Boston to Reissue 1976 Debut Album for 50th Anniversary With Unreleased ‘Lost Demos’
Tom Scholz and Impex Records announced on August 25, 2026, that Boston’s self-titled 1976 debut album will receive a 50th anniversary expanded reissue, tentatively set for release in the second quarter of 2027. The news arrived exactly 50 years after the original album’s release date of August 25, 1976, with the band sharing the announcement on social media. The centerpiece of the new edition is a collection of previously unreleased “lost demos” that Scholz shopped to record labels before Boston signed with Epic Records, which he restored and remastered with the help of longtime Boston guitarist and producer Gary Pihl.
- Boston’s debut album was released on Epic Records on August 25, 1976.
- The reissue announcement was made on the album’s 50th anniversary, August 25, 2026.
- Release is tentatively planned for the second quarter of 2027.
- The gold vinyl edition will be individually numbered to 2,500 copies.
What’s Included in the Boston 50th Anniversary Reissue
The demos being restored for the release were left in their original sonic state even after remastering, according to the preorder page for the collection. Beyond the archival recordings, the package will include a newly conducted interview with Scholz along with a selection of photography, some of it never before published in print.
Impex Records plans to offer the anniversary edition in three formats:
- A 2-LP black vinyl edition with the original album mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, plus a bonus 12-inch EP of the lost demos sourced from one of the last surviving Tom Scholz demo reels, and a 12×12 booklet featuring an essay by music historian Charles L. “Chuck” Granata and historic photography by Ron Pownall and others.
- A 2-LP limited-edition metallic pearl gold vinyl pressing, individually numbered to 2,500 copies, which includes everything in the black vinyl edition plus an exclusive poster and a Tom Scholz signature guitar pick.
- An SACD Hybrid edition.
Who’s Working on the Boston Reissue
Tom Scholz is personally overseeing every stage of the reissue’s production in an effort to produce what the announcement describes as the most faithful version yet of the classic record. Impex Records founder Abey Fonn is serving as executive producer, while Scholz’s wife Kim Scholz and Gary Pihl are guiding the overall production team. Chuck Granata and Bob Donnelly are overseeing the lacquer cutting for the vinyl pressings, and publicist Gail Parenteau of Parenteau Guidance is managing promotion for the release.
Boston’s Debut Album Sales and Chart Success
Boston’s debut spent 132 weeks on the Billboard 200, climbing as high as No. 3 and staying in the chart’s Top 10 for 30 weeks. The album has sold more than 20 million copies and holds a double diamond certification from the RIAA, and it stood as the best-selling debut album in music history until 1986.
More Info
- Boston’s ‘Lost Demos’ Are Finally Being Released | Ultimate Classic Rock
- BOSTON – TOM SCHOLZ And Impex Records Announce 50th Anniversary Edition Of Iconic Debut Album | bravewords.com
- BOSTON: 50th-Anniversary Edition Of Iconic Debut Album To Include Rare Original Lost Demos | Blabbermouth
- 50 Years Later, Boston Is Finally Releasing Its ‘Lost’ Recordings | wror.com