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The younger generation, specifically the Gen Z, who were born between the years of 1997 to 2012, have introduced a modern-day colloquialism in the internet. They use everyday terms and phrases that may... read more
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Let us all ‘Come Together’ and celebrate the Fab Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Global Beatles Day, June 25, is an annual holiday commemorating one of the most influential bands in music history. This celebration was observed by fans since 2009 to remember the launching of the song “All You Need is Love” on June 25, 1967, on British television.
On its 15th-year celebration, let’s take a trip down memory lane to explore The Beatles’ most memorable moments from their formation in 1957 to their eventual disbandment in 1970.
1. The meeting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney
John Lennon’s band, Quarrymen, paved the way for the formation of The Beatles when Paul McCartney shared the stage with the Quarrymen. This first performance of Lennon and McCartney is one of the most critical moments in history.
They met on July 6, 1957, at a church in Liverpool when a familiar friend introduced them. McCartney was 15 at the time, while Lennon was 16. They performed together on October 18, 1957.
2. The Beatles’ First Single and Album
The Beatles signed a record deal with Parlophone to work on their first record, ‘Love Me Do,’ released on October 5, 1962. The song ranked 17 in the U.K. music charts.
However, the band had to fire their drummer, Pete Best and was replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962.
On March 22, 1963, they released their first album, ' Please Please Me,’ containing 14 tracks. Eight of those songs were originally written by Lennon and McCartney.
The success of their first album led them to another album–’ Meet the Beatles!’, released on January 20, 1964. This sophomore album reached number one in the United States, getting attention from new crowds across continents.
3. The ‘Beatlemania’
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The ‘British Invasion’ phenomenon started in the 1960s when British culture became popular in the United States. This began when the Beatles arrived in New York for the first time, and thousands of fans welcomed them to JFK airport.
They had their first US television show appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. There were approximately 73 million people who watched their performance.
Continuing their US domination, they had a concert at the Shea Stadium in New York on August 15, 1965. They performed in front of 55,000 fans and broke show records as the biggest ever in terms of crowd size.
The same year, they released their sixth record called ‘Rubber Soul.’ There were 1.2 million copies sold on its first day. This album was also considered one of the most outstanding records ever.
4. Their eventual break-up
Source: Billboard
The tensions within the band started during the production of their ‘The White’ album. McCartney and Lennon decided to work separately, while Starr quit the band for two weeks, and Harrison had to leave for five days.
On September 26, 1969, they released their ‘Abbey Road’ album, which inspired speculations about the dynamics of the band members because of its album cover. Six days before the release, Lennon mentioned plans to quit the band.
In 1970, Paul McCartney announced his official statement of quitting the Beatles through a press release.
The Beatles officially broke up in 1970, with a series of speculated factors. The split was attributed to the pressure of their stardom, the death of their manager, the marriage of Lennon, and the member’s desire to explore their individual artistic goals.
5. Their Final Album: ‘Let It Be’
Nearly a month after the Beatles disbanded, the band released their 12th and final album, ‘Let It Be’ on May 8, 1970. The album's working title was ‘ Get Back,’ McCartney initiated it to bring the group back together.
Their recording days included filming their rehearsals for a planned documentary, highlighting how bad the relationship between the members had gotten. The documentary was titled ‘Let It Be,’ which won an Academy Award and Grammy Award for its song score.
Even after splitting up more than half a century ago, the Beatles remain one of the most influential bands in the world. In 2004 and 2011, the band got into Rolling Stone‘s list of the greatest artists in history. At the same time, Time magazine also named them among the 20th century’s 100 most influential people.
- Chaya Marquez
