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

People cover Paul McCartney, Wings, and The Beatles all the time. Honestly, much of the work he’s produced is just fun to cover. However, some of those Paul McCartney covers out there come close to topping the quality of the original, though I doubt anyone can truly do Macca better than Macca. And when it comes to the following four Paul McCartney covers, I bet you’ve never heard them before. Let’s dive in!

This is not the kind of band you’d expect Foo Fighters to cover, but they did a killer job with it. They don’t shy away from the bluesy elements, either, making this both a faithful cover of “Band On The Run” and a uniquely Foo Fighters release.

The original version of “Band On The Run” was released by Paul McCartney and Wings in 1973.  “Dear Boy” by Death Cab For Cutie

An underrated cover of an underrated song from Paul McCartney. Death Cab For Cutie did a great job with the overall instrumentation of this cover, as well as those reverb-y vocals that really do sound just like something Paul McCartney would produce.

“Dear Boy” is one of many excellent songs from the 1971 album Ram, featuring both McCartney details

Before The Beatles became massively popular in 1963, Beatlemania had not quite kicked off yet. They were nearing closer with their first big hit, “Love Me Do”, in 1962. But for the most part, the Fab Four were just a regular ol’ band full of young men that also happened to be friends. And, naturally, young men love to play pranks on one another.

That’s exactly what George Harrison did by sending a handwritten letter to a fan of The Beatles, asking them to thoroughly trash Paul McCartney’s car. And, thankfully, that letter has been preserved for music history buffs and Beatles fans alike to have a laugh at today.
The Beatles Started Out as a Regular Band, and Regular Bandmates Often Prank Each Other

George Harrison, like the rest of The Beatles before they became insanely famous, often responded to fan mail while they were on the up-and-up. Harrison came across a letter from one Susan Houghton, who had contacted the band to wish them well during the holidays and send some flowers to Harrison’s mother. And, strangely, Houghton also asked for some advice on how to properly wash a car. Harrison obliged, but not without ulterior motives.

He was quite thorough, too. Whi details

George Harrison was, without a doubt, one of the reasons the Beatles remain an unforgettable and remarkable band. While often overshadowed by the group’s primary songwriting duo, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the guitarist proved he could write original songs just as well. In fact, he is the songwriter behind some of the band’s most beloved tracks, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and the massive fan favorite — and currently the most-streamed Beatles song on Spotify — “Here Comes the Sun.” Although considerably underappreciated at first, Harrison emerged as the Fab Four’s greatest lyricist, even arguably surpassing the Lennon-McCartney partnership. Unsurprisingly, his solo career took off immediately after the band disbanded, thanks not only to his time with the Beatles but also to his exceptional talent for writing meaningful, introspective songs. And some of his most tender material was inspired by a far more personal source: his son, Dhani Harrison. "Soft Touch" Is a Tender Ode to Early Parenthood

Some of the best songs from our favorite artists are often inspired by their personal experiences. Some write about heartbreaks, relationships, loss, and details

After The Beatles broke up in 1970, the chance of a reunion seemed very low. This is due to multiple factors, but the main one is that all four of the members were actively involved in a lawsuit that aimed to dissolve their creative partnership. That lawsuit was finally resolved in 1974 after John Lennon signed the final documents; this transpired four years after Paul McCartney filed the suit in 1970. Contrary to popular belief, a year before that lawsuit was settled, John Lennon revealed that a Beatles reunion was in fact possible.

The year was 1973, and Lennon sat down with his friend and American radio personality, Elliot Mintz, for an interview. Later on, Mintz published that interview in the 2024 book, We All Shine On: John, Yoko, and Me. During that interview, the major soundbite that caught the attention of rock historians and Beatles fans was that John Lennon teased a potential Beatles reunion before he signed, sealed, and delivered the final documents closing their lawsuit.
Despite His Displeasure, John Lennon Never Definitively Shut Down the Idea

Following The Beatles’ breakup, John Lennon was very verbal about his irritation with his former bandmates, particularly Paul McCartney. In 1971, details

When The Beatles burst onto the scene in the early 1960s, they had a clear image. Their mop-top hair and love songs aimed at the seas of screaming fans made them the ultimate teenage heartthrobs, fueling Beatlemania. Their lyrics spoke directly to a version of “you,” teasing flirtation. But as the band grew, the device of using women’s names evolved into a sophisticated literary device to romanticize the mundane every day. In their almost-decade together, The Beatles used women’s names in the titles of 18 songs, meaning that it was never just a phase. From “Lovely Rita” to “Eleanor Rigby,” “Sexy Sadie” to “Michelle,” the named figures helped the band grow into sharp storytellers who found magic and power in the ordinary.

