Taylor Swift, The Grateful Dead, Phish, and Metallica are just a few of the bands with incredibly devout and staunch fan bases. Of course, we are missing the band with arguably the most loyal fanbase of all time: The Beatles. To this day, The Beatles’ fan base is as strong as ever. Though back when they first entered the scene, it was as if they created an army of teenage robots.
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If you’ve seen clips of The Beatles’ 1965 Shea Stadium performance, you’re familiar with just how ludicrous their fans were. They would stop at nothing to get a mere glimpse of The Beatles. And to meet them, well, that is a completely different story, as fans would sometimes risk their lives. As a matter of fact, on this day, August 22, 1966, two teenage girls did just that.
Beatlemania Had Plenty of Teens Obsessed With The Beatles
The Beatles’ effect on the world, particularly teenage American girls, was absolutely mind-boggling. It’s as if the band released a substance that made their fans into zombies, consistently looking for their next fix. In this particular instance, the fix was an opportunity to meet The Beatles.
That being said, on August 22, 1966, New York City teenagers Carol Hopkins and Susan Richmond walked out on the ledge of a New York City Hotel. Once they were on the ledge, they threatened to jump if they were not able to meet The Beatles. Luckily, the NYPD was able to talk Hopkins and Richmond down, and they were returned to the ground safely. Did they get to meet The Beatles? Unfortunately, that is unclear.
The day after the incident, The Beatles took to Shea Stadium as part of their final North American tour. It was their second performance at the baseball field and marked a major moment, as it was the final time they performed in NYC. Following that performance, The Beatles notably stopped touring altogether after their last ever scheduled performance on August 29, 1966, in San Francisco.
It’s probably safe to say that Carol Hopkins, Susan Richmond, and the rest of The Beatleheads were devastated by the news. However, in the grand scheme of things, this story is a testament to just how powerfully popular The Beatles were during their heyday. The only person to come close to such a feat is arguably Taylor Swift. So, everybody, who has the more devout fanbase? The Beatles or Taylor Swift?
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