ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
ALBUMS - UK, USA & Europe

ELO Studio & Live Albums, First Issued on CD in the UK / Europe

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The first original CDs issued from 1982, did not have any bar codes on the rear covers and were all made in Japan, (for Japan, Europe, UK and USA) because at that time there were only two CD pressing plants in the world, Japan & Germany.

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The Japanese plant pressed CBS/Sony Artists, and the Germany plant (run by Phillips) for all other artists of the world. The discs were shipped to Holland where the sleeves were printed and packed in to the Jewel Cases and delivered to all over Europe including the UK (so there were no “only issued” in the UK CDs at the start).

 

After 1988 all UK/European ELO CDs were manufactured in Austria (because Sony opened a brand new pressing plant there and chooses to manufacturer all the CD’s there) but still printed the sleeves in Holland. 

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(It is said that the first issued "Made In Japan" CDs have better, clearer sound reproduction compared with the latter "Made In Austria" re-issued CDs.  I don’t have a high end music set up, but the sound quality on first "Made In Japan" issues of "Out Of The Blue" , "Discovery" & "ELO Greatest Hits" CDs I found to be real revelation, as to me they are so much clearer & sharper sound wise.)

 

The UK did issue it's own CD releases of "Face The Music" as a "Collectors Choice 982648 2" issue in 1991 and "A New World Record" in 1990 EPC 902198 2.

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ELO studio LPs were issued in the UK/Europe on CDs in what seems to have been no order and in various years. I have tried to list below the first UK high street shop sold CDs (Some USA & Japan issues were imported & sold in the UK large retailers & via webshops like Amazon, these are not included.)

 

Studio Albums, Compilations & Live Album CDs

• 1982 - Discovery, issued on Jet label.

• 1983 - Secret Message, issued on Jet label.

• 1986 - A New World Record / Out Of The Blue / ELO Greatest Hits, issued on Jet label.

• 1988 - Time / On The Third Day, issued on Epic label.

• 1989 - Eldorado,  issued on Epic label.

• 1991 - Face The Music, issued on Epic/Collectors Choice.

• 1992 - ELO Greatest Hits Volume Two, issued on Epic label.

• 1998 - Xanadu / The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach, issued on Epic label.

• 2001 - Zoom, issued on Epic label.

• 2012 - Mr. Blue Sky, issued on Frontiers Records.

• 2013 - Electric Light Orchestra - Live, issued on Frontiers Records.

• 2015 - Alone In The Universe, issued on Columbia Records.

• 2017 - Wembley Or Bust, issued on Columbia Records

• 2019 - From Out Of Nowhere, issued on Columbia Records

 

Harvest Remaster Series:

• 1999 - ELO II, issued on Harvest label.

• 2001 - ELO I, issued on Harvest label.
   

Jet/Epic Remaster Series:

• 2001 - Discovery / Time / Secret Messages remastered on Epic label for UK/Europe issue.

• 2006 - On The Third Day / Eldorado / Face The Music / A New World Record re-mastered on Epic label for UK/Europe issue.

• 2007 - Out of The Blue / Balance of Power remastered on Epic label for UK/Europe issue.

 

Credit to Partrik Guttenbacher from FTM Germany for the above info.