The Beatles had matured sonically and narratively by the time Revolver came around in 1966, and “Eleanor Rigby” is a great example. They were smart enough to stick to a technique that worked for them—using a specific name in the title. But they had developed the substance to go beyond romance, using Eleanor to amplify the voices of “all the lonely people.” Of course, they continued with romantic narrati details

1975 was the year one of the greatest collaborations in the history of music happened. David Bowie was at the peak of his career. He'd had his commercial breakthrough in 1972 with the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and had previously enjoyed great success with his legendary single, "Space Oddity." But he had yet to conquer the American charts. That didn't happen until 1975, and in a way that surprised even Bowie himself. In 1974, he got to meet one of his greatest heroes, and thanks to that meeting, a number-one single was born.  David Bowie Was Terrified to Meet John Lennon

"I think we were polite with each other, in that kind of older-younger way," Bowie explained. Apparently, he didn't have to introduce himself, since Lennon knew who he was, and treated him like an up-and-coming artist, which intimidated Bowie. "I was sort of, ‘It’s John Lennon!’ I don’t know what to say. ‘Don’t mention The Beatles, you’ll look really stupid.’”

Visconti explained that, despite the awkward first meeting, Lennon took a liking to Bowie. The pair became friends, and months later, when Lennon invited him to hang out in his ho details

Sir Paul McCartney treated George Clooney to a personal performance of When I'm Sixty-Four when he reached the age last year.

The Hollywood actor marked the milestone in May 2025 and he has now revealed he received a special video message from McCartney in which he belted out the Beatles classic as a birthday surprise.

When asked about his 64th birthday, George told The Los Angeles Times newspaper: "I actually got a message from Paul, which is pretty cool ...

"It was a video of him playing When I’m Sixty-Four ... I never really thought when I was cutting tobacco in Augusta, Kentucky, that I would meet Paul, much less become friends with him.

"I feel very in awe. In the scheme of people, you look at Michael Jordan as the best to ever play the game. Paul’s got to be in the conversation as one of the greats of all time. So it’s really something to have him call up and do When I’m Sixty-Four for you."

When asked if he ever sends messages to McCartney, the actor revealed he exchanges messages with the Beatles legend "from time to time".

George went on to recall the chat he had with the musician after hearing Beatles track Now and Then, which was released in 2003 details

Paul Mescal reveals he's started writing his own music after filming the Beatles biopic and shares how Paul McCartney reacted to learning the Irish actor would be playing him.  Paul Mescal has revealed he's been inspired to start writing music after filming the Beatles biopic.

The actor, 29, plays Paul McCartney in the upcoming four-part film series, alongside Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Mescal is doing all of his own singing in the films and told British GQ of the role: 'I've learned so much. It's really inspired a love'.

Confirming that he is now penning his own music, he continued: 'I've always loved music, but getting to play one of the great songwriters and great frontmen has really lit a fire in terms of personally writing music and engaging and hearing music in a different way.'

Mescal, who previously showcased his vocal abilities in the musical films Carmen and The History of Sound, also revealed how McCartney reacted upon learning he'd been cast to play him, as he praised the 'brilliant' Liverpudlian.

'He's the most brilliant man, Mescal gushed. 'I feel emotionally attached to him. He received me wit details

In the new Disney+ documentary series "The Beatles Anthology," a 1991 interview is presented in which the then-surviving Beatles describe secretly spiking the tea served to engineer Geoff Emerick and producer George Martin with "uppers" in order to get them to do studio work later into the night.

