History LimitedSpecialCollectorsUltimateEdition / Music

** The Music/LetItBe deluxe is the most recent release and has amongst it's editions; a standard single disc/[=LP=] version, a deluxe version that adds a second disc of various outtakes and rehearsals as well as Glynn Johns unreleased mix of ''Across the Universe'', and the Super Deluxe edition pulls out all the stops in providing the album, a disc of takes from the Apple recording sessions, a separate disc of rehearsals and jams (the vinyl packages these as a double [=LP=]), ''an entire, period accurate recreation imagining if the original Glynn Johns mix was released in 1969 like it was supposed to'', an [=EP=] of new mixes of either single versions of songs or Glynn Johns versions of songs, and the [=CD=] buying crowd get a Blu-Ray containing both a 5.1 Surround Sound mix and Dolby Atmos mix.

* Music/TheBeatles have so far had this treatment for four of their studio albums: Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand, Music/TheWhiteAlbum, Music/AbbeyRoad, and Music/LetItBe, each for their respective 50th anniversaries, although ''Let It Be'' was delayed due to the plague.

** The Music/AbbeyRoad editions included one with the album by itself available for both [=CD=] and Vinyl, a deluxe edition that adds at least one alternate take or demo of each song on a second disc, and the now standard Super Deluxe edition adds a third disc/LP containing more alternate takes and a rough edit of the Side 2 medley as well as a nice booklet.

* Music/TheBeatles got this treatment for two of their albums: Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand and Music/TheWhiteAlbum , each for their respective 50th anniversary.

** In TheNewTens, there were two-disc versions of his first two albums from TheSixties and a ''Music/StationToStation'' reissue that, in Special Edition form, includes two extra discs for his much-bootlegged Nassau Coliseum concert from 1976... and in ''Deluxe'' Edition form includes an additional two [=CDs=] (a repressing of the 1984 West German RCA CD and a collection of single edits), a [=DVD=] with a new surround sound mix, three [=LPs=] for the original album and the concert, and from there such items as replicas of the tour's press kit, the official fan club folder, etc. from this period. And there was a ''third'' set of special edition CD+DVD reissues for ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' and ''Music/AladdinSane'' in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

** In TheNewTens, there were two-disc versions of his first two albums from TheSixties and a ''Music/StationToStation'' reissue that, in Special Edition form, includes two extra discs for his much-bootlegged Nassau Coliseum concert from 1976... and in ''Deluxe'' Edition form includes an additional two [=CDs=] (a repressing of the 1985 West German RCA CD and a collection of single edits), a [=DVD=] with a new surround sound mix, three [=LPs=] for the original album and the concert, and from there such items as replicas of the tour's press kit, the official fan club folder, etc. from this period. And there was a ''third'' set of special edition CD+DVD reissues for ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' and ''Music/AladdinSane'' in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

** Every album since ''Music/KidA'' has had a limited edition that has come out at the same time or thereabouts as the regular edition. These all include additional artwork, and some of the later ones include bonus tracks.

** Every album since ''Music/{{Amnesiac}}'' has had a limited edition that has come out at the same time or thereabouts as the regular edition. These all include additional artwork, and some of the later ones include bonus tracks.
** In 2009, EMI re-released the first six albums with bonus tracks and videos.
** In 2017, the band released ''OKNOTOK'', the remastered 20th anniversary edition of ''Music/OKComputer'', in [=CD=], vinyl and digital formats. They have "something really cool" planned for ''Music/KidA'' in 2020 and ''Amnesiac'' in 2021.

** It started in TheNineties. Most of the Rykodisc re-releases of his 1969–80 back catalog over 1990–92 had bonus tracks (alternate takes, demos, unreleased songs, B-sides, etc.), and [=EMI=]/Virgin followed that up by giving his 1983–89 output the same treatment in 1995.
** At the TurnOfTheMillennium his newest albums had special editions available alongside the standard versions, and most of his solo output from TheNineties had bonus track-heavy and/or 2-disc versions (''Black Tie White Noise'' made it to three discs, but the last was a [=DVD=]). 2-disc reissues of three of his GlamRock albums turned up as well. His first two live albums were given additional tracks and reordered to match the original setlists, and ''Music/YoungAmericans'' included a bonus [=DVD=] of a 1974 TV interview and performance.

