The Beatles hold several accolades that prove they are the most commercially and culturally successful band of all time. Between their 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, eight Grammy Awards, and insurmountable cultural influence, The Beatles’ success truly cannot be defined.
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However, in regards to numbers, a few songs are certainly more successful than others. And today, we are going to try to define the robust success of three of The Beatles’ biggest hits. That being so, here are three of The Beatles’ most successful No. 1 hits of all time.
“She Loves You”
In addition to peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, The Beatles’ single, “She Loves You” became the best-selling UK single of the ’60s. As of 2022, the song became the ninth best-selling single in the history of the UK.
Beyond numbers, “She Love You” was the song that arguably garnered The Beatles both the spotlight and platform they needed to become an international sensation. Following the song’s 1963 release, The Beatles acquired mass notoriety and made their first US appearance a year later in 1964.
“Yesterday”
“Yesterday” by The Beatles remains a staple song for a melancholic day. Though, before it received its cross-generational appeal, the song dominated the charts and record store shelves. The song, unsurprisingly, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 4 on the UK charts.
However, the song’s chart history and cultural significance are far from the only two things that define its success. After the song’s original release in 1965, it received a gold certification by the RIAA for selling over one million copies.
“Hey Jude”
“Hey Jude” has been ringing in the ears of listeners ever since it was released in 1968, and its commercial success proves just that. Shortly after its release, “Hey Jude” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 1 on the UK charts. Also, keep in mind that this song is seven minutes long, and songs of that length rarely have chart performances of this quality.
Besides its chart history, the song has often been titled as one of the greatest songs of all time. Matter of Fact, Rolling Stone ranked it as the fourth-best song of all time, and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame also inducted it into their “500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll” list. Needless to say, this Beatles song is not only one of their more successful tracks, but also one of the most successful tracks to exist in all of music.
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