Of the four Beatles, John Lennon was always somewhat the antagonist, the one not worried to ruffle some feathers, and ultimately, the one who would always speak his piece, even if it wasn’t deemed appropriate or polite. This was one of the many factors that added to Lennon’s charisma and mystique, and one incredibly notable time he did just this was in front of the British royal family in 1963.

In 1963, The Beatles were the band in the United Kingdom. They were on the brink of infiltrating the United States market and, consequently, on their way to becoming the biggest band in the world. That being said, they had a platform, a platform John Lennon comically but also intellectually utilized when they performed in front of members of the British royal family at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.

Typically called the Royal Command Performance, The Beatles took to the Prince of Wales Theatre to entertain both members of the royal family and other aristocrats in the audience. While it is unclear if there were any members of the working class in attendance, Lennon still made a clear, comical remark about class divide that would forever stick with his legacy.

That evening, the royal family membe details

In 1968, The Beatles were working on one of their most groundbreaking records, their self-titled album, better known as the White Album. They were coming off a psychedelic trend with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, and the White Album was a sharp turn back to rock 'n' roll. But of course, The Beatles were no ordinary band, and even when they were going back to basics, they still made history. One of the greatest songs included on this extensive double album is "Helter Skelter." This song was initiated by Paul McCartney, inspired by his competitive spirit, and ended up changing rock music forever. Sadly, shortly after the song was released, a tragedy overshadowed it and darkened the memory of the song for McCartney for years.

"Pete Townshend had been talking in the music press about how The Who had just recorded the loudest, the dirtiest, the rockiest thing ever," McCartney shared in his book, The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. His response to Townshend's claim was the song "Helter Skelter."

"I came into the studio and said to the guys, 'Let's just see how loud we can get and how raucous. Let's try to make the meter peak.'"
Surrounded by press, The Beatles wave at fans as they arri details

There are so many reasons why The Beatles became so big in the 1960s. First and foremost, their music was amazing. They had the boy band look and a fine mix of personalities that resonated with young listeners at the time. They had two legendary songwriters in the mix and four excellent musicians who could put all the pieces of a hit song together beautifully. And, according to Ringo Starr, there was another factor that was very important in the Fab Four’s massive success as the biggest band of the 20th century.

Back in 2018, the famed Beatles drummer sat down for an interview with AXS TV to talk about his own career and the glory days of the Fab Four. He talked about how each of the band members, including himself, often didn’t “get along” and would have “rows” at times. Fans of The Beatles likely know that this was particularly true of the band toward the end of their tenure together, which resulted in numerous fights and even lawsuits.

However, it’s clear that the members were friends; how could they not be after years together? On top of that notion, Starr noted that the key to keeping the band together and putting out as much music as they did came down to the work details

Besides being the most underrated songwriter in The Beatles, George Harrison was also an incredible guitar player who was fundamental to the band’s sound. He inspired countless guitarists around the world, many of whom, like him, became influential and carved their names in Rock history. Unlike his bandmate Paul McCartney, who gave thousands of interviews during his career, George didn’t talk to the press that much and spoke even less about other artists. However, he did share his opinions on some of them, including The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards. What was George Harrison’s opinion on Keith Richards?

George Harrison was called “the quiet Beatle” by the media and fans during his career and he was always modest when it came to talking about his own guitar playing. When asked in an interview about ELO’s Jeff Lynne calling him a “great guitar player” and pointing out that Harrison always played it down when praised, he mentioned Keith Richards as one of the greatest Rock and Roll rhythm guitar players, but also said that the Rolling Stones member was not very good as a lead guitarist.

“I’m not playing it down. I’m just not pla details

After the death of John Lennon, the focus on whatever Paul McCartney released next intensified. Macca came up big in 1982 with Tug Of War, an album that reunited him with producer George Martin and gave his solo career (he had recently scuttled Wings) excellent momentum.

The album proved to be a critical and commercial hit. Here are some of the stories behind the songs on that record, a special one in the McCartney catalog. The Last Gasps of Wings.

