In 1982, to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of “Love Me Do” — The Beatles’ first UK single — EMI reissued the track in a special picture sleeve. A picture disc version was also released.
This reissue marked the beginning of an eight-year campaign: on the 20th anniversary of each of The Beatles’ official UK singles, EMI released a corresponding commemorative edition. Each reissue came in a new picture sleeve and was made available both as a standard black vinyl single and as a picture disc.
For collectors, completing the full set of 22 singles required patience — it wasn’t until 1990 that the final release appeared. Below is the full release schedule for the series:
- Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You (Parlophone – October 4, 1982)
- Please Please Me / Ask Me Why (Parlophone – January 10, 1983)
- From Me to You / Thank You Girl (Parlophone – April 11, 1983)
- She Loves You / I’ll Get You (Parlophone – August 22, 1983)
- I Want to Hold Your Hand / This Boy (Parlophone – November 28, 1983)
- Can’t Buy Me Love / You Can’t Do That (Parlophone – March 19, 1984)
- A Hard Day’s Night / Things We Said Today (Parlophone – July 9, 1984)
- I Feel Fine / She’s a Woman (Parlophone – November 26, 1984)
- Ticket to Ride / Yes It Is (Parlophone – April 9, 1985)
- Help! / I’m Down (Parlophone – July 23, 1985)
- We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper (Parlophone – December 2, 1985)
- Paperback Writer / Rain (Parlophone – June 9, 1986)
- Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby (Parlophone – August 5, 1986)
- Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (Parlophone – February 16, 1987)
- All You Need Is Love / Baby You’re a Rich Man (Parlophone – July 6, 1987)
- Hello, Goodbye / I Am the Walrus (Parlophone – November 23, 1987)
- Lady Madonna / The Inner Light (Parlophone – March 14, 1988)
- Hey Jude / Revolution (Apple – August 30, 1988)
- Get Back / Don’t Let Me Down (Apple – April 10, 1989)
- The Ballad of John and Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (Apple – May 30, 1989)
- Something / Come Together (Apple – October 30, 1989)
- Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) (Apple – March 3, 1990)
