1960s AD - Decade

Current Events, Oct 31, 1997

This rock and roll quartet revolutionized popular music in the 1960s. Band members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr all came from Liverpool, England. They released their first record, "Love Me Do," in 1962. By the time the Beatles came to the United States in 1964, their songs held the top five spots on the music charts.

Through the mid-sixties, they continued to release incredibly popular pop songs. The screaming at their concerts often drowned out their music and they stopped playing concerts in 1966.

Around this time, the Beatles' music became more political and introspective due to the influences of folk-rocker Bob Dylan.

The cultural influences of the Beatles were far-ranging. They popularized long hair and Middle Eastern philosophy among other things.