The London Symphony Orchestra* – Star Wars / The Empire Strikes Back

Originally released as a 75-minute double LP with gatefold presentation in the USA, Canada and Japan, in the rest of the world only a 41-minute, 10-track single LP version was released (using same artwork, but losing the gatefold presentation and a booklet, and with notes and some photographs printed on inner sleeve). Interestingly, tracks were arranged very differently in the single LP version.

First CD release was marketed by Polydor in 1985, comprising the 10 tracks of the abridged international LP. The 75-minute version was not available on CD until the 1993 release of the 4-CD set of John Williams (4), London Symphony Orchestra - Star Wars Trilogy (The Original Soundtrack Anthology), that also included some (at that time) unreleased tracks.

The most comprehensive version so far (supposedly including the complete, remastered film score—although lacking at least an alternate version of the end credits that was included in the 1993 4-CD set) was released in 1997, coincidental with the "Special Edition" release of the film trilogy. This 2-CD set was re-released in 2004, 2007 (in the The Music Of Star Wars box set), 2015, and 2016 with different artwork.

In 2016, the original 1980 album was reissued on vinyl, including full artwork reproduction. It was also released on hi-res digital. In 2017, it was reissued again, on Walt Disney Records for the first time, in standard-res digital only.

On May 4, 2018, Walt Disney Records released a newly-remastered edition of the original 1980 album program on CD, digital , and streaming services (and on vinyl in 2020). This remaster was newly assembled from the highest-quality tapes available, rather than sourced from the existing 1980 album masters. This release marks the first release on CD of the complete 1980 soundtrack album.