McCartney hadn’t committed to putting an end to Wings when he first began the process of making Tug Of War. That was in July 1980, as he assembled the remnants of the band (Denny Laine, Lawrence Juber, and Steve Holley) for some sessions. Of the songs that they tried, “Ballroom Dancing” was one that made it onto Tug Of War. And Laine would end up playing on a few other tracks as well. But McCartney felt that the sessions were disappointing, which eventually helped him pull the plug on Wings once and for all.
Two Albums’ Worth

Once McCartney committed to making it a solo record, he found that the songs started flowing very quickly. George Martin insisted on excellence in the material, pushing McCartney to really work the songs details

Like most in their generation, the Beatles were massive fans of Bob Dylan. They looked up The Bard’s singular lyrics and cultural outlook. But, like many other Dylan listeners, their fandom was shaken by the diversity of his career. Dylan is an artist who has never been afraid to shake things up. While admirable, that kind of artistry is not without its drawbacks. There was one Dylan evolution that didn’t strike the right chord with John Lennon. He labeled one iconic Dylan song “pathetic,” so much so that it prompted him to denounce his once-idol.

John Lennon was famously against organized religion. He wasn’t a completely atheist artist, but his spirituality or faith was a singular experience. He was turned off by the conventions and, perhaps, politics of religious models.

This point of view stood in stark contrast to that of Dylan’s in the late 70s, when he released “Gotta Serve Somebody”. This iconic song (or infamous song, depending on who you ask) was an unusual stance for Dylan to take. His “born again” Christian era was a shock to many listeners who thought of Dylan as a secular voice.

Lennon, due to their opposing views, turned away from details

When one thinks of The Beatles, one thinks of the greatest band of the 20th century. The Fab Four were enormous during most of the 1960s. And their legacy is still powerful today, over half a century later. It’s a little hard to believe that they did everything that they did within a span of just seven (and some change) years.

 In fact, there’s photo evidence that really captures just how much The Beatles grew up and evolved between 1962 and 1969. 

The first photo ever taken of The Beatles as we know them was shot on August 22, 1962. That photo was taken during the band’s first show together with Ringo Starr at the Cavern Club. The group looks very young, almost unrecognizable in the dim light of the brick-laid club. It’s worth noting that there are earlier photos of the band together, but not with Ringo Starr in the lineup. Several photos were taken that day in 1962, including the featured image of this article.
The Last Ever Photo of The Beatles Together

One of the final photos of The Beatles ever taken can be seen in the Instagram post above. Shockingly, that final photoshoot took place exactly seven years after the first photo The Beatles ever took together, on details

Some of our favorite rock bands have gone through their psychedelic eras. Having emerged during the 1960s, this subgenre of rock music, as we all know, was heavily influenced by psychedelic drugs and the countercultural movement of the time. Many of the most celebrated eras in music history are closely tied to this experimentation, including one of the most defining periods of The Beatles’ career. Some of their most celebrated psychedelic songs include “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “I Am the Walrus,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “Only a Northern Song,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Within You Without You,” “A Day in the Life,” and “She Said, She Said.” These songs are iconic in their own right and undeniably great. But there’s one song that marked a crucial turning point in their psychedelic journey. And if we’re ranking the very best, one could easily take the top spot: “It’s All Too Much.”
“It’s All Too Much” Was Written by “The Quiet Beatle”

“It’s All Too Much” is arguably the greatest work the Beat details

January 3 marked what would have been lauded Beatles producer George Martin’s 100th birthday. In commemoration of the milestone, Curvebender Publishing will release a book collection in April titled George Martin: The Scores, described as “the first-ever definitive collection of the legendary producer’s original music manuscripts.”

The three-volume set features full-sized reproductions of Martin’s handwritten scores, as well as commentary about the musical pieces, and new orchestral recordings made at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London. In addition, the multi-part tome includes a foreword written by Paul McCartney.