In Episode 9, George Harrison described how Emerick and Martin would want to quit for the day around 5:30, while the band wanted to continue recording.

"Some of the people here, the engineer, for instance, would be always like, trying to go home at 5:30. And we'd all be like, well, you know, trying to make history or whatever. And Mal [Evans], our roadie, had this big teapot, it was a big aluminum teapot, and he'd go out. And I remember one specific incident where he made a pot of tea and we doused the tea with uppers. And then he was up there with George Martin, and I think it was Geoff Emerick, giving them the tea. 'Cause they were, you know, "Can we go home now?" No, you can't, you bastard. Have a cup of tea. And, you know, until they were up there, you know like, til 11:00 at night."

Paul McCartney continues, "Yeah, and then they didn't want to go home. … They don't know to this day, until they s details

Greatest hits albums are rarely considered art. Typically, they are money grabs in the latter half of an artist’s career. Not to downplay the inherent merits of a greatest hits compilation, as they are a good way for newcomers get a foothold in an artist’s sound. The Beatles had many greatest hits compilations, but the two that encompass the breadth of their time together are 1962–1966 and 1967–1970, a.k.a the “red and blue” albums. Allen Klein, the Beatles’ late-stage manager, compiled both of these albums. One grievance (of many) that fans have with Klein was his decision to remix the songs on both of these compilations in stereo. John Lennon also joined in on that grievance. Learn more about Lennon’s qualms with these compilations below.

There was much contention towards the end of the Beatles’ career. Klein was meant to sort out the band, but only ended up sending them into further turmoil. There was really no fixing the band’s numerous issues. If you stopped one leak, another would only let in water faster.

Creative differences ran rampant towards the end of the Beatles’ tenure. This certainly drove a wedge between the foursome. Nevertheless, details

The former Beatles member, 85, shared this information with USA TODAY in May 2023. Ringo named one of his longtime collaborators, Jim Keltner, for the honor. He and Jim first met in 1971 in London, where they were introduced by George Harrison, Ringo's former and late Beatles bandmate. In 1989, Ringo & His All-Starr Band launched and Jim was included as a member. The 83-year-old musician has participated as an occasional guest from 2006 to 2023 for the live rock supergroup created by producer David Fishof.

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Ringo told the outlet, "Jim is my all-time hero drummer, no one is as good as him − I love Jim, and that’s about it."

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READ MORE: Danity Kane's Aubrey O'Day talks band reunion and being 'made under Diddy'READ MORE: John Lennon's son has one major fear when it comes to The Beatles' legacy

He also took a moment to highlight Dave Grohl, former drummer of Nirvana and the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in the interview. Ringo said, "I've seen Dave Grohl play straight. He was doing backup at some party, and he was doing it straight. And I was like, OK, wow."

Jim, born James Lee Keltner, is known for his session work. details

Sting is thankful to The Beatles for opening the "floodgates for songwriters to have an attempt at writing songs".

The Every Breath You Take singer's touring guitarist Dominic Miller has released a songbook of 14 of the Fab Four's tracks for classical guitar titled The Beatles arranged by Dominic Miller: Guitar Solo Songbook.

Miller has revealed that he and Sting, 74, have often discussed the music and career of The Beatles, and the former Police frontman believes that the compositions of Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Sir Ringo Starr paved the way for British musicians who followed, like himself.

In an interview with Rick Beato on his YouTube channel, Miller said: "As Sting has often said, actually – and we talk about this sometimes – is that the Beatles, by doing those songs and coming up with those compositions, they kind of gave a license for everyone else to have a go.

“These guys from Liverpool, if they can do it, everyone should try, and so it opened the floodgates for a lot of songwriters to have an attempt at writing songs, which had never really happened before in England, like pop songs – verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge.”

details

The beauty—and arguably the secret ingredient—of The Beatles was the band’s ability to bring four distinct personalities and abilities together to create something cohesive, catchy, and fun to watch. Fans swooned over Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as individual musicians. The Fab Four inherently implied all four musicians were notable and distinct. But as far as the behind-the-scenes operations were concerned, two people ran the show.

