Sgt Pepper’s release date

June 1 or May 26?

On 1 June 2017, most people around the UK will be celebrating the 50th anniversary since the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It’s a little-known fact however, that the release date was actually brought forward by EMI to the 26 May, 1967.

The iconic album was originally scheduled for release on 1 June in the UK, but on the 26 May 1967, Sgt. Pepper was given a rushed release. The US release followed on 2 June.

Leading Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn confirms: “The UK release of Sgt Pepper was brought forward from June 1 to May 26 1967, and I know that copies were in some shops in London the day before this, May 25”.

Confirming the rush-release is this news item from NME on June 3, 1967.

Of course, this gives the Jimi Hendrix Experience plenty of time to rehearse the title track for their June 4 performance.

Published in NME June 3,1967 but compiled from data with a Tuesday May 30 deadline.

In 2017, according to a mid week update from The British Chart Company, Sgt Pepper (24,385 sales as of yesterday) is currently at No.1 in the albums chart, ahead of Ed Sheeran’s ÷, which is at No.2 on 16,952 sales. Rag’N’Bone Man’s Human is at No.3 on 11,702 sales, with The Charlatans Different Days a new entry at No.4 on 10,190 sales. Harry Styles’ self-titled debut is at No.5 having sold 6,977 copies so far this week. These figures were all published yesterday.

Still haunting the Fabs: Engelbert Humperdinck

Over at Amazon.com, the four constellations of the Sgt Pepper album are all in the top 10 best selling CD and vinyl albums list, with the super deluxe at #1.