The Beatles

Lore & Background

Led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the Beatles evolved from Lennon's previous group, the Quarrymen, and built their reputation by playing clubs in Liverpool and in Hamburg, West Germany, starting in 1960. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, and producer George Martin developed their recordings. They achieved their first hit, 'Love Me Do', in late 1962. As their popularity grew into 'Beatlemania', the band acquired the nickname 'the Fab Four'.

By early 1964, the Beatles were international stars. They made their film debut with A Hard Day's Night (1964). After retiring from live performances in 1966, they produced albums including Rubber Soul (1965), Revolver (1966) and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). They founded Apple Corps in 1968.

The Beatles broke up in 1970. Lennon was murdered in 1980 and Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001; McCartney and Starr remain musically active.

Reader's Guide

The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with estimated sales of over 600 million units worldwide. They hold the record for most number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (20) and most number-one albums on the Billboard 200 (19). Their accolades include nine Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, an Academy Award (for Best Original Song Score for the 1970 documentary film Let It Be) and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Did You Know?

• They were resident for periods in Hamburg, where they used Preludin both recreationally and to maintain their energy through all-night performances.
• The Beatles are the most successful act in the history of the US Billboard charts.