Neil Young Archives Vol. 1: 1963–1972 is the first in a planned series of box sets of archival material by Canadian-American musician Neil Young. It was released on June 2, 2009, in three different formats: a set of 10 Blu-ray discs in order to present high-resolution audio as well as accompanying visual documentation, a set of 10 DVDs, and a more basic 8-CD set. Covering Young's early years with The Squires and Buffalo Springfield, it also includes various demos, outtakes and alternate versions of songs from his albums Neil Young, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, and Harvest, as well as tracks he recorded with Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young during this time. Also included in the set are several live discs, as well as (on the Blu-Ray/DVD versions) a copy of the long out-of-print film Journey Through the Past, directed by Young in the early 1970s.

On January 31, 2010, the box set won the Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, a win shared by Neil Young along with his art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo. Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976 did not follow until November 2020, covering his work from 1972 to 1976, and was released only as a 10-CD box set. Neil Young Archives Volume III: 1976–1987 would follow in 2024, with a preorder announced on July 25 and an official release date set for September 6. The set, covering his work from 1976 to 1987, would be spread across 17 CDs and 5 Blu-rays, the latter of which would include 11 films. A pre-order would include a CD titled Takes, set to include a track each from 16 of the 17 CDs.

Background This is the first of several projected box sets in the Neil Young Archives series, which will eventually chronicle the artist's entire career. The box, which won a Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, features previously released as well as rare and unreleased material from the first decade of Young's career, spanning his Winnipeg years with the Squires, Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and his first several solo albums.

After conflicting statements over the years, it was eventually revealed that the set would be released in three formats: CD, DVD, and Blu-ray. The DVD and Blu-ray editions contain 10 discs (including Journey Through The Past released for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray) and a 236-page full-color hardbound book in special packaging, while those with the Blu-ray edition would receive free online updates in perpetuity (though the last update was posted in April 2010, with all BD Live updates eventually being pulled altogether in early 2016). The CD set has 8 CDs (Discs 00 & 01 fit on one disc, and Disc 09 is not included) and a CD-sized booklet. Each disc in the Archives was also available individually exclusively through Warner Bros. at launch. CD, DVD and Blu-ray box set pre-orders from Warner Bros. also included a 7" 45 RPM single with "Aurora" and "Mustang" from Disc 00. In addition, people who pre-ordered the DVD and Blu-ray box sets received, in early May, a bonus copy of Disc 00 (Blu-ray only) so that they could "test drive" the contents.Thrasher's Wheat, A NYA Blu-ray Preview All DVD and Blu-ray box sets also included a card with a code for downloading MP3s of all the tracks in the box set.

Of the 137 tracks on the track listing, 47 were previously unreleased. These included live versions and alternate mixes of previously released songs. Thirteen of the songs on this set had previously never been released in any form. The 10-disc sets included several 'hidden tracks,' which were not included in the 8-CD set.

The audio format on the Blu-ray version is presented in 24-bit/192 kHz stereo PCM on all discs except Journey Through The Past which includes selectable DTS Surround or stereo 24-bit/96 kHz PCM tracks. The DVD version includes a 24-bit/96 kHz stereo PCM track, while the CDs are in the standard 16-bit/44.1 kHz format.

