Beatles News

In 1971, John Lennon released what would become one of the defining songs of his solo career. Fifty-five years later, "Imagine" has not only endured, it has been ranked the greatest song of all time.

"Imagine" was released as a single in the United States on Oct. 11, 1971, following the September release of Lennon's album of the same name.

More than five decades later, author Carolyn McHugh put the song at No. 1 in her book "The 100 Greatest Songs of All Time: Create Your Ultimate Playlist," released in December 2025.  McHugh's book ranks 100 songs spanning pop, rock, soul, folk and funk, with "Imagine" beating out every other track for the top spot. In fact, Lennon narrowly beat his former bandmates: The Beatles' "Yesterday" landed at No. 2.  The Beatles also placed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at No. 7 and "Hey Jude" at No. 39.

McHugh describes "Imagine" as one of Lennon's most enduring works, praising its "powerful message of hope, peace and unity," as well as its "simple, yet profound lyrics" and "hauntingly beautiful melody."

The song's origins stretch back to Lennon's years with The Beatles. According to HISTORY, Lennon began writing "Imagine" while he was still a member o details

The Beatles made their first single three separate times in 1962, and on each of those three days a different man was sitting behind the drums. This is not a fan theory anyone had to reconstruct: the liner notes on the band's own Anthology state it flatly that "The Beatles recorded Love Me Do three times in 1962 – on 6 June, and 4 and 11 September 1962 – on each occasion with a different drummer."
The Lost Pete Best Session

The first attempt came on Wednesday, June 6, 1962, in Studio Two at EMI's studios on Abbey Road, with Pete Best on the kit. George Martin, the Parlophone A&R man who had agreed to meet the group on the reasoning that he had nothing to lose, got four songs onto tape that night: "Besame Mucho," "Love Me Do," "P.S. I Love You" and "Ask Me Why."

None of the four was released, and only two of them survived in EMI's vaults at all, which meant that the "Love Me Do" recorded that evening—slower than the one you know, with John Lennon's harmonica opening it—sat unheard by anybody outside the building for the next three decades.

Ten weeks later, Best was gone. On the morning of August 16, road manager Neil Aspinall drove him into Liverpool and dropped him in Whi details

Hundreds of Beatles and John Lennon fans and dozens of musicians today came together to celebrate Lennon’s birthday in Strawberry Fields, singing, dancing, leaving flowers and otherwise paying tribute to the man and the music that continues to echo daily here.

Although Strawberry Fields is already a Guinness Book of World Records music marathon, musicians from New York and around the globe gathered for a kind of all-day John Lennon jam session.

Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, and died on December 8, 1980, just blocks away, with singers programmed now daily in Strawberry Fields, although today performers were welcomed to join in the jam.

“Today, there’s nobody booked on the list,” said David Muniz, the keeper of the list who programs performers daily. “Anybody can come here and play today. We have bands that show up regularly on the anniversary.”

A big band, mostly people joining for the day, played Beatles songs, beneath lights set up for the night, with a brown paper bag not collecting money, but filled with guitar picks for musicians and memories, on the mosaic.

The Core Seven, key musicians in the day-long marathon, including many from Queens, to details

Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell celebrated 15 years of marriage on Oct. 9. “Happy Nanniversary to all of us!” the Beatles musician wrote in a post on Instagram.The couple married in a small London ceremony in 2011 after meeting in the Hamptons in 2007

Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell are celebrating 15 years as husband and wife.

The Beatles legend, 84, paid tribute to his wife, 66, in a heartfelt post on Instagram, sharing a photo of them out for a boat ride to commemorate the occasion. This marks 15 years of marriage for the couple, who wed in 2011.

In the photo, McCartney donned a blue-and-white striped button-up beneath a black zip-up hoodie and blue slacks, while Shevell opted for a yellow floral blouse, a matching silky shawl and cream-colored pants for the breezy outing.

Last year, for their 14th anniversary, McCartney once again kept his affectionate message short and sweet: “Happy Anniversary to my lovely missus, Nancy - Paul,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.

McCartney and Shevell first met in the summer of 2007 while staying at their respective properties in the Hamptons, PEOPLE previously reported. At the time, a source told PEOPLE the couple was &ldquo details

Fans of music legend John Lennon are marking what would have been his 86th birthday today, October 9. The Beatles songwriter was murdered on December 8, 1980, when he was shot outside his Manhattan residence by Mark David Chapman. He was rushed to hospital in the back of a police vehicle, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was 40 years old.

The Liverpool music legend was departing his home with his wife Yoko Ono when Chapman, who was later jailed for life and remains behind bars to this day, seized the moment to shoot him, later citing John's controversial remark about the Beatles being 'more popular than Jesus' as his primary motivation.

