The Beatles were on top of the world for a decade. Throughout the band’s tenure, they earned 20 No. 1 singles, earning the record for the most No. 1’s on the Billboard Hot 100. Even after their stint as a band ended, they kept the Beatles’ name alive by earning solo No. 1’s. But which Beatle had the final No. 1 in the group? Find out who outlasted their bandmates on the charts below.
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Which of the Beatles Earned the Final No. 1
Each of the Beatles had success after the band broke up. They each earned their fair share of hits, but only one earned the final No. 1 out of the group.
The first Beatle to venture out on his own was George Harrison. He released Wonderwall Music in 1968. This release was a sense of freedom amidst the controlling partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. He was the first to earn a No. 1 hit in the U.S. on his own with “My Sweet Lord.”
His Beatles bandmates followed suit with their own successful solo songs, but it was Harrison who outlasted them on the charts.
“Got My Mind Set On You”
Harrison earned both the first solo No. 1 and the final Beatles solo No. 1. “Got My Mind Set On You” topped the charts in the late ’80s. When it went No. 1, it broke a three-way tie between Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr, who all had two hit singles.
Harrison first heard this song in the early ’60s. Originally performed by James Ray, the song stuck with Harrison over the years until he released his own version decades later. “Got My Mind Set On You” broke yet another record, making Harrison the artist with the longest time in between No. 1 hits for a while.
“Now and Then”
The history of the Beatles’ No. 1’s gets a little muddled, considering their 2023 hit, “Now and Then.” This song also went No. 1, blurring Harrison’s status as the Beatle to earn their final No. 1. At any rate, “Got My Mind Set On You” remains the final chart-topper released by a Beatle in their heyday.
Revisit “Got My Mind Set On You” below.
(Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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