** In TheNewTens, there's been two-disc versions of his first two albums from TheSixties and a ''Music/StationToStation'' reissue that, in Special Edition form, includes two extra discs for his much-bootlegged Nassau Coliseum concert from 1976... and in ''Deluxe'' Edition form includes an additional two [=CDs=] (one with the mix the 1985 CD version had, one with the single versions of the songs), a [=DVD=] with a new surround sound mix of the album, three [=LPs=] for the original album and the concert, and from there such items as replicas of the tour's press kit, the official fan club folder, etc. from this period. And there was a ''third'' set of special edition reissues for ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' and ''Music/AladdinSane'' in 2012 and 2013, respectively (previously, it had been reissued in 1990 and 2002/2003).
** ''Five Years (1969–1973)'', ''Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976)'', ''A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982)'', and ''Loving the Alien (1983–1988)'', the four box sets released so far, each spanning a certain era of David's career, certainly count as well. Each box set contains all of his albums from the titular era in neat facsimiles of the original LP releases, right down to the fan club pamphlets included within, alongside a singles compilation CD, alternate mixes of some of the albums, and a comprehensive book about the era represented by its respective set. While the first two box sets earned considerable acclaim for the immense care put into them, the third one has earned criticism for some of Tony Visconti's heavier mixing choices, most infamously a volume drop partway through the {{title track}} of ''Music/HeroesDavidBowieAlbum'' that resulted in Parlophone having to issue amended replacement discs to fans following prolonged backlash. Time will tell how the fourth set will fare among the public, though at the moment reception seems to be positive.

* Music/PinkFloyd first had the 1992 box set ''Shine On'', with eight albums and a bonus CD called ''The Early Singles'', with the non-album singles from the Syd Barrett era. Then in 2007, the ''Oh, by the Way'' BoxedSet was released, compiling all of the band's studio albums up to that point in surprisingly accurate scale recreations of the original LP packaging. This is generally considered to be the best presentation of the albums from an aesthetic standpoint, though in terms of actual sound quality, fans will gladly point you in the 2011 ''Discovery'' and Pink Floyd Records remasters. Speaking of which, a third example of this trope came about concurrently with the 2011 remasters' release: as Pink Floyd's whole catalog was re-released, ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'', ''Music/WishYouWereHere'' and ''Music/TheWall'' all got both "Experience" editions adding a bonus disc (concerts in the case of the former two, work-in-progress versions for the last) and "Immersion" sets with bonus [=CDs=], DVD-Audio versions, videos on a DVD (and in all but ''The Wall'', both [=DVDs=] combined in a Blu-Ray), and {{Feelies}} such as scarves and marbles. ''Music/TheDivisionBell'' also received a deluxe box set for its 20th anniversary in 2014. And closing off the Pink Floyd Records remasters, the David Gilmour era received a special box set, ''The Later Years'', that had CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and many collectibles.

* Music/TheSmashingPumpkins (well, [[RevolvingDoorBand the newest version of the group]]) did the same with their seventh album, ''Zeitgeist'', to a ridiculous extent: there are six versions of the album, the bonuses of which are all exclusive. (Ironically, you can't get the song ''Zeitgeist'' unless you buy it at Target.)
** In a similar case of irony, you can't get the song "The Colour and the Shape" on the album ''The Colour and the Shape'' (both by Music/FooFighters, by the way) unless you get the 10th anniversary edition of the album. Like the Pumpkins' ''Zeitgeist'', it includes six bonus tracks; unlike ''Zeitgeist'', they're all on the same version of the album.

* Music/{{ACDC}} had their box set ''Backtracks'' with a deluxe edition housed in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW7srJ8qJU0 an operating guitar amplifier]]''. Their "soundtrack" to ''Music/IronMan2'' had also a collector's edition packaged as a hardcover book, featuring an Comicbook/IronMan comic reprint (along with other goodies).

* Music/PinkFloyd first had the 1992 box set ''Shine On'', with eight albums and a bonus CD called ''The Early Singles'', with the non-album singles from the Syd Barrett era. Then in 2007, the ''Oh, by the Way'' BoxedSet was released, compiling all of the band's studio albums up to that point in surprisingly accurate scale recreations of the original LP packaging. This is generally considered to be the best presentation of the albums from an aesthetic standpoint, though in terms of actual sound quality, fans will gladly point you in the 2011 ''Discovery'' and Pink Floyd Records remasters. Speaking of which, a third example of this trope came about concurrently with the 2011 remasters' release: as Pink Floyd's whole catalog was re-released, ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'', ''Music/WishYouWereHere'' and ''Music/TheWall'' all got both "Experience" editions adding a bonus disc (concerts in the case of the former two, work-in-progress versions for the last) and "Immersion" sets with bonus [=CDs=], DVD-Audio versions, videos on a DVD (and in all but ''The Wall'', both [=DVDs=] combined in a Blu-Ray), and {{Feelies}} such as scarves and marbles. Music/TheDivisionBell also received a deluxe box set for its 20th anniversary in 2014.

* Rhino Records releases boxed-sets containing (usually) all or a selection of a group's studio albums with alternate versions, b-sides and the like. They've done it with Music/TheGratefulDead, Music/TalkingHeads, Music/TheDoors, and Music/BlackSabbath, among others. The fact that these sets usually cost upwards of $50 AND are sometimes only part of a band's output is a bit grating, although when some of them include extensive liner notes and surround-sound, it's worth it.