The killing sent shockwaves across the globe, particularly affecting his former Beatles bandmates, who have subsequently spoken candidly about losing their friend. During a 1981 interview with Barbara Walters, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr recalled the devastating moment he learned John had been shot while talking on the telephone with his wife Barbara Bach's daughter Francesca Gregorini while they were in Barbados, reports the Express.

"And so, that drove me crazy," Ringo said, before explaining his initial assumption was that he'd been shot in the leg or the arm. details

Fans of music legend John Lennon are marking what would have been his 86th birthday today, October 9. The Beatles songwriter was murdered on December 8, 1980, when he was shot outside his Manhattan residence by Mark David Chapman. He was rushed to hospital in the back of a police vehicle, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was 40 years old.

The Liverpool music legend was departing his home with his wife Yoko Ono when Chapman, who was later jailed for life and remains behind bars to this day, seized the moment to shoot him, later citing John's controversial remark about the Beatles being 'more popular than Jesus' as his primary motivation.

The killing sent shockwaves across the globe, particularly affecting his former Beatles bandmates, who have subsequently spoken candidly about losing their friend. During a 1981 interview with Barbara Walters, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr recalled the devastating moment he learned John had been shot while talking on the telephone with his wife Barbara Bach's daughter Francesca Gregorini while they were in Barbados, reports the Express.

"And so, that drove me crazy," Ringo said, before explaining his initial assumption was that he'd been shot in the leg or the arm. details

Sixty-one years ago today, one of the most iconic tracks of all time, which was ranked the “Absolute Best Song in History” more than 50 years later, hit No. 1. The fact that The Beatles’ “Yesterday” has continued to be celebrated across generations of listeners is especially noteworthy since it nearly wasn’t released for a fascinating reason.
‘Yesterday’ by the Beatles Hit No. 1 on October 9, 1965

After The Beatles’ “Yesterday” was first released on September 13, 1965, the song quickly rose in popularity. Less than a month later, on October 9, 1965, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for a total of four weeks. The only tracks from the legendary rock band that stayed at No. 1 for longer than that are “Hey Jude,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Get Back,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Why ‘Yesterday’ by the Beatles Almost Wasn’t Released

On September 13, 2020, Ultimate Classic Rock released an article that chronicled how The Beatles’ “Yesterday” began its journey to leaving a mark on music history. It noted the well-known story that th details

Paul McCartney has penned some words on how they shot the iconic cover for The Beatles‘ ‘Rubber Soul’ for the re-release of their classic 1965 album. Check them out exclusively on NME below.

The Fab Four’s landmark sixth album is currently heading to Number One in the UK charts, 60 years after its original release. Released last week (Friday October 2), the expanded edition comes presented in new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes, and with a box-set alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol US Album version mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell.

As well as the original tracklist – which features fan-favourites including ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’, ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Michelle’, and ‘In My Life’ – there is also be the contemporary double A-side single, ‘Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out’, and a selection of previously unreleased session recordings and home demos.

The Super Deluxe Special Edition Super comes as either a 5-LP box-set or a 4-CD box-set, with 68 tracks and an 88-page hardbound book featuring a brand new written introduction by McCartney, and a foreword compiled from details

Four months after returning with The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Paul McCartney, never short of songs, has pulled out a handful more. Three songs from Macca’s album sessions with Andrew Watt feature on a new expansion of the June LP, alongside a “flip mix” of “Home to Us,” the Ringo Starr duet from the record. (The new version reverses their parts.) Stream the full expanded album below or skip to track 15 for the new songs: “City Fox,” “One Night Stand,” and “Chelsea Boots.” 

Source: pitchfork.com/Jazz Monroe

On the surface, John Lennon might have been seen as the Beatle most likely to form a lasting bond with Bob Dylan, such were the often cynical and aloof parallels of their character traits. Yet, it was The Quiet One who became the lifelong pal, and who would persuade the American to be part of his second celebrated chart-topping group.

Bob had met all four Fabs at the same time, on their first visit to the US in 1964, infamously introducing them to the delight of marijuana during an all-night and well into the early hours pow-wow at New York’s Delmonico Hotel. Whenever Dylan subsequently played in the UK, at least one Beatle’s name would be on the guest list, and they made sure he was among the first to hear albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver, tacitly acknowledging the debt they felt their rapidly developing craft owed him.

In his 2026 book Where The Music Had To Go: How Bob Dylan And The Beatles Changed Each Other, author Jim Windolf suggests the demands of their respective careers were an obstacle in them ever getting especially close. He also argues that neither Lennon nor McCartney were in the frame to forge any kind of lasting friendship with their contemporary and admirer; John’s outlook details

Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote dozens of songs for the Beatles, most of which are credited to the iconic "Lennon-McCartney" and, on rare occasions, "McCartney-Lennon." As teenagers, the duo made a pact that both their names would appear on their songs, regardless of who wrote them. This partnership set the stage for one of music history’s most legendary songwriting collaborations.

