The Touch Reformatted Edition for The Transformers Anniversary

It’s been 40 years since the release of the 1986 animated Transformers Movie, and Hasbro is celebrating it with a remastered re-release. They’re also remastering the soundtrack, from which they already released “The Touch (Remastered Edition)” as a single.

Keep reading to learn about the anniversary remasters and where you can listen to the song.

Hasbro Released The Touch Reformatted Edition to Celebrate 40 Years of Transformers Movies

Some movies define their generations, then there’s The Transformers: The Movie. For Gen Xers, nothing else compares to its emotional impact, larger-than-life heroes, dazzling sci-fi action, shocking twists and turns, and its delightfully 80s arena-rock soundtrack.

Sure, other films from that era may have had more mainstream appeal. But none of them affected us as deeply as this one did, making us who we are today.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that we’re getting an HD remaster of the film for its 40^th anniversary on September 17, 2026. However, that’s not all Hasbro is doing with it. They’re also re-recording its soundtrack.

Introducing the Transformers: The Movie Soundtrack Reformatted Edition

Let me repeat that. Habro isn’t just re-releasing the movie’s soundtrack. They’re recording new versions of the songs, which they plan to release in every format possible: digitally, CD, and vinyl.

They went all out with it, too, going great lengths to bring back as many of the old artists as possible. For instance, they brought back the legendary Stan Bush and Composer Vince DiCola. However, Brittney Slayes will handle the iconic Transformers theme song for Lion, since the band no longer exists.

Either way, here’s the full artist lineup:

• Stan Bush
• Sebastian Bach
• Brittney Slayes
• Mark Osegueda
• Francesco Cavalieri
• Torch
• Vince DiCola

As you may have guessed, the album will feature remastered versions of all ten tracks from the original soundtrack, which included all the film’s songs and selections from the score. We don’t have to wait long for them either. That’s because Hasbro will release them on July 24, 2026. You can read more about the album here, along with a full track list.

Hasbro Has Already Released The Touch Reformatted Edition as a Single

However, we don’t have to wait until July to hear what the new soundtrack will sound like. That’s because Hasbro has already given us the new “The Touch” as a single.

Recorded and arranged by Stan Bush and his former bandmates, this new version, titled “The Touch (Reformatted Edition)”, is a full HD remake of the 1980s classic.

As a result, it just feels like a cleaned-up version of the original. It’s the same high-intensity arena rock ballad you remember, complete with big sound and big hair. It matches the original so well that you may even forget that it’s even a rerecording. It just sounds so perfect, as if this is how the song was always meant to be.

That says a lot about Stan Bush, too. The man clearly still has the talent all these years later. I’m also glad he embraced his legacy enough to give this project a shot. You can clearly hear in his singing that he loves Transformers as much as we do.

There’s Even a Music Video for The Touch Reformatted Edition.

The festivities don’t stop there either. That’s because Hasbro released a music video to go with the single. Moreover, this new video is effectively a complete HD remaster of the song’s original music video.

Let me repeat that. They basically released the original “The Touch” music video, but without Stan Bush overlaid on the scenes. You just get pure Transformers action to go with the music.

Sure, there are some edits. That’s because the new video has a few more scenes that focus more on the Battle of Autobot City and the fight inside Unicron. Whereas the original spread things out a little more.

Either way, you can watch the video below for your convenience.

Here’s the 1986 original for comparison:

Collector’s Guide: The Touch Reformatted Edition Single

Single Details

• Title: The Touch (Reformatted Edition)
• Release date: May 19, 2026
• Label: Hasbro Music, Reigning Phoenix Music
• Composed and performed by: Stan Bush
• Format: Digital (Streaming & Download)
• Highlight: high-quality remake of the 1986 original

Where to Listen

Hasbro released “The Touch (Reformatted Edition)” to several major digital music services. Some of them have the single listed on its own, while others have included it as part of the larger “reformatted edition” soundtrack album.

• Amazon Music
• SoundCloud
• Spotify
• YouTube Music

Why The Touch Reformatted Edition Matters

As I mentioned before, Hasbro went all out with this 40^th anniversary. They could have just reissued the old album and been done with it. We fans would have eaten it up just the same.

However, they chose to take the more ambitious approach of reimagining and remaking the tracks for a whole new generation.

Such a move can easily backfire. The Transformers: The Movie soundtrack isn’t the first “modern remake” of a classic album, nor will it be the last. And such approaches often don’t work, coming off as mere corporate money grabs rather than anything else.

However, this one feels different, and that makes it fascinating.

“The Touch (Reformatted Edition)” is not a bad take on the song. Sure, it’s heavier than the original with less distortion. But that’s a part of its charm. It’s still Stan Bush. It’s still Transformers.

If it’s a sample of what Hasbro has in store for us, we can rest assured that the franchise is indeed in good hands. Sure, anything can happen between now and July (for the soundtrack) and September (for the film). However, the anniversary appears to be in the hands of those who understood the assignment.

About the Transformers: The Movie 40^th Anniversary Release

And they truly understood the assignment. That’s because the new soundtrack album isn’t the only thing Hasbro is doing for the 40^th anniversary of the film.

Branded as Hasbro’s year-long “Apology Tour” for killing off Optimus Prime in the 1986 film, the festivities began in February with the release of a new line of toys, with more on the way. And I’m not just talking about more toys either. Hasbro has already said they’re going to release other stuff, too.

The September 17^th re-release of the movie to theaters is the headliner, of course. And this is no mere limited run either. Hasbro will drop the film in all markets simultaneously through Fathom Entertainment.

They have already dubbed the day “Transformers Day” to celebrate the event. Sure, not every theater will have it, but you’re guaranteed to have one nearby. If not, you can already stream it or buy it on Blu-ray or DVD.

Final Thoughts

The original animated Transformers: The Movie was an icon of its time. So, I’m glad to be able to watch it again, and for newcomers to see it for the first time. The new soundtrack doesn’t look bad either. I could listen to the new version of “The Touch” for hours without getting sick of it. So, there’s only one thing left to say: let’s all transform and roll out!

What are your thoughts on the new remastered “The Touch” and the greater 40^th anniversary? Post them in the forums or comments below.