* Music/PinkFloyd first had the 1992 box set ''Shine On'', with eight albums and a bonus CD called ''The Early Singles'', with the songs from the Syd Barrett era. Then in 2007, the ''Oh, by the Way'' BoxedSet was released, compiling all of the band's studio albums up to that point in surprisingly accurate scale recreations of the original LP packaging. This is generally considered to be the best presentation of the albums from an aesthetic standpoint, though in terms of actual sound quality, fans will gladly point you in the 2011 ''Discovery'' and Pink Floyd Records remasters. Speaking of which, a third example of this trope came about concurrently with the 2011 remasters' release: as Pink Floyd's whole catalog was re-released, ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon'', ''Music/WishYouWereHere'' and ''Music/TheWall'' all got both "Experience" editions adding a bonus disc (concerts in the case of the former two, work-in-progress versions for the last) and "Immersion" sets with bonus [=CDs=], DVD-Audio versions, videos on a DVD (and in all but ''The Wall'', both [=DVDs=] combined in a Blu-Ray), and {{Feelies}} such as scarves and marbles.

** 2013's ''Music/The Next Day'' was followed up eight months later with ''The Next Day Extra'', which featured a second CD, a DVD and three booklets.

** In 2017, the band released ''OKNOTOK'', the remastered 20th anniversary edition of ''Music/OKComputer'', in [=CD=], vinyl and digital formats. They have "something really cool" planned for ''Music/KidA'' in 2020.

* The reissue of Music/PearlJam's ''Music/{{Ten}}'' came in a bunch of versions. A two-CD "Legacy Edition" which came with a remastered version of the original album, a new remixed version of the album and half a dozen bonus tracks. The "Deluxe Edition" added in a DVD of their MTV Unplugged show, and a final "Super Deluxe Edition" had all the other stuff, a vinyl LP copy of the album and remixes, also sold on its own, a recording of a live show on vinyl, a replica of the early PJ demo cassettes, and a replica of Eddie Vedder's lyrics notebook. Admittedly, there were a lot of complaints about the mixing/production of the original album, but ''still''. Keep in mind that they're planning to do something similar for all of their albums, leading up to their 20th anniversary as a band. Follow-ups ''Vs.'' and ''Vitalogy'' were packaged together, in [[http://pearljam.com/music/albums/997/studio/18656/vs_and_vitalogy_-_20th_anniversary_editions either]] a regular version with both albums and bonus tracks, an expanded one adding a live album, and "Limited Edition Collector's Boxed Set (5 [=LPs=], 3 [=CDs=], 1 Cassette, Digital Download, Composition Notebook, Memorabilia-filled Envelope)".

* Certain record labels (for example, Creator/RoadrunnerRecords) have become infamous for releasing an album... then releasing it six months later with bonus tracks... then two years later with a bonus DVD... and it's even got to the point where they are releasing albums 10 years later with very little in the way of bonuses. There are currently at least five separate versions of Music/MercyfulFate's "Melissa" album available, not taking separate mediums into account ([=LPs=], Cassettes) or the astonishing amount of compilations or especially live albums with songs from the album on them. This has become a running joke within the music community to the point where almost no one buys a Roadrunner album upon its release, because they can get it six months later with bonus tracks.

** On Sgt. Pepper's, you got a new stereo remix, which was important as the original 1967 stereo mix was infamously a rush job, and for the longest time fan's would listen to the mono mix if given the chance. The remix was released separately as the Anniversary Edition, and was accompanied by the Deluxe Edition, which added a second disc containing out-takes and the non-album singles Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane, each of which also got a new stereo mix, and the Super Deluxe Edition, which contains the stereo remix, 2 more CDs containing the contents of disc 2 of the Deluxe Edition plus more, a 4th disc that contained the mono mix of the album and non-album singles as well as some alternative mixes, and a DVD and Blu-Ray that contains 5.1 surround sound mixes of the album and the non-album singles, as well as a documentary from 1992 that was previously subject to KeepCirculatingTheTapes, along with a book and some feelies, all packaged in an LP-sized lenticular version of the cover art.
** For Music/TheWhiteAlbum , you have... a few versions. The main three versions include a 3-CD deluxe edition, containing another (albeit more divisive) stereo remix of the original album on discs 1 and 2, and the Esher demos on disc 3. The release of the Esher demos are important because prior to 2018, the only official release was on Anthology 3, and even then you didn't get all of them. The only other options were low quality bootlegs. The next step up was a 4 LP vinyl record edition of the aforementioned deluxe edition, with the labels on the Esher demos being designed to look like a test pressing. The holy grail, however, was the Super Deluxe edition. You had 2 CDs housing the original album, remixed and all, the 3rd disc with the Esher demos, and an extra 3 discs worth of bonus content, including a [[EpicRocking 10-minute version of Revolution 1 and a 12-minute version of Helter Skelter]], a VERY prototypical version of Let It Be, and a take of Across the Universe at the end of it all. Also included was a Blu-Ray disc including 4 different mixes of the album: 2 different 5.1 surround sound mixes, the stereo version, and the mono mix, which is important as the Beatles deliberately put noticeable differences on the mono and stereo mixes (for example, on the mono mix, Helter Skelter ends immediately after the FakeOutFadeOut, while on the stereo mix keeps going). All of this is packaged withing a 164-page hardcover book containing recording notes, essays, memorabilia, and handwritten drafts of the lyrics, complete with the embossed lettering and serial number on the front. Not to mention the loads of bundles, include a $1600 VERSION of the 4 LP release that comes with a pure-white turntable made excludively for the anniversary release.

