Millennials may find it hard to believe that some of the music that was the soundtrack to their youth is now a quarter of a century old. Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP has just turned 25, ditto Britney Spears’ Oops I did it again.
Record companies have made it a trend of tapping into the nostalgia of legacy albums by re-issuing anniversary editions, containing the original tracks, a few bonus songs, either previously unreleased tunes or remixes of the hit songs from those albums.
While the original albums were released during the CD era, the special editions such as those that have been re-issued in the last few weeks, are on digital format, and in some instances, vinyl, introducing the classics to a whole new generation.
The second studio album by the then 18-year-old star, a follow up to her 1999 debut Baby One More Time, was a huge commercial success hitting number 1 in 20 countries. In just a year between the two albums, Britney’s sound evolved from the pure teen pop of her first album to a funkier, R&B-edged style, maintaining her young fanbase while winning over a more mature audience.
The reissued edition contains the original songs and 10 bonus tracks including remixes of Stronger and the title track created specially for this album. The other stand out songs on the album are Britney’s version of the Rolling Stones classic (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and the upbeat dance number, Lucky.
“The album was recorded at such an exciting time in my life, and I’m so grateful to my incredible fans for keeping the legacy of the album alive,” says Britney in a statement to mark the release of the anniversary edition.
Eminem
The Marshall Mathers LP (25th Anniversary)
Some of the most consequential, some would say angry, raw, unfiltered, rap of all time was released exactly 25 years ago by a white American rapper from the inner-city of Detroit who took what was predominantly a black artform and flipped it on its head.
Eminem’s 'The Marshall Mathers LP' album cover.
Photo credit: Pool
Eminem or to use his alter ego, Slim Shady, sent shockwaves through the music world with his third album, threatening his estranged wife (Kim) his mother (Kill You) and the pop stars of the era like N’Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears (“boy, girl groups make me sick”, he raps on the track Marshall Mathers).
No topic was off limits: drug abuse, domestic violence, mental illness. The album, whose title refers to the rapper’s official name, sold 35 million copies worldwide and the reissue to mark the anniversary only adds to its legacy in a new era (it surpassed five billion streams on Spotify alone in January 2025).
The most powerful song on the album has to be Stan, an exchange between the rapper and a crazed fan who is angry at Eminem for not responding to his letters and commits suicide by driving himself and his pregnant girlfriend off a bridge. The poignancy of the song is accentuated by a chorus that features the voice of English singer Dido.
Other standout songs: The Real Slim Shady and The Way I Am. It is worth remembering how Eminem described his lyrics: “half the (expletive) I say, I just make it up to make you mad”.
Take That
Nobody Else (30th Anniversary Edition)
One of the biggest boy bands of the 1990s is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their album Nobody Else with the release of a special edition today.
The album was first released in 1995, sold six million copies worldwide, and included the global smash hit Back for Good (No 1 single in 31 countries) and Never Forget. It ended up being the group’s final release before their (initial) breakup in 1996.
The break up launched the solo careers of the members, notably Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow (They later reunited without Robbie in 2006).
The special edition includes rare and previously unreleased bonus tracks, among them All That Matters to me, which until now has only been available in the album version for the Japanese market. Nobody Else is also released across multiple formats: digital, double CD and for the first time, vinyl.
Mariah Carey
The Emancipation of Mimi (20th Anniversary Edition)
Mariah Carey is celebrating two decades since the release of her 10th studio album with a special edition containing timeless hits such as We Belong Together, Don’t Forget About Us, It’s Like That and Shake It Off.
Mariah Carey’s 'The Emancipation of Mimi' album cover.
Photo credit: Pool
She was persuaded by record company boss Antonio “LA” Reid to use her private nickname, Mimi, in the title of the album as the theme revolved around her emancipation from personal and professional setbacks including a slump in sales of her previous albums. It marked a turning point in her career and some critics called it among the greatest musical comebacks of all time
The multidisc contains 40 songs with a host of remixes, bonus tracks, a cappella cuts and Mariah’s performance at the 50th American Music Awards in 2024. Collaborators include heavyweights like Jadakiss, Jermaine Dupri, Solange, Twista, Snoop Dogg, and Nelly,
