Neil Young Archives Volume III: 1976–1987 is a 17-CD and 5-Blu-ray disc (comprising 11 films) box set from American-Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young that was released on CD and vinyl on September 6, 2024. Pre-ordering went live for members of Neil Young Archives on July 25, 2024, with access to a version that came with a CD sampler of 16 tracks and a pin. The release is the third box set in his Neil Young Archives series, following 2009's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972 and 2020's Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976, and covers an eleven-year period from 1976 to 1987.
Of the 198 tracks on the track listing, 121 are previously unreleased. These include live and alternate versions of previously released songs. Fifteen of the songs on this set have never been released in any form.
The first single for the album was released on July 26, 2024, entitled "Bright Sunny Day". The song was an outtake from the Rust Never Sleeps sessions from 1978. The lead single was followed by "Winter Winds" on August 9, "Lady Wingshot" on August 23, and "Thrasher" on August 30.
Background The first significant mention of the release of Volume III after the release of Volume II was in an article Neil wrote that was published on the Neil Young Archives site on March 26, 2021. Entitled "A Message from Neil: A Pandemic and a Rare Gift," he discussed the making of Volume III in great detail: "we continued on at the cottage in Canada with Daryl, Niko and I putting together Volume three of the archives. Seven or eight films. More discs that [sic] the other Archives Volumes. Maybe more songs. Many unreleased albums back in their original shape like we did with Homegrown when we found it." He went on to describe a box set that would end in 1990 with a live album called Live Freedom, would feature nine films, and would be released in two separate configurations: a 12-CD set and a 10 Blu-Ray set (with the Blu-Rays featuring all of the songs found on the CD version, in addition to its films).Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian article: "A Message from Neil: A Pandemic and a Rare Gift". However, by July of that year, Young stated that Volume III had been "scaled back to 1987 or so."Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian reply: "NYA Volume 3".
After 2021, no further significant updates were published until 2023, when that November Young stated in a Letter to the Editor response that it would be "coming first half of 2024,"Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian reply: "Volume 3". while also saying in another response that it had been "delayed by me changing my mind too many times."Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian reply: "Chrome Dreams". These responses culminated in a Zoom call that was held with Neil Young Archives Patron members on the 29th of that month. In addition to laying out specifics regarding its content, including disc names and selected tracks, he mentioned that Volume III would contain, in total, "17 discs" and "four or five films."
After this meeting, in April of 2024, Young responded to a letter from a fan on his website, saying that the 22-disc set was scheduled for a release in September. This tentative date proved to be accurate once Volume III was announced on July 26th.
On July 25, 2024, pre-ordering went live for members of Young's website. A limited-edition deluxe box set was announced, featuring all 17 CDs in 11 "soft-paks" (covering 198 tracks with 121 unreleased and 15 never-released songs in 28 hours of content) and 5 Blu-rays in three "soft-paks" (covering 11 films and 14 hours of content). Super deluxe editions included a 160-page book that was "chronologically illustrated with archive materials, detailed descriptions of the music, and a fold-out timeline of the period," along with a poster. The regular deluxe edition included a 36-page booklet in lieu of the book and poster.
Also announced was Neil Young Archives Volume III: Takes, a 16-track, 2-LP release highlighting one song from all but one disc on the box set. It also came as a CD sampler along with a pin as part of the deluxe editions of the box set.
In early August 2024, the German Rolling Stone announced that their latest issue, scheduled to be released on August 30, would come with an exclusive 7" single consisting of "Heart of Gold" live at Budokan Hall in 1976, and "Comes a Time" live at the Boarding House in 1978. Both tracks would be released on the Volume III box set one week later.
Content Neil Young's third archival release features material from 11 different years, which spans from the critically acclaimed albums, Comes a Time and Rust Never Sleeps, to experimental albums like Trans and Everybody's Rockin'. Most discs include "raps", where Young explains to the listener where and when the recording is taking place, and who he's recording with.
The first two discs, Across the Water, cover Neil Young and Crazy Horse's European and Japanese legs of their 1976 tour (something previously documented on Odeon Budokan). Hitchhikin' Judy primarily features songs from Hitchhiker (an archival album featuring a one-day studio session in August of 1976) and Songs for Judy (a live album that features Neil Young performing parts of his Crazy Horse tour solo in 1976 and 1977). A Snapshot in Time features recordings of rehearsals with Nicolette Larson and Linda Ronstadt, while Windward Passage features Young live with The Ducks (something previously covered on the Neil Young official bootleg series release High Flyin).
Oceanside Countryside is a long-rumored release, with tracks that were recorded before Comes a Time at Triad Studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On January 3, 2025, Young announced its release as an individual album, in its original track listing order. It is one of Young's albums from his previously announced analog original project, designed to preserve the original sound quality. It was released on March 7, 2025 for vinyl, and April 25, 2025 for CD.
Union Hall features live recordings with Nicolette Larson, which Neil Young called "the highlight of everything I've done with Nicolette." The Boarding House discs feature Neil Young solo performing some of his newest songs in a several-day residency, while Sedan Delivery and Coastline feature studio and live sessions from Rust Never Sleeps, Hawks & Doves, and Re·ac·tor.
Trans/Johnny's Island covers both Trans and Young's unreleased studio album, Johnny's Island, which Young worked on in May of 1982, until Geffen Records suggested he shelve the project and work on something better (which turned into Trans). Evolution shows Young's various projects with Geffen, starting with songs from the unreleased Old Ways I, and evolving into his rockabilly persona, and ending off with solo demos recorded in 1984. Grey Riders features Young live and in the studio with his mid-1980s backing band, The International Harvesters, while Touch the Night is a live album with Crazy Horse culled from several February 1984 performances at The Catalyst.
The box set ends with Road of Plenty, primarily featuring Landing on Water tracks, and Summer Songs, a solo acoustic album of newly written songs in 1987. Young stated that he sat down one day and recorded a number of new songs, including harmony parts, then put them on tape (which remained on the shelf for years until 2021, when Young released it exclusively on his website).
Track listing Disc 1 – Across the Water I (1976) "Let It Shine" (4:44) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Mellow My Mind" (3:12) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – banjo, harmonica, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Too Far Gone" (3:15) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (3:04) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "A Man Needs a Maid" (3:54) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – piano, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "No One Seems to Know" (2:47) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – piano, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Heart of Gold" (3:44) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Country Home" (5:54) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Don't Cry No Tears" (2:42) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Cowgirl in the Sand" (6:39) – previously unreleased mix Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Lotta Love" (3:00) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – piano, vocals; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "The Losing End (When You're On)" (3:49) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Southern Man" (8:03) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young. "Cortez the Killer" (7:39) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar, vocals; Billy Talbot – bass; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 3/11/1976. Produced by David Briggs and Neil Young.
Disc 2 – Across the Water II (1976) "Human Highway" (3:27) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – banjo, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs. "The Needle and the Damage Done" (2:45) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs. "Stringman" (3:43) – previously unreleased mix Neil Young – piano, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs. "Down by the River" (11:32) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs. "Like a Hurricane" (9:04) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – stringman; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs. "Drive Back" (5:50) – previously unreleased live version Neil Young – guitar, vocals; Frank Sampedro – guitar, vocals; Billy Talbot – bass, vocals; Ralph Molina – drums, vocals Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3/31/1976. Produced by Neil Young and David Briggs.