Remember When The Beatles Kicked Off the Most Legendary Rooftop Concert of All Time in 1969?

The Beatles, who had music in a chokehold between 1963 and 1969, would eventually break up in 1970. The reason is attributed to quarrels over business affairs and group members wanting to explore their individual artistic identities. Some of them would only reunite a few times to record songs like “All Those Years Ago” by George Harrison, but never all four at once.

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Even though the group’s world domination was short-lived, their legacy would have a lasting impact on fan culture and leave records for modern artists to aspire to. Some of which still haven’t been touched to this day.

On January 30, 1969, The Beatles would play their last live concert ever as a group, on the rooftop of the Apple Corps headquarters in London.

The group was working on finishing their film, Let It Be, which was to be released in 1970. According to The Beatles Story, the film needed an ending, so the rooftop performance became the solution. The event would also mark the end of the musical group, so have it.

The “social study” of a concert, as George Harrison called it, would go on for 42 minutes. The group played songs like “Get Back” and “Don’t Let Me Down” to a few lucky viewers and even police, who had to ask them to lower the volume.

The Idea Was Likely Lennon’s or Ringo’s

So whose idea was it to play on the roof?

According to Rolling Stone, Billy Preston, a keyboard player, said that it was John Lennon’s idea. It might have also been Ringo’s.

Tony Bramwell, a friend, would remark on the iconic nature of the moment. He was one of the few people who got to witness it.

“I spent the morning with the cameramen while the gear was set up,” he shared. “Then a short time watching from the camera viewpoint I was called down to my office because there was a load of media calls coming in!! Then the police turned up and the gig was stopped! Of course, no one really knew or thought that it would be the final gig ever!”

At the show’s end, John Lennon would playfully remark, “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we’ve passed the audition.”

Photo by: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images