Classic Rock Legends Open the Vault for Massive Box Set Featuring 92 Unreleased Tracks

During the 1970s, the Who spent a great deal of time in the studio, putting the final touches on their seventh studio album, The Who by Numbers. At the time of its release, the album received mixed reviews as it peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums chart. In the United States, it finished at No. 8 on the US Billboard 200. But over the years, songs like “Squeeze Box” became a classic in the group’s lineup. And now, with five decades passing since its release, the Who was giving it the box set treatment that was the holy grail for any diehard fan. 

Already available to preorder on the band’s website, the limited edition box set will be released on October 30. For those wanting to take home a piece of history, the special LP started at $29 for just the vinyl. But looking at the full deluxe edition, that price climbed to over $200. But again, the 50th anniversary release came with hours and hours of timeless music. 

Giving just a sample of what comes with the special edition, the box set included:

Remastered version
Pete Townshend’s original demos
Alternate versions of the songs
Studio jams from the tracking sessions
Audio from the June 12, 1976 concert in Swansea, Wales
Video from the Dec. 6, 1975 concert in Pontiac, Michigan
Blu-ray Disc with an Atmos mix
5.1 mix
New stereo mix
92 unreleased audio tracks total
Early mix of “Imagine a Man” with Pete Townshend on vocals
100-page book about the creation of the album 

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Why ‘The Who By Numbers’ Mattered So Much To The Band

Aside from concerts and unreleased music, the box set featured statements from members like Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey. According to Daltrey, the album was an in-depth analysis of their insecurities. “In some ways, The Who By Numbers is my favorite [Who] album. For me, songs like ‘Imagine A Man’, ‘How Many Friends’ and ‘However Much I Booze’ expose our vulnerabilities, and the album is wonderful for that.” 

And for Townshend, he considered it to be one of his most personal projects. “The Who By Numbers is a tricky album to talk about. It’s the only one where I allowed songs that were so personal to be used by the Who.”  

Pouring their heart, soul, and fear into the album, The Who created a record that captured the band at one of its most vulnerable moments. Now, 50 years later, the group was opening the vault and letting fans experience that period like never before. 

Don’t miss the 50th anniversary release of The Who By Numbers, hitting shelves on October 30. 

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)