Some of the Beatles’ fan favorites actually began as songs penned by a young Lennon and McCartney in Liverpool, both before and during their days with the Quarrymen. Whether written solo or as a team, these tracks foreshadow the artists’ creative genius; a genius that would one day set the tone for the musical landscape of the 1960s and 70s.

Here are four Beatles songs John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote as teenagers.

"Hello Little Girl"
"One After 909"
"I'll Follow the Sun"
"Love Me Do"

"Hello Little Girl"

John Lennon wrote his first song, "Hello Little Girl," in 1957 when he was just 16. Inspired by a 1930s or ‘40s tune his mother used to sing to him, Lennon’s first musical endeavor is credited to Lennon-McCartney. The Beatles performed it during their 196 details

Through moving lyrics entwined with themes of peace, love and spirituality, George Harrison offered fans harmony at a time of intense political unrest—a message that has transcended his lifetime. Harrison and his bandmates transformed the world as we know it, leaving behind an immutable impact on society. The Beatles’ profound influence is now documented within the grooves of vinyls, silver bromide of film, and voices of older generations as they pass down those stories to their children.

While photographed and interviewed relentlessly throughout their career, Harrison was also simultaneously documenting himself and The Beatles in private, capturing moments that make these larger-than-life rock gods feel incredibly human. The images take us inside his mind and behind the scenes of the band; the intimacy between them palpable in a boyish smile, a sideways glance, or the dropping of that happy facade entirely. Harrison’s images bounce back and forth between highlighting the stars as they were perceived to be and the people they actually were. In The Third Eye: Early Photographs by George Harrison, Harrison’s archival photography is published alongside essays from Olivia Harrison, George Saunders an details

As production continues on Sam Mendes's The Beatles - A Four-Film Cinematic Event, Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn have recreated an iconic Beatles moment in a newly released set photo.

With Mendes' four-film Beatles event slated for release all at once in April 2028, filming has been taking place in Liverpool and London since 2025. The cast includes Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

A new image from the upcoming biopic, shot in Liverpool, shows Mescal and Quinn in character as the production recreates the moment Barry Chang collected the band from Gambier Terrace, where John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe once lived.

The scene shows the Beatles leaving for Hamburg, where they would develop their live act. Morfydd Clark was also spotted on set playing Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon’s first wife.  In the new image, Quinn and Mescal can be seen atop a vehicle, seemingly packing their equipment as they prepare to set off on their journey.

As well as the famous foursome, Harry Lawtey is set to star as Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bass guitarist for The Beatles, who was a member of the band du details

High above London’s West End, a 45°F wind whipped across the fragile, pitched roof of 3 Savile Row.

This wasn’t the roaring, electrified mania of Shea Stadium. Rather, it was a cold, uncertain Thursday morning.

Fifteen minutes before showtime, the atmosphere was thick with hesitation. Ringo, complaining of the bitter chill, shivered in his wife’s red raincoat. George, ever the skeptic, muttered, “What’s the point? Why are we doing this?” Paul, acting as the band’s diplomatic engine, pleaded, “C’mon, guys, let’s do it. It’ll be fun. We need to do something.”

John settled it. “Fuck it, let’s do it.”

That line would change music history forever

On a roof reinforced with steel props just to keep them from crashing through the ceiling of the room below, the Beatles stepped into the wind. It was a universe away from the screaming crowds of their youth.

As the first notes of “Get Back” echoed through the chimney stacks, the West End stood still.

While director Michael Lindsay-Hogg envisioned a “social study” of the band’s final interaction with the establish details

The Beatles recorded most of the landmark album in four weeks to meet the Christmas market deadline
A new Oct. 2 special edition includes remixed tracks, home demos and previously unreleased session recordings
Giles Martin says the album’s darker lyrics and studio experimentation marked a major creative shift

Though their musical talents have been commented upon with some frequency, one under-appreciated aspect of the Beatles is their ability to hit a deadline.

They famously recorded the bulk of their first album in a single day. (And their second one took even longer.) So when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr entered EMI Studios in October 1965 with just four weeks to produce a new LP — and single! — in time for the Christmas market, the schedule might almost have seemed leisurely to them.

What emerged from that compressed burst of creativity was Rubber Soul, one of the most dramatic evolutionary leaps of their career. Across 14 tracks, the band stretched beyond the straightforward love songs and rock ‘n’ roll arrangements that had made them a global phenomenon. Instead they embraced introspective lyrics, unfamiliar instruments and a details