What's that he's doing? Paul McCartney has been releasing much of his solo catalogue on SHM-CD since last year - and with a new batch about to be imported to record stores, this seemed like the right time to spotlight them all.

Universal Music Group has not only gone in on high-quality SHM-CDs for release in Japan, but have recently been hyping them up for stateside collectors, releasing everything from out-of-print Quincy Jones titles to the first physical editions of a series of digital expanded editions of Sting's solo albums. (If you're new to the SHM world, our own Mike Duquette actually wrote an explainer for uDiscover Music!) Sporting high-quality manufacturing and luxe paper-sleeve packaging with full-color inserts, they're a neat addition to the shelves of any CD enthusiast - and with Macca approving new pressings of solo albums from the '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s - ostensibly using remasters included on box sets and reissues in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection - fans now have 20 opportunities to see what the fuss is all about.

The party started last September with new SHM editions of Paul's first five solo releases since leaving The Beatles: 1970's McCartney, 1971's Ram (recorded as a duo with his wife Linda) and Wild Life (the first album with his new band Wings), and 1973's Red Rose Speedway and Band on the Run. From studio experimentation to continuing pop/rock mastery, these releases proved the former Fab was hardly in danger of losing a step with audiences thanks to hits like "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," "My Love" and "Band on the Run," all of which topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Five more in December told the back half of the Wings story. Venus and Mars (1975) and Wings At the Speed of Sound (1976) continued their commercial hot streak with classic cuts like "Listen to What the Man Said," "Let 'Em In" and "Silly Love Songs." A 1976 tour was chronicled later that year on the triple-album (and double-CD) Wings Over America, featuring a barn-burning hit version of McCartney standout "Maybe I'm Amazed" as well as five renditions of some of Paul's most treasured tunes with The Beatles ("Yesterday," "Blackbird," "Lady Madonna"). This batch closed out with the 1977 oddity Thrillington - an easy listening version of Ram recorded shortly after the album's release and credited to McCartney's alias Percy "Thrills" Thrillington - and the essential 1979 compilation Wings Greatest, which included many popular favorites never released on a Wings album, including McCartney's debut solo single "Another Day," the brassy James Bond theme "Live and Let Die," and the U.K. No. 1 "Mull of Kintyre."

This May, the third batch of McCartney SHMs summed up the cream of his solo work in the '80s. 1980's McCartney II arrived months after a controversial run-in with Japanese authorities over marijuana possession; it was so named because, like McCartney before it, he played every instrument himself - this time guided mostly by electronic synths and drum machines. (It remains a fan favorite, particularly by audiences born after John Lennon's death that year.) That tragic assassination influenced part of 1982's Tug of War, which was produced by longtime Beatles producer George Martin and featured team-ups with Carl Perkins ("Get It"), Stevie Wonder (the hit "Ebony and Ivory") and three tracks featuring drums by former bandmate Ringo Starr. 1983's Pipes of Peace was a similar, Martin-produced affair, featuring Starr, Stanley Clarke and Michael Jackson; McCartney and Jackson's "Say Say Say" topped the charts in the middle of Michael's Thriller period. Though McCartney's mid-'80s were marked by commercial misfires like the film Give My Regards to Broad Street and the nonetheless underrated Press to Play - neither of which ever received Archive Collection treatment - the bassist would return to form with oddities like 1988's CHOBA B CCCP (a collection of early rock covers initially only released in the Soviet Union) and the sterling pop/rock of Flowers in the Dirt, featuring several songs written with British rocker Elvis Costello.

The new batch of SHM-CDs, available July 25, finds McCartney in a role as elder statesman with a still-insatiable hunger for a good melody. Bookended by two live albums - 1993's traditional, self-referential Paul is Live and a 2007 performance at the Los Angeles record store Amoeba Music (canonized with a full album in 2019) - you'll also find new pressings of 1997's Flaming Pie, a reflective, post-Beatles Anthology project co-produced with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra; 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (another nearly self-contained album produced by Radiohead collaborator Nigel Godrich) and 2012's New, a lively pop album featuring collaborations with the sons of some of The Beatles' best-known teammates (including Giles Martin and engineer Glyn Johns' son Ethan) plus upstart producers like Paul Epworth (Adele, Florence + The Machine) and Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Duran Duran).