* Music/Radiohead have quite a few of these:

** On Sgt. Pepper's, you got a new stereo remix, which was important as the original 1967 stereo mix was infamously a rush job, and for the longest time fan's would listen to the mono mix if given the chance. The remix was released separately as the Anniversary Edition, and was accompanied by the Deluxe Edition, which added a second disc containing out-takes and the non-album singles Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane, each of which also got a new stereo mix, and the Super Deluxe Edition, which contains the stereo remix, 2 more CDs containing the contents of disc 2 of the Deluxe Edition plus more, a 4th disc that contained the mono mix of the album and non-album singles as well as some alternative mixes, and a DVD and Blu-Ray that contains 5.1 surround sound mixes of the album and the non-album singles, as well as a documentary from 1992 that was previously subject to KeepCirculatingTheTapes, along with a book and some feelies

* On September 9, 2009, EMI re-issued every album by Music/TheBeatles; the stereo mixes being released standalone and as a box set. A monaural set (the mono mixes preferred by the band and producer, plus mono mixes of the albums which were originally in stereo... with the albums being "[[http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wU1%2BXEVjL.jpg mini-LPs]]") was planned as a very limited edition with only 10,000 copies planned for release. Massive pre-orders forced EMI to reconsider. When it finally came out, it had sold 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week. In Japan, it sold 20,000. New copies can still be found at online retailers such as Amazon.

* A great example of a collector's edition done well is John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers' first studio album, ''Blues Breakers with Music/EricClapton''. It contains the 1966 mono version and 1969 stereo remix, features early recordings of the band, done at the BBC and also early singles and promotional material. You also find alternate takes on songs and even earlier versions of them. Last, but not least, you get multiple live tracks with the band. You also get a great booklet, detailing the band and also a copy of the original CD booklet. Plus, the [=CDs=] themselves are modeled to look like old [=LPs=].
* Music/SufjanStevens' ''Songs for Christmas'' collection got the deluxe box-set treatment: 5 discs, 40 pages of liner notes (including guitar tabs for most of the songs and short stories), an animated music video, a poster with a full-page comic strip on the back, and stickers. There was no VanillaEdition of ''Songs for Christmas''--most of the songs had leaked to the internet a year beforehand, and one suspects that this deluxe treatment was done to give fans some incentive to pay for songs they had already downloaded.

** The "6 months later with bonus tracks" scheme is especially done with R&B and pop music. Several labels will release an album by an artist and then re-release it 6 months later as a "special edition" and release one of the new songs a few months before to radio, basically forcing fans of an artist to buy the album again with the artists' new big hit on it. Sometimes a record company will pull this a ''second time'' by releasing the album with the original tracklist, the 6 tracks from the "special edition" and 2-4 more new tracks just so fans have to buy an artists' album ''again''.

* The re-release of Music/TheRollingStones ''Music/ExileOnMainSt'' got put out in ''four'' different formats: the regular single-CD version, a double-vinyl edition, a double-CD version with 10 bonus tracks, or if you [[CrackIsCheaper really wanted to splurge on it]], an limited-edition autographed version of the album signed by all the band members, which cost around '''$2000''' upon release. An additional release called ''Exile on Main St.: Rarities Edition'', which contained just the 10 bonus tracks, was also available exclusively at Target.

** In TheNewTens, there's been two-disc versions of his first two albums from TheSixties and a ''Music/StationToStation'' reissue that, in Special Edition form, includes two extra discs for his much-bootlegged Nassau Coliseum concert from 1976... and in ''Deluxe'' Edition form includes an additional two [=CDs=] (one with the mix the 1985 CD version had, one with the single versions of the songs), a [=DVD=] with a new surround sound mix of the album, three [=LPs=] for the original album and the concert, and from there such items as replicas of the tour's press kit, the official fan club folder, etc. from this period. And there was a ''third'' special edition reissue of ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' in 2012 (previously, it had been reissued in 1990 and 2002).