Defining the greatest rock band of all time is an impossible task, as everyone’s criteria differ. However, if the whole world were to base its opinion on achievements, then the greatest of all time title would go to The Beatles. Need we remind you just how many accolades the Fab Four acquired during their career and after? No, because if we did, this whole article would just be a laundry list of No. 1 hits and awards. Though what we will remind you about is a major achievement they scored on this day, November 10, 2023, 53 years after their dissolution in 1970.
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In May of 1963, The Beatles scored their first of many No. 1 hits on the United Kingdom singles chart. That No. 1 hit was their single, “From Me To You”, and the last single they scored on the chart while they were still together was “The Ballad Of John And Yoko”. That was not their last ever single on the UK singles chart, as today, November 10, 2023, The Beatles scored yet another No. 1 hit on the chart with their single, “Now And Then”.
The Lengthy Gap Between The Beatles’ First No. 1 Hit and “Now And Then”
As stated previously, The Beatles’ first No. 1 hit on the UK singles chart was “From Me To You”. Subsequently, the biggest band in the world went on to score 16 more No. 1 hits on the chart. Is that impressive? Incredibly, but arguably the more impressive feat is the record they set with “Now And Then”. When the single peaked at No. 1 on the chart on this day, The Beatles broke the record for the longest gap between their first and last No.1 hit. That gap was an astounding 60 years.
John Lennon started writing the song in 1978. Fast forward 45 years, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney put the finishing touches on the song and released it on November 2, 2023. In just a week, the single climbed to No. 1 on the UK chart. According to the Official Charts Company, “Now And Then” became this century’s fastest-selling vinyl single. So, yeah, there is that accomplishment as well.
An achievement such as this is a testament to The Beatles’ timeless appeal. No matter how many years pass, it seems The Beatles will always be relevant in some way, shape, or form, and not just in the UK, as the single also did gangbusters in the States. Following its United States release, “Now And Then” debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo by Roy Cummings/THA/Shutterstock
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