"I wrote these tunes on an old upright piano under the stairs, laying down the ideas on my B&O tape machine. Then I'd get everybody together to learn the new songs (we'd practice them for a couple of days). I loved going over to Munich and Musicland Studio (a place I would spend thousands of happy hours). Only the Beer Gardens were a bigger draw for me… occasionally!" Jeff Lynne, 2006

SOON MILLIONS WILL HOLD A NEW WORLD RECORD - ELO CONQUER THE WORLD: 1976 - 1977

If 'Face The Music' saw Jeff Lynne honing ELO's classic sound, 'A New World Record' defined it absolutely. Nine solid gold and exquisitely performed hook-laden songs of melodic brilliance surpassed everything the Electric Light Orchestra had released so far. In the year of the US Bicentennial celebrations and Montreal Olympics, 'A New World Record' powered up the American charts during October 1976. It then debuted in the Top 10 of every country in which it was released, finally establishing the band on a global scale and elevating Jeff Lynne to the platinum sales league of songwriting excellence.

Rolling Stone magazine announced "by Christmas, A New World Record should be a staple in a million homes" - and they were absolutely correct. The album exceeded all expectations in America and became ELO's first double-platinum seller, reaching no.4. On the other side of the Atlantic - and with a lot of pride and satisfaction - ELO finally achieved success in their home country with a no.10 debut earning the group a gold disc. In less than a year, the album had sold five million copies worldwide.

Includes Lynne's first Top 5 single 'Livin' Thing', plus smash hits 'Rockaria!' (possibly the world's first operatic single), 'Do Ya' (originally written by Lynne for The Move) and 'Telephone Line', ELO's first gold single in the UK and one of the most played songs of all time on American radio.

Brilliantly remastered by Jeff Lynne with Jeff Magid from the original master tapes, 'A New World Record' has been expanded to almost 60 minutes, complete with six bonus tracks and over 22 minutes of previously unreleased material.

The 16-page booklet is a feast of colour and includes rare and previously unpublished photos, memorabilia and single sleeves from around the world plus new liner notes by both Jeff Lynne and ELO archivist Rob Caiger.