The Beatles

The Beatles are the best, most successful and most influential pop group of all time, whose songs are continually discovered by new generations.

The Beatles were formed in Liverpool in 1960. The early years were primarily spent touring in their home country, but the young group also managed to hold their own in the clubs of Hamburg's rough nightlife district. In 1962, things really took off. The arrival of drummer Ringo Starr completed the classic lineup, which also included Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison. That same year, The Beatles signed with EMI, which paired them with in-house producer George Martin. In late 1962, the quartet scored their first single hit with "Love Me Do."

Albums like Please Please Me (1963) and With The Beatles (1963) laid the foundation for a feverish popularity—Beatlemania—that would grip the world in 1964. Significantly, the band's first American television appearance, on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, captivated a staggering 73 million viewers—a third of the entire American population. New albums followed in quick succession: A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help! (1965) contained songs that had also appeared in the films of the same name. The albums Beatles For Sale (1964), Rubber Soul (1965), and Revolver (1966) demonstrated how The Beatles were increasingly venturing into musical experimentation, always accompanied by George Martin.

In 1966, The Beatles stopped touring. From that moment on, the studio became the band's workspace. It immediately paid off. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) emerged as a psychedelic masterpiece that changed the face of pop music. It is still considered one of the most important pop albums ever released. New work followed, with the double album The Beatles ("The White Album," 1968) making it clear that the boys of yesteryear had grown up and were increasingly seeking their own musical path. The sessions for Let It Be (1970) were difficult. Even before it hit the shelves, The Beatles locked themselves in the famed Abbey Road studio to record one last masterpiece. Abbey Road was released in September 1969 and over the years became one of the Fab Four's most beloved albums.

In 1970, the band broke up. Albums like George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass," John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and "Imagine," Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run," and Ringo Starr's "Ringo" proved that a fruitful musical life after The Beatles was possible. Interest in the band itself seemed to only grow over the years, thanks in part to successful (re)releases like the Anthology series, "Let It Be…Naked," "The Beatles In Mono," and deluxe reissues of classics like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "The Beatles," and "Abbey Road. " New generations thus continue to have the opportunity to rediscover the timeless quality of all those songs and albums.

At Platenzaak.nl we have a huge selection of Beatles CDs and LPs, including exclusive editions.