The sixties era, also known as the Swinging Sixties is described as the time of counterculture, social revolution, and flamboyance. Little did we know, this era would be conquered by, The Beatles. The Fab four formed in 1960, in Liverpool consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Together they toured all over the world capturing the hearts of their audience. The Beatles are a legacy and no one can compare to them. Touring all over the world and being followed by thousands of screaming fans, they became one of the most popular bands in history.
They began releasing songs in the UK in 1960 and slowly their popularity began rising. Their first album Please Please Me released in 1963 reached number one on the British charts. They started touring around England and then moved onto the US. The Beatles' arrival in the US and their 1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show marked the start of the “British Invasion”. The term “British Invasion” was used to describe the large number of performers from the United Kingdom in the United Sates. In 1964 their record “I Want To Hold Your Hand” released in America when teenagers were on vacation. The record spread like wildfire, and soon Beatlemania became common amongst teens. Beatlemania was intense levels of hysteria demonstrated by fans at concerts and during the band's travels to and from hotels. (ex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLvTq6FdOj4). When sweeping US cities, they drew thousands of fans to airports, hotels and venues for at least a glimpse of the group. Everywhere around the world, Beatlemania was sure to be found, the band was idolized by tehir fans. In an interview with reporter Maureen Cleave, John Lennon said he came to believe that they were in fact becoming more famous than Jesus, which caused a lot of controversy. More famous than Jesus? Who knows? But without a question they became a legacy.
In 1970 the Beatles broke up leaving their grieving fans a legacy that could never be matched. As it is said in bopped.com/the_beatles.html, The Beatles helped define the sixties. They had many artistic acchievements and huge commercial success. The band was the best-selling musical act of the 20th century. On April 4, 1964 the Beatles held the top 5 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. This has been the only time to date that any act has accomplished this record. They were the first band to ever play in a baseball stadium. 55,600 fans saw the Fab Four perform in New York at the Shea Stadium breaking records for crowd fever, attendance and gross venue. After receiving medals from the Queen at the Buckingham Palace evryone knew the Beatles were going to go down in history. The four became trend-setters, making a great impact in culture with their music, clothes and hairstyles. Up to this day the band still remains popular having fans of all ages. Their music is legendary and no matter how old we get The Beatles will be in our hearts. Like the Beatlemania fans in the sixties would say, “The Beatles Forever”.
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