Rubber Soul is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released in the UK on 3 December 1965 by EMI's Parlophone label, alongside the non-album double A-side single "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out". The North American edition, issued by Capitol Records, included ten of the album’s fourteen tracks, with two songs held back from the band’s Help! (1965) album. Rubber Soul was widely regarded as a major artistic achievement, receiving critical acclaim and topping sales charts in both the UK and the US for several weeks.

Recording took place in London over four weeks starting in October 1965, marking the first time the Beatles could work on an album free from touring, radio, or film obligations. Often described as a folk rock album—especially in its Capitol release—the record blends pop, soul, and folk influences. Its title comes from the term “plastic soul,” reflecting the band’s acknowledgment of their emulation of African-American soul artists. Following A Hard Day’s Night (1964), it was the Beatles’ second album composed entirely of original material.

The songs showcase the band’s growing lyrical maturity and experimentation with new sounds and instruments, including sitar, harmonium, and fuzz bass, as well as brighter guitar tones. Rubber Soul marked a turning point in their approach to albums as cohesive artistic statements, a direction they further developed on Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). The four tracks omitted by Capitol, including the single “Nowhere Man” (February 1966), were later included on the North American album Yesterday and Today (1966).

The album influenced many of the Beatles’ contemporaries, encouraging a shift from singles to albums as complete artistic works. Critics have recognized it as a landmark in pop music for expanding both lyrical and musical possibilities and as a precursor to styles such as psychedelia and progressive rock. Among numerous accolades, Rolling Stone ranked it fifth on their 2012 list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and it placed 34th in the 2000 edition of Colin Larkin’s All Time Top 1000 Albums. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album 6× platinum in 1997, representing at least six million US shipments, while the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) awarded it platinum status in 2013 for UK sales since 1994.