| "We were 4 guys. I met Paul and said do you | | | | Moreover, the popularity of the Beatles is not |
| want to join me band? Then George joined and | | | | waning. In fact it has been almost 40 years since |
| then Ringo joined. We were just a band that | | | | the band broke up and their music is more popular |
| made it very, very big that's all" -John Lennon. | | | | than ever. Each year that passes brings more and |
| We were just a band that made it very, very | | | | more Beatles fans. Consider that the Beatles |
| big? That is like saying Michelangelo was just a | | | | digitally remastered collection sold more than 2.25 |
| painter/sculptor, or that Shakespeare was just a | | | | million units in Japan, North America, and the |
| guy who wrote plays. | | | | United Kingdom in just 5 days after it was |
| The Beatles did in fact have phenomenal | | | | released on 9/9/09. Furthermore, Viacom |
| commercial success. The band still has the most | | | | announced that it sold 25% of the Beatles Rock |
| number one singles (20) and most number one | | | | Band game inventory in one week. |
| albums (19) in America. The Beatles also currently | | | | What is the reason for their continued popularity? |
| have 3 albums in the top 20 on a list of the | | | | Ringo Starr recently was quoted as saying "The |
| world's best-selling albums (excluding movie | | | | music stands up. It's not the silly haircuts or the |
| soundtracks and stage productions). | | | | shoes or the suits. New generations of musicians |
| But the Beatles of course were more than a | | | | and fans are still talking about the music." |
| band that made it very, very big. Along with being | | | | One could go further in stating that the music |
| commercially successful, the Beatles have won | | | | that the Beatles made is still relevant among |
| much deserved critical acclaim over the years. For | | | | recording artists. Over the years, Beatle songs |
| example in 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine | | | | have been performed and covered by countless |
| proclaimed that the Beatles have 4 of the top 10 | | | | musicians. The most notable among the bunch is |
| greatest albums of all time ( 1) Sgt. Pepper's | | | | the song 'Yesterday' which was written by Paul |
| Lonely Hearts Club Band, 3) Revolver, 5) Rubber | | | | McCartney when he was a Beatle. The Guinness |
| Soul, 10) The Beatles- "The White Album"), and in | | | | Book of Records listed the song 'Yesterday' as |
| 2004 rated the Beatles the number one group of | | | | having the most cover versions (over 3000) of |
| all time. | | | | any song ever written. |