The publishing company began putting together George Martin: The Scores more than 10 years ago, working in close cooperation with Martin before his death at age 90 in March 2016.

The book’s preface, Curvebender collaborators Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew recalled about the project, “As we worked—scanning, notating, building a database—George would occasionally pop in and observe over our shoulders. He had never seen the entire collection pored over in this manner. He would sometimes pick up a score and glance through it, bright eyes flicke details

Paul McCartney is remembering his late friend and fellow musician, Bob Weir.

Days after Weir's death at age 78 on Saturday, Jan. 10, McCartney took to Instagram to pay tribute to the late Grateful Dead co-founder while highlighting his lasting legacy on the music world.  Paul McCartney Remembers the Last Time He Saw Bob Weir

In an emotional Instagram post shared on Thursday, Jan. 15, McCartney shared a photo of himself performing on stage with Weir, who he described as a "great musician who inspired many people of many generations."

McCartney, 83, went on to reflect on the last time he saw Weir while watching Dead & Company perform at Sphere in Las Vegas.

"He was very welcoming and during the interval in the show he invited us into his trailer, and it was a special moment to meet his family and friends," McCartney recalled. "Bob showed me the recording set up that he had in the back of the bus so even though he was on tour he could make and record music; I offered to play the bass on one of the tracks he played me but unfortunately that never came to pass."

McCartney's heartfelt message continued, "His humour, friendship and musicianship inspired me and will inspire many peo details

The Beatles had many iconic album covers. From simple shots of the band staring down the lens to more off-kilter, artistic choices, the Beatles’ covers were as diverse as their sound. It’s hard to find fault in any album cover from the Fab Four. Although if we had to, there is one that comes to mind…George Harrison certainly thought so, pointing a finger at one “gross” and “stupid” cover that shouldn’t have made it past the ideation stage.

In 1966, the Beatles released one of their more controversial records: Yesterday and Today. Though the album’s sound was par for the course, the cover turned heads.

The cover featured the band donning butcher coats, surrounded by headless baby dolls. Not the image one typically thinks of when discussing the Beatles. Somehow, the cover got through, although Harrison refused to give it his stamp of approval.
“Gross and Stupid”

Harrison made his feelings on the album quite clear, saying, “I thought it was gross, and I also thought it was stupid.”

“Sometimes we all did stupid things, thinking it was cool or hip when it was naive and dumb, and that was one of them,” he ad details

George Harrison’s broken guitar string and a rare set of Beatles autographs obtained by a teenage fan in 1963 could sell for more than $5,352 at auction. The Fab Four scribbled their names down for starstruck 15-year-old Elizabeth Salt and also signed her arm following a gig on April 7, 1963.

Elizabeth, then Elizabeth McBrierty, got to meet her idols following the concert at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea, Portsmouth. Elizabeth Salt holding her autograph book with The Beatles' signatures and George Harrison's broken guitar string.
  

An open autograph book with Beatles signatures and George Harrison's broken guitar string taped inside. Now, the autographs and George Harrison’s broken guitar string could sell for more than $5,352 at auction.  During the performance, George Harrison snapped his guitar string, and quick-thinking Elizabeth scooped it up from the stage as a souvenir.

Elizabeth said she was “heartbroken” when her dad made her wash off the autographs from her arm – but fortunately still had her autograph book. The album is also stuffed with signatures of other stars, including the Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard, Adam Fait details

As one of the most iconic musical groups of all time, The Beatles have had more than their share of critically well-received album releases.

From early hits like With the Beatles to transformative classics like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles are one of the few bands in rock history to have nothing but enjoyable hits making up their larger discography.

As fantastic as many of their musical ventures were over the years, however, there's one classic Beatles album that Paul McCartney remains less than enthusiastic about.

According to Far Out Magazine, McCartney maintains a cool-headed view of the band's 1970 tour de force Let It Be, the twelfth and final Beatles album the group released prior to their breakup in 1970.

