SPILL NEW MUSIC: AMY WINEHOUSE – “TEARS DRY (ALTERNATIVE DEMO)”

AMY WINEHOUSE – “TEARS DRY (ALTERNATIVE DEMO)”

ISLAND RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA

Tears Dry (Alternative Demo)”, an early, stripped back demo of one of the cornerstone songs on Amy Winehouse’s hugely influential, multi-Grammy winning Back To Black album, will be available as an instant grat ahead of the re-issue of this 2006 masterpiece, celebrating its 20th anniversary. Written in Miami with producer Salaam Remi, “Tears Dry On Their Own” has become one of the most beloved and recognisable songs in Winehouse’s catalogue. During an interview with the BBC, Amy said: “I was with someone that I couldn’t really be with and I knew it wouldn’t last. But I think because I knew it couldn’t last, it’s kinda like saying, “I’m upset, but I know I’ll get over it, I guess.” The song famously samples Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s 1967 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and while the “Tears Dry (Alternative Demo)” shows how the song was originally a much slower tempo, Salaam envisioned the song having a more upbeat, “Motown” tempo after hearing the original instrumentals to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, shifting the song into how we know and love it today. “Tears Dry On Their Own” was one of the biggest songs of 2007 and was #1 on the UK Airplay Chart for four consecutive weeks in August of that year.

“It’s crazy that six songs made in a fit of furious musical infatuation would matter so deeply to so many people twenty years later.” ~Mark Ronson, 2026

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black, universally regarded as one of the greatest, most important and influential albums in pop history, UMR/Island will be reissuing this seminal album in a series of special formats which will include never-before heard or released demos, rare B-sides as well as a live performance from Paradiso, Amsterdam (February 8th 2007) from the Back To Black tour. The formats will also include never-before-seen photos by original album photographers Mischa Richter and Alex Lake, plus brand new and poignant liner notes from producers and friends, Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, and will be releasing on Friday 23rd October 2026, just days before the 20th anniversary of the album’s original release date of Friday 27th October 2006.

“Amy was one of one. One-of-a-kind artist. One-of-a-kind spirit. One-of-a-kind soul. Experiencing that level of talent, passion, humour, honesty, and love for what she created was a gift.” ~Salaam Remi, 2026

Back To Black, Amy’s deeply personal, lyrical and musical masterpiece, was not only a huge critical sensation but also became a major commercial success. In the UK, the album debuted at No. 3 and later reached No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart before going on to be the best-selling album of 2007. The album, which has now sold over 4.5 million copies the UK earning a 15× Platinum certification, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 eventually peaking at No. 2 following Amy’s infamous 5-Grammy haul. Amy swept the board that memorable night winning the prestigious Record Of The Year & Song Of The Year awards as well as Best Pop Vocal Album, Artist of The Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance with ‘Rehab’. Now 20 years on and a double-Platinum RIAA certification later, Back To Black has since topped charts across Europe — including Austria, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland — and has sold well over 25 million copies worldwide. Amy Winehouse, a once in a generation talent, is rightly revered around the world for her extraordinary songwriting ability, her honesty, her remarkable voice, and the purity of her artistry.

For the 20th anniversary, a special 3LP clear vinyl and accompanying 3CD collates the Back To Black era in a definitive package, featuring x4 unheard and unreleased demos, plus rare B-sides alongside the deluxe tracks. The third disc features the notable live performance from Paradiso, Amsterdam on February 8th 2007, from the Back To Black tour, never released in full and on vinyl or DSPs before. These editions feature brand new alternative cover artwork, an image from Mark Ronson’s archives of Amy’s hand-written lyrics, and never-before-seen photos by original album photographers Mischa Richter and Alex Lake, plus exclusive liner notes from Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. To complete the anniversary suite of formats, limited edition 1LP variations of the original album include a 1LP ‘Chalkboard Marble’ colour vinyl, plus a very special webstore exclusive 1LP Zoetrope vinyl featuring moving footage of Amy. All physical and digital formats releasing via UMR/Island on Friday 23rd October.

Amy Winehouse
Back To Black (20th Anniversary Edition)
(Island Records/Universal Music Canada)
Release Date: October 23, 2026

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