You can add all these SHM-CDs to your collection through the links below; all are available now, with the last five due July 25. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Paul McCartney, McCartney (originally released as Apple PCS 7102 (U.K.)/STAO-3363 (U.S.), 1970 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80465 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. The Lovely Linda
2. That Would Be Something
3. Valentine Day
4. Every Night
5. Hot as Sun/Glasses
6. Junk
7. Man We Was Lonely
8. Oo You
9. Momma Miss America
10. Teddy Boy
11. Singalong Junk
12. Maybe I'm Amazed
13. Kreen-Akrore

Paul & Linda McCartney, Ram (originally released as Apple PAS 10003 (U.K.)/SMAS-3375 (U.S.), 1971 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80466 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart of the Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On (Reprise)
12. The Back Seat of My Car

Wings, Wild Life (originally released as Apple PCS 1742 (U.K.)/SW-3386 (U.S.), 1971 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80467 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Mumbo
2. Bip Bop
3. Love is Strange
4. Wild Life
5. Some People Never Know
6. I Am Your Singer
7. Bip Bop (Link)
8. Tomorrow
9. Dear Friend
10. Mumbo (Link)

Paul McCartney & Wings, Red Rose Speedway (originally released as Apple PCTC 251 (U.K.)/SMAL-3409 (U.S.), 1973 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80468 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Big Barn Bed
2. My Love
3. Get on the Right Thing
4. One More Kiss
5. Little Lamb Dragonfly
6. Single Pigeon
7. When the Night
8. Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
9. Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut

Paul McCartney & Wings, Band on the Run (originally released as Apple PAS-10007 (U.K.)/SO-3415 (U.S.), 1973 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80469 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Band on the Run
2. Jet
3. Bluebird
4. Mrs. Vandebilt
5. Let Me Roll It
6. Mamunia
7. No Words
8. Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
9. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five

Wings, Venus and Mars (originally released as MPL/Capitol PCTC 254 (U.K.)/SMAS-11419 (U.S.), 1975 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80470 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Venus and Mars
2. Rock Show
3. Love in Song
4. You Gave Me the Answer
5. Magneto and Titanium Man
6. Letting Go
7. Venus and Mars (Reprise)
8. Spirits of Ancient Egypt
9. Medicine Jar
10. Call Me Back Again
11. Listen to What the Man Said
12. Treat Her Gently - Lonely Old People
13. Crossroads

Wings, Wings At the Speed of Sound (originally released as MPL PAS 10010 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol SW-11525 (U.S.), 1976 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80471 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Let 'Em In
2. The Note You Never Wrote
3. She's My Baby
4. Beware My Love
5. Wino Junko
6. Silly Love Songs
7. Cook of the House
8. Time to Hide
9. Must Do Something About It
10. San Ferry Anne
11. Warm and Beautiful

Wings, Wings Over America (originally released as MPL PCSP 720 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol SWCO-11593 (U.S.), 1976 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80472/3 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1

1. Venus and Mars/Rock Show/Jet
2. Let Me Roll It
3. Spirits of Ancient Egypt
4. Medicine Jar
5. Maybe I'm Amazed
6. Call Me Back Again
7. Lady Madonna
8. The Long and Winding Road
9. Live and Let Die
10. Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
11. Richard Cory
12. Bluebird
13. I've Just Seen a Face
14. Blackbird
15. Yesterday

Disc 2

1. You Gave Me the Answer
2. Magneto and Titanium Man
3. Go Now
4. My Love
5. Listen to What the Man Said
6. Let 'Em In
7. Time to Hide
8. Silly Love Songs
9. Beware My Love
10. Letting Go
11. Band on the Run
12. Hi, Hi, Hi
13. Soily

Disc 1, Tracks 1-2, 4, 6 and 12 recorded live at the Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH - 5/27/1976
Disc 1, Track 3 recorded live at the Kingdome, Seattle, WA - 6/10/1976
Disc 1, Tracks 5 and 8 and Disc 2, Track 5 recorded live at Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO - 5/29/1976
Disc 1, Track 7 recorded live at the Olympia, Detroit, MI - 5/7/1976
Disc 1, Tracks 9-10 and 14 and Disc 2, Track 2 recorded live at Boston Garden, Boston, MA - 5/22/1976
Disc 1, Tracks 11 and 13 and Disc 2, Tracks 1, 3 and 6 recorded live at The Forum, Inglewood, CA - 6/23/1976
Disc 1, Track 15 recorded live at an undetermined venue in 1976
Disc 2, Track 4 recorded live at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY - 5/21/1976
Disc 2, Tracks 7-8 recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - 5/25/1976
Disc 2, Tracks 9 and 11-13 recorded live at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO - 6/7/1976

