"We are a fly on the wall listening": Constructions of Musical Intimacy in The Beatles' Anthology

Between 1995 and 1996, The Beatles released the three volume, six-disc Anthology, a sprawling audio set issued to coincide with a televised documentary of the same name. One of the first major releases of its kind, the Anthology albums curated and compiled previously unreleased demos, studio recordings, and live performances, under the auspices of giving listeners insight into the band's creative process. Beyond the appeal of new Beatles product however, the Anthology albums are unique in exploiting particular manifestations of musical intimacy that ultimately serve to further cultivate the group's well-established pop cultural mythos.