – Lee

 

Pink Floyd

Wish You Were Here 50th Anniversary (Legacy Recordings)

The forever masters of classic psychedelia, Pink Floyd segued from ‘60s cult status to mainstays of the masses with Dark Side of the Moon, one of the best-selling albums of all time. Its follow-up, Wish You Were Here, didn’t quite achieve the stellar success of its predecessor, but it was no less masterful in its own right. Now, on the 50th anniversary of its original release, it’s been expanded from its original five selections to a multi-disc set featuring demos, early takes, alternative mixes, and, best of all, a live 1975 concert from the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The hefty price notwithstanding, it’s all but essential for the true Floyd fan. – Lee 

 

Carly Rae Jepsen

E•MO•TION: 10th Anniversary Edition (School Boy Records/Interscope Records)

Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen proved she was no one-hit wonder when she released her excellent, ’80s-kissed sonic odyssey E•MO•TION a decade ago to universal fanfare and critical acclaim while opening the floodgates to the current swell of girlypop greats dominating the charts. This 10th Anniversary Edition, pressed on magenta swirl vinyl, expands the original LP with not only all of the previously released bonus material contained on earlier deluxe editions and Target exclusives (including the pulsing “Black Heart” and the uplifting “Favourite Colour”) but an extra four rare studio tracks from the era (“Guardian Angel” should have easily made the original cut) and a pair of remixes for the hit single “Run Away With Me” by Kyle Shearer and Rostam, respectively. – Ron

 

Emmylou Harris
Spyboy Live (New West Records)

Recorded during one of the most prolific times in her career, Emmylou Harris shifted gears and teamed up with Buddy Miller to form a band called Spyboy that also included Brady Blade on drums and Daryl Johnson on bass. Although it was a decided step away from her earlier country-crafted albums, the live recording that resulted from their tour included several songs that have since become among her trademark tunes — “I Ain’t Living Long Like This, “Love Hurts,” “Boulder To Birmingham,” and “Born To Run” (note: it’s not the Springsteen song!). The fact that it was sandwiched between the release of Wrecking Ball and Red Dirt Girl confined it to cult status at the time, but given this long overdue rerelease, it offers opportunity to consider it one of the most essential offerings in the entirety of Emmylou’s indelible career. – Lee 

 

Bruce Springsteen

Nebraska ‘82 (Legacy Recordings)

As the current biopic “Bruce Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”seems to suggest, the road to Nebraska, the otherwise unexpected stripped down solo album by the once and always Boss, was strewn with false starts, troubles and tribulations. The uncertainty is manifest in the new four disc box set Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition, in which the sample selections uncover Springsteen’s initial attempts to create a purely unadorned acoustic album that would take him further into the Heartland. Coming on the heels of the even more massive The Lost Albums collection — seven heretofore unreleased Springsteen albums that never previously saw the light of day — it may seem like another example of a money grab from an artist who always espoused a certain blue collar sensibility. Nevertheless, when the Boss speaks, his followers always listen. – Lee 

 

Ray Charles

Come Live With Me, No One Does It Like… Ray Charles, Love Country Style, Ingredients In a Recipe For Soul (Tangerine Records)

‘Nuff said. Brother Ray gets his due with vinyl reissues of four essential albums — Come Live With Me, No One Does It Like… Ray Charles, Love Country Style, and Ingredients In a Recipe For Soul. In truth, each of these albums live up to the promise of the latter, given the fact that Charles was an innovator who could successfully segue from style to style and still invest each with his singular personality and perspective. If you’ve ever wondered where Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood and so many others got their initial inspiration, it was Ray all the way. – Lee

 

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Bold As Love (Experience Hendrix/Legacy Recordings)

While Electric Ladyland is often lauded as his masterpiece, Axis: Bold As Love set the stage for all that might have come later had it not been for his all-too-early demise. Consequently, the Bold As Love box set allows the diehard devotee to dive in deep while exploring the various recordings surrounding a masterwork of exceptional proportions. Each set features 27 previously unreleased recordings from 1967, including demos and alternate takes, as well as television and radio performances. This deluxe edition includes the stereo and mono mixes for the Axis: Bold As Love LP, all newly remastered from the original flat master tapes. A 36-page booklet rounds out the packaging complete with rare photos, detailed liner notes, and track-by-track insights. Unlike the albums pieced together in the wake of Hendrix’s passing, Bold As Love is a cohesive collection centered around a captivating core. Likewise, it’s relatively reasonably priced as well. – Lee

 

Robin Trower

For Earth Below: 50th Anniversary Edition (Chrysalis)

Speaking of Hendrix, the guitarist who could rightfully be called his heir apparent — and no, we’re not speaking of Stevie Ray Vaughn — is none other than Robin Trower. Once a key member of Procol Harum, he veered into a solo career that brought him to even higher heights. Now expanded to a four disc set, Trower’s third album For Earth Below, gets the expanded treatment it so decidedly deserves. The original album is given a newly unearthed ex tended stereo mix and accompanied by a disc of outtakes, rarities and BBC sessions, much of which has never been released before. In addition, there’s a fantastic concert recording taped live in Los Angeles. – Lee 

 

The Who
Who Are You: Super Deluxe Edition (Polydor)