Percy "Thrills" Thrillington, Thrillington (originally released as MPL/Regal Zonophone EMC 3175 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol ST-11642 (U.S.), 1977 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80474 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart of the Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. The Back Seat of My Car

Wings, Wings Greatest (originally released as MPL PCTC 256 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol SOO-11905 (U.S.), 1979 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80475 (JP), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Another Day
2. Silly Love Songs
3. Live and Let Die
4. Junior's Farm
5. With a Little Luck
6. Band on the Run
7. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
8. Hi, Hi, Hi
9. Let 'Em In
10. My Love
11. Jet
12. Mull of Kintyre

Track 1 from Apple single R 5889 (U.K.)/1829 (U.S.), 1971
Tracks 2 and 9 from Wings At the Speed of Sound - MPL PAS 10010 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol SW-11525 (U.S.), 1976
Track 3 from Live and Let Die (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - United Artists UAS 29475 (U.K.)/UA-LA 100-G (U.S.), 1973
Track 4 from Apple single R 5999 (U.K.)/1875 (U.S.), 1974
Track 5 from London Town - MPL PAS 10012 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol SW-11777 (U.S.), 1978
Tracks 6 and 11 from Band on the Run - Apple PAS 10007 (U.K.)/SO-3415 (U.S.), 1973
Track 7 from Ram - Apple PAS 10003 (U.K.)/SMAS-3375 (U.S.), 1971
Track 8 from Apple single R 5973 (U.K.)/1857 (U.S.), 1972
Track 10 from Red Rose Speedway - Apple PCTC 251 (U.K.)/SMAL-3409 (U.S.), 1973
Track 12 from Apple single R 6018 (U.K.)/4504 (U.S.), 1977

Paul McCartney, McCartney II (originally released as MPL/Parlophone PCTC 258 (U.K.)/MPL/Columbia FC 36511 (U.S.), 1980 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80476 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Coming Up
2. Temporary Secretary
3. On the Way
4. Waterfalls
5. Nobody Knows
6. Front Parlour
7. Summer's Day Song
8. Frozen Jap
9. Bogey Music
10. Darkroom
11. One of These Days

Paul McCartney, Tug of War (originally released as MPL/Parlophone PCTC 259 (U.K.)/MPL/Columbia TC 37462 (U.S.), 1982 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80477 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Tug of War
2. Take It Away
3. Somebody Who Cares
4. What's That You're Doing? (with Stevie Wonder)
5. Here Today
6. Ballroom Dancing
7. The Pound is Sinking
8. Wanderlust
9. Get It (with Carl Perkins)
10. Be What You See (Link)
11. Dress Me Up as a Robber
12. Ebony and Ivory (with Stevie Wonder)

Paul McCartney, Pipes of Peace (originally released as MPL/Parlophone PCTC 1652301 (U.K.)/MPL/Columbia QC 39149 (U.S.), 1983 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80478 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Pipes of Peace
2. Say Say Say (with Michael Jackson)
3. The Other Me
4. Keep Under Cover
5. So Bad
6. The Man (with Michael Jackson)
7. Sweetest Little Show
8. Average Person
9. Hey Hey
10. Tug of Peace
11. Through Our Love

Paul McCartney, CHOBA B CCCP (originally released as MPL/Мелодия А60 00415 006 (USSR), 1988 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80479 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Kansas City
2. Twenty Flight Rock
3. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
4. Bring It On Home to Me
5. Lucille
6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
7. That's All Right (Mama)
8. Ain't That a Shame
9. Crackin' Up
10. Just Because
11. Midnight Special

Paul McCartney, Flowers in the Dirt (originally released as MPL/Parlophone CDPCSD 106 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol CDP 7 91653 2 (U.S.), 1989 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80480 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. My Brave Face
2. Rough Ride
3. You Want Her Too
4. Distractions
5. We Got Married
6. Put It There
7. Figure of Eight
8. This One
9. Don't Be Careless Love
10. That Day is Done
11. How Many People
12. Motor of Love
13. Où Est Le Soleil?

