Sun Records Brings Pure Johnny Cash to Digital Streaming With Qobuz Exclusive
Audiophile-focused release arrives February 20
exclusively on Qobuz, ahead of wide streaming
release March 6; new lyric video premieres for “Ballad
of a Teenage Queen”
Paris, February 20, 2026 – Sun Records expand their acclaimed archival collaboration with the digital release of Pure Johnny Cash, available exclusively today via Qobuz, the independently owned high-quality music streaming and download platform known for prioritizing high-quality listening. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms March 6, 2026.
Listen on Qobuz in up to 24-bit Hi-Res: stream HERE and download HERE.
Originally released as a premium vinyl collection in partnership with McIntosh, Pure Johnny Cash presents 18 rare and seldom-heard recordings from Johnny Cash’s formative years at Sun Records, meticulously remastered from the original analog tapes to preserve the immediacy, warmth, and unvarnished power that defined Cash’s earliest sessions. Featuring alternative takes and standout versions of classics including “Train of Love,” “Ballad of a Teenage Queen,” and “I Walk the Line,” the collection offers an intimate window into Cash at the beginning of his legendary run.
To mark the digital debut, Sun Records is also premiering a new lyric video for the Pure Johnny Cash version of “Ballad of a Teenage Queen,” bringing fresh visual storytelling to one of Cash’s most beloved songs and spotlighting the clarity and detail revealed in these restored recordings.
“Sam Phillips had a way of capturing lightning in a bottle, and these early recordings of Johnny Cash perfectly exemplify that,” says Chase Gregory, Senior Director A&R + Sync, Sun Records. “Releasing Pure Johnny Cash digitally, in partnership with Qobuz and the HiFi digital platform they offer, is another way to honor what makes these performances so special. Everything you hear was performed in one take with no overdubs. It’s a direct line to the room, the moment, and the voice that changed American music.”
McIntosh, long revered for its uncompromising standards in audio craftsmanship, partnered with Sun Records to help bring these vault recordings to vinyl with exceptional fidelity, translating the nuance of Cash’s baritone, the snap of the rhythm, and the natural space of the sessions into a listening experience designed for fans who care deeply about sound. Now, Qobuz carries that ethos into the digital realm, delivering the album in high-resolution audio that honors the integrity of the original recordings.
About Sun Records
Established in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Records is renowned for discovering music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The label moved to Nashville in 1969 where it continued cultivating acclaimed artists Jeannie C. Riley, The Dixie Cups, Linda Martell, and many others. As a member of the newly-formed Sun Label Group under Primary Wave, Sun Records continues to foster musical innovation while honoring its rich history of shaping American music culture.
For more information, visit https://sunrecords.com.