While McCartney initially envisioned the project as an epic collaboration between himself, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, studio interference from Phil Spector on the album's direction ultimately led to increasing frustration for McCartney.

As an example, McCartney had hoped to present "The Long and Winding Road" as a straightforward song, using a simple arrangement of piano, bass, guitar and percussion instruments.

When Spector got his details

George Martin became the world’s most legendary producer with the Beatles, the studio wizard who teamed up with four lads from Liverpool to transform music. Now his music has been collected in a lavish new book, George Martin: The Scores, which will be published in April by Curvebender. It’s the first collection of his music manuscripts, opening up his personal archives. The Scores honors the late Sir George Martin on the occasion of his centenary — he was born 100 years ago, on Jan. 3, 1926.

The three-volume book includes dozens of his original handwritten scores for classics like “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “A Day in the Life,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Yesterday,” “Live and Let Die,” and more. It also has a foreword from one of his biggest fans and closest collaborators: Paul McCartney.

George’s son Giles Martin, an acclaimed producer in his own right, tells Rolling Stone, “It’s a book of art, if you like, because his scores are very beautiful. There’s a fluidity to it. There’s a vibrancy to looking at that music on a page.”

The Scores is a project that began in the producer’ final yea details

Few figures in popular culture carry the kind of gravitational pull John Lennon still commands. As a member of The Beatles, he helped reshape music in real time, first as part of a sharp-suited pop phenomenon, then as one of the central architects of rock’s psychedelic and political awakening. By the early 1970s, Lennon had lived a life few could comprehend: global adoration, unprecedented wealth, and a creative freedom that bordered on dangerous.

That perspective, hard-earned and deeply personal, is what makes a handwritten letter Lennon wrote in 1971 so striking, and so heartbreaking. The letter was addressed to Steve Tilston, then a 21-year-old folk musician riding modest underground momentum following the release of his debut album An Acoustic Confusion. Tilston had recently appeared in an interview with ZigZag magazine, where he was asked whether sudden wealth and fame would damage his songwriting.

Tilston answered honestly: he thought it would. Lennon disagreed.

According to Tilston, recalling the moment years later, “I thought it was bound to, but obviously John Lennon disagreed, and he wrote to me to point out the error of my ways.” What followed was a thoughtful, cand details

With all the machismo that often surrounds the rock ‘n’ roll world and its inhabitants, it’s no wonder that so many rock bands have become aggressive toward one another at some point in their careers. Even without the massive egos and on-stage pressure, working with someone in close quarters can be difficult. The Eagles, Aerosmith, and, more recently, Jane’s Addiction, are all no exceptions. And neither were The Beatles.

The Beatles’ most ubiquitous conflict is certainly the months-long breakup that bookended their time together as the Fab Four. But they had their fair share of rows while they were cutting their teeth, too. According to John Lennon and George Harrison, the worst of this aggression came out in the hours-long gigs they would play in Hamburg, boosted by dangerous mixes of booze and uppers.
How The Beatles Killed Time During Their Lengthy Nightclub Sets

Even the most seasoned musician is bound to feel at least a little weary after playing at performance-level for four hours straight, and The Beatles were doing it while they were just starting out. With the help of upper pills handed out by the Hamburg nightclub waitstaff, the musicians managed to play their rock mu details

Paul McCartney recalls being "depressed" post-Beatles and recounts the formation of Wings in Paul McCartney: Man on the Run
PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the trailer for the new Prime Video documentary, premiering Feb. 27
Wings enjoyed a string of hits in the '70s, including "Live and Let Die" and "Silly Love Songs"

The Beatles were Paul McCartney’s entire life. When the group parted ways, he thought his pen had run dry for good.

The English singer-songwriter, 83, opens up about his life in the wake of the break-up of the iconic British invasion band (McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) in the new Prime Video documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run.

In the trailer for the Morgan Neville-directed doc — which PEOPLE is exclusively premiering — McCartney reflects on the depression he experienced after the Beatles’ break-up, and recounts how he climbed out of it while steering his career in a new direction with his '70s band Wings. 