Paul McCartney, Paul is Live (originally released as MPL/Parlophone CDPCSD 147 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol CDP 72438 27704 2 8 (U.S.), 1993 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80481 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Drive My Car
2. Let Me Roll It
3. Looking for Changes
4. Peace in the Neighbourhood
5. All My Loving
6. Robbie's Bit (Thanks Chet)
7. Good Rockin' Tonight
8. We Can Work It Out
9. Hope of Deliverance
10. Michelle
11. Biker Like An Icon
12. Here, There and Everywhere
13. My Love
14. Magical Mystery Tour
15. C'mon People
16. Lady Madonna
17. Paperback Writer
18. Penny Lane
19. Live and Let Die
20. Kansas City
21. Welcome to Sound Check (Link)
22. Hotel in Benidorm (Soundcheck)
23. I Wanna Be Your Man (Soundcheck)
24. A Fine Day (Soundcheck)

Tracks 1, 3, 15 and 20 recorded live at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO - 5/31/1993
Tracks 2, 4, 10-11, 18-19 and 22 recorded live at Folsom Field, Boulder, CO - 5/26/1993
Tracks 5, 8-9 and 24 recorded live at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ - 6/11/1993
Tracks 6-7 and 17 recorded live at Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, NC - 6/15/1993
Tracks 12, 14 and 23 recorded live at Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, Syndey, Australia - 3/22/1993
Track 13 recorded live at the Alamodome, San Antonio, TX - 5/29/1993
Track 16 recorded live at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA - 5/1/1993

Paul McCartney, Flaming Pie (originally released as MPL/Parlophone CDPCSD 171 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol CDP 72438 56500 1 7 (U.S.), 1997 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80482 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. The Song We Were Singing
2. The World Tonight
3. If You Wanna
4. Somedays
5. Young Boy
6. Calico Skies
7. Flaming Pie
8. Heaven on a Sunday
9. Used to Be Bad
10. Souvenir
11. Little Willow
12. Really Love You
13. Beautiful Night
14. Great Day

Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (originally released as MPL/Parlophone 09643 379598 2 2 (U.K.)/MPL/Capitol CDP 09643 38304 2 4 (U.S.), 2005 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80483 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Fine Line
2. How Kind of You
3. Jenny Wren
4. At the Mercy
5. Friends to Go
6. English Tea
7. Too Much Rain
8. A Certain Softness
9. Riding to Vanity Fair
10. Follow Me
11. Promise to You Girl
12. This Never Happened Before
13. Anyway

Paul McCartney, New (originally released as MPL/Hear Music HRM-34837-02, 2013 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80484 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Save Us
2. Alligator
3. On My Way to Work
4. Queenie Eye
5. Early Days
6. New
7. Appreciate
8. Everybody Out There
9. Hosanna
10. I Can Bet
11. Looking At Her
12. Road

Paul McCartney, Amoeba Gig (originally released as MPL/Capitol 00602577289767 (U.K.)/B0029496-02 (U.S.), 2019 - reissued MPL/Capitol UICY-80485 (JP), 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Drive My Car
2. Only Mama Knows
3. Dance Tonight
4. C Moon
5. The Long and Winding Road
6. I'll Follow the Sun
7. Calico Skies
8. That Was Me
9. Blackbird
10. Here Today
11. Back in the USSR
12. Nod Your Head
13. House of Wax
14. I've Got a Feeling
15. Matchbox
16. Get Back
17. Baby Face
18. Hey Jude
19. Let It Be
20. Lady Madonna
21. I Saw Her Standing There
22. Coming Up (Soundcheck)

All tracks recorded live at Amoeba Music, Los Angeles, CA - 6/27/2007
Tracks 1, 9-11, 16, 18 and 20 released on Live in Los Angeles - MPL/Upfront/The Mail on Sunday UPPMCMOS01 (U.K.), 2010
Tracks 2, 4, 8 and 21 released as Amoeba's Secret - MPL/Hear Music HMLP-30607, 2007
Track 3 released on "Ever Present Past" U.K. CD single - MPL/Hear Music 0888072306202, 2007
Track 12 released on Live in Los Angeles - The Extended Set - MPL (digital - no cat. #), 2012
Track 13 released on "Ever Present Past" U.K. 7" - MPL/Hear Music 0888072306219, 2007