As founding members and the two musicians who had been playing together the longest, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were the natural choice for any two songwriters of the four. Starr, for his part, seemed content to be the band’s backbone and throw in a novelty song every now and then. But for the band’s youngest member, George Harrison, this was a wall he would throw himself against time and time again before The Beatles’ final split in 1970.

According to an interview in Anthology, McCartney and Lennon discussed Harrison’s role in the group privately. “It was an option, you know, to include George in the songwriting team,” he said. Optional, sure. Wanted? Maybe not.  Paul McCartney and details

Sir Paul McCartney needs no introduction as a former member of the Beatles, one of the most revered bands in music history, and as a successful solo artist in his own right. After nearly seven decades in the music industry, McCartney is still admired for his vocals, songwriting, and proficiency on multiple musical instruments by fans worldwide. It would therefore seem unlikely that the nineteen-time Grammy Award winner and veteran artist would have any issues performing, but according to McCartney, there is one song he struggles to play live because of a particular tragedy and his deep emotional connection to it. Why Paul McCartney Can't Perform "Here Today" Without Getting Emotional.

Eventually, McCartney's grief inspired him to pen the song "Here Today," which was written in 1981 but released the following year. During the same interview, McCartney recalled what the writing session was like or "Here Today", "I found a room and just sat on the wooden floor in a corner with my guitar and just started to play the opening chords to 'Here Today.'" One particular song lyric, McCartney explained, was the most profound for him: "'The night we cried,' that was to do with a time when we were in Key West, down in Florida... details

The recent Beatles Anthology updated series means there are no more secret recordings. Producer Giles Martin says no more secret Beatles tracks will ever be released.

The producer has spent a number of years going through the Fab Four’s archives for the Disney Plus revived Beatles’ Anthology series and remixed albums and tracks but he doesn’t believe there is anything new left to uncover.

According to The Sun newspaper, he said: “I don’t think there’s anything. I always say that then something turns up. “But I don’t think there’s anything. It’s incredible how much interest there still is over Beatles stuff.

“You do hear new things on this Anthology box set. There’s that first round of Helter Skelter, which for me is great because it’s really raw. It’s proper in your face music. “And then people go, ‘Well, how come we haven’t released the 20-minute long version of Helter Skelter?’ I think we’re done.”

Giles’ father, Sir George Martin – who died in 2016 – was known as “the fifth Beatle” for his work with the band and Giles has enjoyed g details

The star of new movie Avatar: Fire and Ash mentioned the Fab Four more than once when she was given the Colbert Questionnaire on a recent episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

And, like everyone, she had a favorite. Hers was John Lennon — who, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, formed the British rock band that famously invaded America — before he was shot and killed outside his New York City apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980, at just 40.

She confessed to Colbert, who asked whether she's ever asked for a celebrity's autograph, that she'd once written Lennon a special message.

"I wrote a several-page letter on lavender stationery with purple ink,' Weaver said. "'Dear John.' It was like five pages front and back. And I folded it up. I put an envelope, and I dropped it off at this restaurant that I heard he went to."

She couldn't recall what she's written, but she didn't seem to want to.

"I hope they threw it away," Weaver said.

In the same interview, the three-time Oscar nominated star was asked about the first concert that she attended, which was of course the Beatles.

Weaver, who's 76, thought she might have been 12 when she details

Ringo Starr is preparing to extend his late career love affair with country music, confirming that a new studio album is in development and pencilled in for release sometime in early 2026. The untitled project will again explore country and Americana territory and reunites the former Beatle with producer T Bone Burnett, the creative partnership that reshaped Starr’s recording direction with 2025’s Look Up.

Starr has completed his core recording work and is now navigating schedules around final production and label timelines. While no release date has been locked, February or March remains the most likely window, positioning the album as a direct continuation of the creative momentum that began last year.

The new record will once again see Starr working closely with Burnett, a producer whose résumé spans roots music, film soundtracks and heritage American songwriting. Burnett’s influence on Look Up was widely credited with giving Starr a grounded, authentic sound that aligned naturally with his long-standing affection for country music. That same sensibility is expected to guide the 2026 album.

Starr has also returned to songwriting with longtime collaborator Bruce Sugar, c details