 "I’ve always loved the Beatles, but Wings was the band putting out records when I was young," Neville, who directed the Oscar-winning 2013 documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, tells PEOPLE exclusive details

Why would a band member want to sabotage a song that could potentially become a hit? Well, there are quite a few reasons, some of them nonsensical. Let’s take a look at a few rock songs from the 20th century that ended up becoming hits, but not without some resistance from band members who (allegedly) tried to ruin them from the start.

“Across The Universe” by The Beatles (1969)

This gorgeous song, written by John Lennon, is one of the most memorable tracks in The Beatles’ discography. It inspired a movie musical based on their music, after all. And yet, apparently, Paul McCartney was not a fan. And Lennon accused him of trying to ruin the song during the recording process.

“Paul would […] sort of subconsciously try and destroy a great song,” said Lennon. “Usually we’d spend hours doing little detailed cleaning-ups of Paul’s songs; when it came to mine […] somehow this atmosphere of looseness and casualness and experimentation would creep in. Subconscious sabotage.”

He would also say in his famed 1980 Playboy interview that the “guitars are out of tune” on “Across The Universe” and that “nobody details

Take a look inside George Harrison’s childhood home, as guided tours launch for the first time.

Harrison lived at the three-bedroom house in Speke between 1950 and 1962, moving from Arnold Grove in Wavertree at the age of six. The house became a regular rehearsal spot for The Quarrymen and The Beatles, before the Harrison family eventually moved away and George enjoyed worldwide fame.

The property at 25 Upton Green was purchased by Ken Lambert at auction in 2021, who turned the house into a living museum where Beatles fans can stay overnight.

Guests can book to stay at the historic house through Airbnb, with the listing noting: “Walk and stay in George’s bedroom, where he first heard himself and the band on the radio” and “Sit and strum a guitar in the same room where George, Paul, and John sat and rehearsed during the early years.”

While the property has been available on Airbnb for more than three years, tours officially launch today (January 13), delivered by co-owner Dale Roberts. Available once a month, the tours will offer 1.5 hour guided experience inside the house, with unrestricted photography and the chance to try out the instruments inside.

T details

Paul Mescal has said fans “will benefit from knowing as little as possible” about the upcoming Beatles biopics before watching them.

The actor will portray Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ four-film series about the Fab Four, which is currently scheduled for a simultaneous release in April 2028. He has said he will be doing his own singing for the role and has spent time with McCartney to prepare.

Speaking to Variety about The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, Mescal was hesitant to reveal any details about the new movies. “I don’t want to get into the Beatles thing, not coyly, but actually because I think the world hopefully will benefit from knowing as little as possible going into it,” he explained.

Mescal went on to confirm that production for the forthcoming project was still ongoing. “We’re a while away from finishing,” he told the outlet. “That’s my job for all of 2026.” He also said he and co-stars Harris Dickinson (who is playing John Lennon), Joseph Quinn (George Harrison) and Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr) were “pinching ourselves” over being involved in the biopics.

“I think the en details

The Beatles Anthology was originally released as a vinyl, CD, DVD box set, and hardbound book volume in 1995. It came 25 years after the band had broken up. And according to the interviews with the group in the new Episode 9, it was better off for it.

Doing it after some time had passed, the band members said, allowed for perspective. They also — and by this time, it was just the three of them after Lennon’s assassination in 1980 — were in a better mood to talk to each other.

The acrimony surrounding the band’s breakup would have made it difficult to work on such a project — and 30 years on, the public would have more of an appetite for a retrospective.

