Beatles’ ‘Rubber Soul’ Super Deluxe: Essential Listen Despite Evolving Track Lists
The new "Super Deluxe" edition of The Beatles' ‘Rubber Soul’ offers a compelling argument for its place among their best. Its importance transcends the historical variations in the album's track lists, making this boxed set essential for fa
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Oct 4, 2026 3:56pm PT
Is ‘Rubber Soul’ the Beatles’ Best Album? The Answer to That is as Malleable as the Shifting Track Lists, but This ‘Super Deluxe’ Is Super Essential: Boxed Set Review
By Chris Willman
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Chris Willman
Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic
ChrisWillman
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What is the Beatles ‘ best album? “The one you’re listening to right now” is always the correct answer, of course, and that could encompass “Meet the Beatles” or “Let It Be” at any given moment. But for most fans who aren’t just being sentimental about their first point of entry, it’s usually going to come down to a pick among five — “Rubber Soul,” “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “The Beatles” and “Abbey Road” — with the first-mentioned there sometimes being the last-cited, because that 1965 transitional LP isn’t as fully ambitious in scope as those that followed. “Rubber Soul” is undoubtedly among the most influential albums ever released, make no mistake. Yet it was arguably the last Beatles record (at least until “Let It Be”) that was tossed off reasonably casually, on deadline, and not consciously aiming at being some kind of tour de force.
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_Originally reported by [Variety Music](https://variety.com/2026/music/album-reviews/beatles-rubber-soul-super-deluxe-boxed-set-review-1236898774/)._
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