Who Are You, The Who’s final album with the late great Keith Moon, could be considered a swan song of sorts, given that critics and fans alike consider it the last of the band’s truly great albums. Indeed, they were never the same after Moonie’s passing. The Who’s earlier epic albums have mostly all been given the box set treatment, making this a belated well-deserved rediscovery. The CD version offers the most additives, including the usual array of demos, outtakes and rehearsal entries, but both it and the LP version feature the most prized possession of all, a live concert from the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan (sadly without Keith of course). The arched title track is the one most people remember, but so too, the cover photo showing Moon sitting on a chair marked “Not To Be Taken Away” remains an unlikely epitaph. – Lee

 

Tina Turner 

Private Dancer: 40th Anniversary Edition (Rhino)

Rock ‘n’ roll’s eternal acid queen broke free from the tethers of an untenable and violent marriage with Ike Turner to re-emerge in 1984 with her greatest album — a powerful comeback that asserted her place in the rock and pop pantheon with a string of smash hits including “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Better Be Good To Me,” the title track and the Missy Elliott-sampling “I Can’t Stand the Rain.” This 40th anniversary edition of Dancer is the most definitive to hit the market, brimming with five CDs of rare B-sides, non-album singles, dub versions, remixes, extended plays plus two discs of live material. The blu-Ray, meanwhile, contains a newly upgraded 55-minute show from the Private Dancer Tour filmed at the NEC in Birmingham, England, that includes appearances by both David Bowie and Bryan Adams along with five digitally upgraded videos from the era. Tina Turner may be gone from this planet, but the brilliance of her best album continues to grow and evolve with each passing generation. – Ron 

 

Lotti Golden

Motor-Cycle (High Moon Records)

Hailed by Jerry Wexler as potentially the greatest single pop artist since Aretha Franklin upon signing her to Atlantic Records in 1967, New York City teen songwriter Lotti Golden blew minds with her debut LP Motor-Cycle, beautifully remastered and expanded by High Moon Records nearly 60 years after it was originally issued. Working with legendary producer Bob Crewe, Motor-Cycle is possibly the first concept album conceived by a woman in rock, filled with characters and storylines from her time growing up on the Lower East Side and augmented by a psychedelic swirl of funk, soul and blues that felt ahead of its time. “Motor-Cycle transported me back to the ’60s in a way not many records do,” writes punk poet Richard Hell in the liner notes to this fascinating reissue. “There’s no irony or second-guessing: Golden’s all in, a psychedelic daughter of the Beat generation, among her equally hippie cohort, in swirls of free-loving, drug-chasing, multiracial, pan-sexual abandon.” – Ron

 

Elton John
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy: 50th Anniversary Edition (Mercury Records)

Choosing one classic Elton John album above all the others would seem an unenviable task, and while Goodbye Yellow Brick Road frequently gets the honors, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy clearly deserves kudos of its own. It finally gets the treasured treatment courtesy of this new two disc revival that adds demos and various live tracks to the original release. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” “We All Fall In Love Sometimes,” “Philadelphia Freedom” and a cover of The Beatles’ “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds” remain the highlights, but in truth, every entry deserves rediscovery. – Lee 

 

Split Enz
ENZyclopedia Volumes One and Two (Chrysalis Records)

They’re admittedly obscure, but New Zealand’s Split Enz were the starting point int he eventual evolution of Crowded House. A clever, somewhat kooky outfit even by today’s standards, they were nevertheless, a Cleveland captivating bunch. ENZyclopedia offers the opportunity to explore their early albums, Mental Notes, Second Thoughts and The Beginning Of the Enz. They’re engaging, entertaining and proof positive that even now, 50 years on, the Enz justified the means. – Lee

 

The Dream Syndicate 

Medicine Show: I Know What You Like (Deluxe Edition) (Fire Records)

Originally released on A&M Records in 1984, The Dream Syndicate’s second album is like a myth discussed by only those who have the secret code to unlocking eternal college rock coolness. I love how with this deluxe edition they don’t even follow the concept of a proper reissue. This is more like an extension of the album — it’s its own thing entirely, focusing on how these songs evolved onstage and paired with spirited covers that possibly resulted in the only time solo Clapton was ever covered at CBGB. – Ron

 

The Pharcyde 

Labcabincalifornia: 30th Anniversary Edition (Craft Recordings)

Though sadly devoid of any meaningful liner notes by a hip-hop scholar close to the era, the deluxe version of this second Pharcyde album — which for many of us served as our first time hearing the genius of producer J. Dilla — is nonetheless a keen deeper dive into a mid-90s West Coast essential that elevated the group’s bizarre ride to a new plane of craftsmanship and intelligence. In addition to the remastered original LP, this 30th Anniversary Edition of Labcab includes a bonus disc featuring previously unreleased demos, instrumental tracks and Dilla remixes of such LP deep cuts as “She Said” and “Y?.” – Ron

 

The Cranberries 

No Need To Argue: 30th Anniversary Edition (UMG Recordings)

I spent 30-odd years writing off The Cranberries as commercial rock much to my detriment. However, upon listening to this 30th Anniversary Edition of their phenomenal second album No Need To Argue, I’ve rightfully seen the error of my ways. In addition to the original LP, remastered by Stephen Street and punctuated by such enduring hits as “Zombie” and “Ridiculous Thoughts,” this expanded set is further augmented by a bonus disc loaded with such goodies as two remixes of “Ode to My Family” and “Zombie” by Iain Cook of Chvrches, previously unreleased live tracks from the band’s breakthrough performance at Woodstock ’94 and a recently discovered demo of “Zombie.” Don’t be like me and spend three decades sleeping on this sophomore classic. – Ron