It's practically all any pop music-lover can talk about these days. The Beatles stereo box set (Capitol), also available in mono, which contains the 13 original UK albums, remastered and repackaged with essential artwork, historical and recording notes, and mini-documentaries, has undeniably revived Beatlemania. Forty years after the release of Abbey Road, the last album they recorded as a band, the Beatles continue to be unsurpassed in their musical impact. Beginning with 1963's Please Please Me and ending with 1970's Let It Be, the Beatles box set takes listeners on a familiar journey, but one that is awe-inspiring, no matter how many times you take it. With the improved sound, listeners now have a chance to rediscover the entire Beatles catalog and pick up on nuances they might have missed before. Both of the 1988 double-LP Past Masters sets, which compiled non-LP singles and tracks, are also included, represented by a double-disc package. Also, the mini-docs on the albums have been assembled on a separate DVD. The importance of having all this timeless, influential and revolutionary material in one place can't be overstated. Let the celebration begin!

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones shared musical influences. But that's not all they had in common. The Beatles and the Stones also had writing duos (John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards) that helped cement their identities. Arriving on the scene on the Beatles' heels, the Stones have managed to remain in existence, with most of the original members, 45 years later. A band whose reputation relied as much on their studio efforts as it did on their concerts, the Stones were consummate live performers. Their 1969 live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out (ABKCO) has been reissued in a deluxe 40th anniversary box set: three CDs and one DVD, a 56-page collector's edition book with tour photos by Ethan Russell, and a replica of the tour poster. With their legendary rendition of "Midnight Rambler" as centerpiece, disc one (the original release) focuses on their late 1960s output. The second disc includes five unreleased live tracks ("Under My Thumb," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction") and the third has a dozen selections by tour openers Ike and Tina Turner and B.B. King. The final component

is a DVD of performance footage and more shot by Albert and David Maysles (Grey Gardens).

Now a part of the Universal empire, the Rolling Stones' back catalog is in the midst of being reissued in remastered editions. Nothing fancy, mind you. No bonus tracks or such. That said, now's as good a time as any to revisit albums such as the high point of their 80s output, 1981's Tattoo You (Rolling Stones Records/UMe), with tracks "Start Me Up," "Waiting on a Friend," "Worried About You" and "Neighbours." Even though the 90s weren't the best time for the Stones, the Don Was co-produced Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Babylon (Rolling Stones Records/UMe) (1994, 97) are also worth re-exploring.

I can't talk about the Beatles and the Rolling Stones without talking about The Who, now can I? The Who Sell Out (Polydor), a 1967 concept album about pirate radio (humorous adverts and all), has been reissued in a double-disc deluxe edition. In addition to huge hit single "I Can See for Miles," the album has the psychedelic opener "Armenia City in the Sky" and the radiantly acoustic "Sunrise." Disc one consists of the 13 tracks from the original stereo album augmented by 17 (!) bonus tracks, while disc two contains the original mono album with 10 bonus tracks.

Most of the history of British rock in the 70s and 80s is dominated by punk rock and new wave, with bands including the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Jam, Buzzcocks, Joy Division, Human League, New Order and the Smiths. Duran Duran rode the new wave from the early 80s as part of the New Romantic movement ("Planet Earth" and "Girls On Film," anyone?) to become some of the first full-fledged video stars during MTV's formative years. Newly reissued in a limited edition double-CD package, Rio (EMI), the second full-length by the androgynous quintet, was their breakthrough, complete with the Nagel cover. Hits such as "Hungry like the Wolf" made them superstars. Songs such as "My Own Way" and "Lonely in your Nightmare" displayed influences such as David Bowie and Roxy Music. The first disc of the set includes the original UK version of the album, with the original US album mixes of the first five tracks. The second disc features demos, b-side and non-album singles, and more.

The Stone Roses, who arrived in 1989, were part of a Brit rock movement that took its 60s influences seriously, while generously updating them with a Manchester flair. The expanded two-CD and DVD 20th anniversary legacy edition of The Stone Roses' self-titled debut disc (Silvertone/Legacy), one of only two full-length albums released by the band, is an opportunity to renew appreciation for their artistry. They helped pave the way for what was to follow in the form of Oasis, Blur and others. From album opener "I Wanna Be Adored" (and indeed they were!) to the nearly 10-minute, groundbreaking bonus track "Fools Gold," which made ravey dance beats and a funky bass-line safe for shoegazers, there's little doubt that this is a historical recording. The DVD includes music videos and live footage; the second disc is Lost Demos .

In the liner notes to Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur (Virgin), the band's second double-disc hits compilation in nine years, you can follow world events that occurred when each of their seven albums was released, 1991-2003. You can also hear the Stone Roses' shoegaze-to-boogie-shoes influence. But Blur blurs the lines and emerges its own entity, thanks to the genius of Damon Albarn (who later went on to found Gorillaz). Just listen to the way Blur does a brazen disco twirl on the deliciously queer "Girls and Boys." Rounding out the expanded double-disc Radiohead studio album reissues that began with 1993's Pablo Honey are Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief (Capitol). Kid A picks up with the electronic direction of OK Computer, practically reinventing Radiohead in the process. Hauntingly beautiful and warmer than a glacier, songs such as "Everything in its Right Place," "Optimistic" and "Idioteque" made you rethink everything you thought you knew about this band and rock music.

Radiohead weren't the only ones seriously exploring the electronic option during the 90s. Brotherhood (Virgin), the second double-disc Chemical Brothers compilation in five years, reminds us of the duo's massive contributions to the world of electro and club music.