Track listing

Disc 00 – Early Years (1963–1965) "Aurora" (2:07) – The Squires – from the 45 RPM single (mono) Neil Young – guitar; Allan Bates – guitar; Ken Koblun – bass; Ken Smyth – drums; Bob Bradbum – voice Recorded at CKRC, Winnipeg, MB, 7/23/1963. Produced by Bob Bradburn. "The Sultan" (2:32) – The Squires – from the 45 RPM single (mono) Neil Young – guitar; Allan Bates – guitar; Ken Koblun – bass; Ken Smyth – drums, gong Recorded at CKRC, Winnipeg, MB, 7/23/1963. Produced by Bob Bradburn. "I Wonder" (2:21) – The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Allan Bates – guitar; Ken Koblun – bass; Ken Smyth – drums Recorded at CKRC, Winnipeg, MB, 4/2/1964. Produced by Bob Bradburn. "Mustang" (2:23) – The Squires – previously unreleased instrumental (mono) Neil Young – guitar; Allan Bates – guitar; Ken Koblun – bass; Ken Smyth – drums Recorded at CKRC, Winnipeg, MB, 4/2/1964. Produced by Bob Bradburn. "I'll Love You Forever" (3:22) – The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Ken Koblun – bass; Bill Edmondson – drums Recorded at CJLX, Fort William, ON, 11/23/1964. Produced by Ray Dee. "(I'm a Man and) I Can't Cry" (2:30) – The Squires – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Doug Campbell – guitar; Ken Koblun – bass; Randy Peterson – drums Recorded at Basement, Winnipeg, MB, 3/8-12/1965. Produced by Neil Young. "Hello Lonely Woman" (3:57) – Neil Young & Comrie Smith – previously unreleased song Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocal; Comrie Smith – guitar Recorded at 26 Golfdale, Toronto, ON, 10/15/1965. Produced by Neil Young & Comrie Smith. "Casting Me Away from You" (2:13) – Neil Young & Comrie Smith – previously unreleased song Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Comrie Smith – guitar, vocal Recorded at 26 Golfdale, Toronto, ON, 10/15/1965. Produced by Neil Young & Comrie Smith. "There Goes My Babe" (2:23) – Neil Young & Comrie Smith – previously unreleased song Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Comrie Smith – guitar, vocal Recorded at 26 Golfdale, Toronto, ON, 10/15/1965. Produced by Neil Young & Comrie Smith. "Sugar Mountain" (2:43) – previously unreleased demo version (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" (3:05) – previously unreleased demo version (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "Runaround Babe" (2:39) – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "The Ballad of Peggy Grover" (3:51, 2:48 on CD) – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "The Rent Is Always Due" (2:54) – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "Extra, Extra" (2:41) – previously unreleased song (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Elektra Audition Demos Records, New York City, 12/15/1965. Produced by Peter K. Siegel & Neil Young. "I Wonder" – The Squires – previously unreleased alternate version (mono) (hidden track) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Ken Koblun – bass; Bill Edmondson – drums Recorded at CJLX, Fort William, ON, 11/23/1964. Produced by Ray Dee. "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield (mono) (hidden track) Richie Furay – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar, vocal; Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocal; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – drums Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, 7/18/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone.

Disc 01 – Early Years (1966–1968) "Flying on the Ground Is Wrong" (3:08) – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, 7/1/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone. "Burned" (2:16) – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield (mono) Neil Young – guitar, piano, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar, vocal; Richie Furay – guitar, vocal; Bruce Palmer - bass; Dewey Martin – drums Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, 8/15/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone. "Out of My Mind" (3:05) – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar, vocal; Richie Furay – guitar, vocal; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – drums Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios, Hollywood, 8/15/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone. "Down, Down, Down" (2:11) – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, 9/5/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone. "Kahuna Sunset" (2:52) – Buffalo Springfield – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono) Neil Young – guitar; Stephen Stills – guitar; Richie Furay – guitar; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – drums; Cyrus Faryar – percussion Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, 9/15/1966. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone. "Mr. Soul" (2:44) – Buffalo Springfield – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar, vocal; Richie Furay – guitar, vocal; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – drums Recorded at Atlantic Studios, New York City, 1/9/1967. Produced by Charles Greene & Brian Stone (with Stills & Young). "Sell Out" (1:40) – Buffalo Springfield – previously unreleased song from Buffalo Springfield Again sessions (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar; Richie Furay – guitar; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – drums Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, 2/1967. Produced by Neil Young. "Down to the Wire" (2:29) – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Decade (mono) Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar, vocal; Richie Furay – vocal; Mac Rebennack – piano; Bobby West – bass; Jesse Hill – drums, timpani Recorded at Gold Star Studios & Columbia Recording Studio, Hollywood, 3/28/1967, 3/30-4/18/1967. Produced by Ahmet Ertegun. "Expecting to Fly" (3:45) – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield Again Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Jack Nitzsche – electric piano; Don Randi – piano, harpsichord; Russ Titelman – guitar; Carol Kaye – bass; Jim Gordon – drums; Choir – Merry Clayton, Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Gloria Jones, Sherlie Matthews, Gracia Nitzsche; Also – English horn, vibes, timpani, strings Recorded at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, 5/6/1967. Produced by Jack Nitzsche & Neil Young. "Slowly Burning" (2:58) – previously unreleased instrumental from Buffalo Springfield Again sessions Neil Young – guitar; Jack Nitzsche – electric piano; Don Randi – piano, harpsichord; Russ Titelman – guitar; Carol Kaye – bass; Jim Gordon – drums; Also – English horn, vibes, timpani, strings, sleigh bells Recorded at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, 5/6/1967. Produced by Jack Nitzsche & Neil Young. "One More Sign" (2:01) – from the Buffalo Springfield Box Set Neil Young – guitar, vocal Recorded at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood, 8/12/1967. Produced by Neil Young. "Broken Arrow" (6:13) – Buffalo Springfield – from the album Buffalo Springfield Again Neil Young – guitar, vocal; Richie Furay – guitar, vocal; Stephen Stills – guitar; Chris Sarns – guitar; Don Randi – piano, organ; Bruce Palmer – bass; Dewey Martin – Drums, vocal; Also – strings. Jazz theme: Don Randi – piano; Jim Horn – clarinet; Hal Blaine – drums; Also – bass