Have you already marked your calendars for the 09.09.09 release date of The Beatles: Rock Band? Did you start putting money aside for that pricey bundle with not-yet-announced instruments? Well, if you’re a huge Beatles fan, you should probably be sticking some more money in your mattress to save for that rainy day. Specifically, September 9, the day you were planning to buy The Beatles: Rock Band. On that same day, the band’s entire remastered catalogue will be re-released.

From the press release:

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK, and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles’ core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs. This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc. These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set.

Within each CD’s new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters'). As an added bonus, the mono “Help!” and “Rubber Soul” discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD. These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

Why is this relevant to video games? Well, it’s not, other than to show just how big a deal The Beatles: Rock Band is going to be. It’s big. Really big. That new music collection is also going to make a nice early Christmas present for someone. Hint, hint.

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