This new edition of the Anthology has been restored and remastered by the wizardry of Peter Jackson of The Lord of the Rings fame. It was he who created the Get Back movie in 2021 out of the ashes of the previous footage shot for the Let it Be film by another director in 1969. And so 30 years after the first retrospective, we have another one with some more nuance and certainly better picture quality than before.  There is also the previously mentioned new episode which is essentially a behind the scenes of the maki details

Many called George Harrison the quiet Beatle, but this chaotic TV performance proved he was actually the funniest Beatle! When Harrison was booked for a TV appearance, no doubt the producers were expecting a beautiful spiritual song, or maybe a Beatles classic. But no, he had other plans. Harrison quickly derailed his performance of “My Sweet Lord” by laconically singing “I like to be a pirate, a pirate’s life for me!”, causing chaos in the studio.

The backing band seemed to be thrown for a loop by this, but they managed to keep up while Harrison steamed ahead with his cheeky sea shanty. The presenter objects to the change in material, but Harrison sends him on his way off stage without missing a beat, and then the performance keeps getting weirder from there. The Music Man has to say that this classic performance shows everything we love about the late and dearly missed George Harrison!

Harrison delivered “The Pirate Song,” as he titled it, at the Rutland Weekend Television Christmas special in 1976. Fan channel Kitsu Beatles in recent years uploaded a restored HD version of the performance. Fans loved the skit and added comments such as “Now I understand all the details

Paul McCartney has always had a passion for live performance. Right from The Beatles’ heady days in Hamburg – when the group would play for eight to 10 hours a day – to his current globe-trotting international runs, the legendary songwriter has relished a connection with audiences. It’s part of what set him apart from the other members of the Fab Four – while John Lennon and George Harrison were keen to get off the road, he always had an itch to get out there and tour.

The legendary figure’s live shows are packed with classic after classic, with the data at Setlist.com making for revealing reading.

Of the 40 most-played songs on Macca’s tours – and around 800 shows have been inputted to the site – the majority are from his Beatles days, testimony to the group’s enduring popularity. The most-represented post-Beatles record is Wings’ all-time classic ‘Band On The Run’, which supplies live highlights such as ‘Jet’.

A closer look at the Top 10 reveals some of the most popular moments of the Paul McCartney live show – ‘Live And Let Die’ and ‘Band On The Run’ are the most-cited Wings tracks, details

The Beatles are back in the spotlight with deluxe releases, viral TikToks and a new wave of young fans discovering the legends. Here’s what you need to know right now.

The Beatles are having yet another moment, and if you thought their story ended in the 60s, you’re missing half the fun. From chart-topping remixes and deluxe reissues to TikTok edits and emotional fan reactions, the most legendary band in pop history is trending with a whole new generation.  Whether you grew up with their vinyl, discovered them through your parents, or only know them from that one TikTok sound, this is your quick guide to the latest Breaking News, the must-hear tracks, and how to dive into The Beatles live experience from your screen. 

The wild thing about The Beatles right now? Their "new" hits are often songs that are decades old – but getting a second life thanks to remasters, documentaries, and social media.  Here are some of the tracks you keep seeing on playlists, charts, and soundtracks:

"Now and Then" – Marketed as the "last Beatles song" and built from a John Lennon demo with help from modern audio technology, this track became a global talking point. The vibe is b details

Most Beatles fans know all about each and every Fab Four album. But what about the non-album singles that often slip through the cracks? Enter “You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)”, one of the most underrated Beatles deep cut tunes out there.

Originally released as the B-side to “Let It Be”, the song itself didn’t make it to the band’s final album in 1970. Rather, it was released as a non-album single. And despite being a bit of an underrated gem, Paul McCartney himself praised John Lennon for writing it. He even said it was his favorite Beatles song.

This comedic music hall song is a unique one for the Fab Four, considering it has some Latin-inspired mambo elements. And the song itself is composed mainly of one line of lyrics; the rest of the song focuses solely on instrumentation. Allegedly, the song title is a reference to one Denis O’Dell, a producer who worked on A Hard Day’s Night with the band back in the day. Apparently, a fan (or several) kept calling him and saying things like, “We know your name and now we’ve got your number.” Fans can be crazy, after all. Especially during the Beatlemania days.  Paul McCartney Said It Was & details