It Was 50 years ago today...

[Deleted]

It was exactly 50 years ago today, Oct 5th, 1962, that a new British group called the Beatles released their very first 45 rpm single "Love Me Do," in the U.K. It was the beginning of a phenomenon that would become a musical legend over the next 50 years, and would end up influencing music in so many ways all the way up until today.

As for the single itself, "Love Me Do," only got to #17 on the national British chart. Not a flop but not a great hit either, and nowhere near indicative of what this new pop group was capable of accomplishing. Who could have imagined that in just a few short months, this group and their music would become the biggest thing in England, and a little over a year later, they would do what seemed unthinkable for a British group at the time and conquer the American continent as well. Which in turn would set off the musical revolution known as the British invasion which ended up changing pop music forever afterwards.

But everything must start somewhere, and for the Beatles, it all began with a little unassuming song called "Love Me Do," released 50 years ago today.

[Deleted]

In one of the earliest examples of chart manipulation, Brian Epstein bought 10,000 copies of that song all by himself to get the Beatles exposure on that chart.

Nowadays that trick would be caught and removed from the totals

[Deleted]

That's true. Although you have to admit, by the time the Beatles released their 2nd single, "Please Please Me," they didn't need Brian's "help" in that regard at all. PPM was a bonefide hit that was just the beginning of the Beatles' domination of the charts that pretty much lasted until their breakup over 7 years later.

[HolidayGuy]

How did he buy 10K copies by himself? Did he go from store to store?

[Deleted]

Brian Epstein ran his family's record store in Liverpool. That's actually how he met the Beatles in the first place, but that's another story. Anyway, since he was in charge of ordering the music for the record store, it wouldn't have been too hard for him to order a large amount of Beatles singles for his own store.

[Hefty Hanna]

[Deleted]

Oh lookie, it's a picture I've never seen before of the Beatles and one of their groupies! ;)

[Hefty Hanna]

Oct 5, 2012 22:08:13 GMT -5 @peigan68 said:

Oh lookie, it's a picture I've never seen before of the fifth Beatle

Fixed.

[Deleted]

So do you have some unspoken wish for Britney to be one of the Beatles? But, I thought you didn't like the Beatles? Why else would you come in this thread and post that obviously photoshopped picture of her with them?

Oh wait, unless you did it just to try to needle me (emphasis on the word try by the way).

But that would be against the rules, and would make you look like a troll, so no, that can't be it. Can it? ;)

[Hefty Hanna]

It was a joke. Because L.A. Reid said it like a week ago. Calm down peigan! Nobody is touching your Beatles!

In all seriousness, congrats to them. This is something that should be celebrated.

[fridayteenage]

Obviously the new Beatles is actually Goddess Taylor Swift.

If all goes according to plan, she is on track to become only the 2nd artist to have 3 different albums be the bestselling release from 3 different years (06 Taylor Swift, 08 Fearless, 12 Red).

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2012 1:30:46 GMT -5 fridayteenage said:

Obviously the new Beatles is actually Goddess Taylor Swift.

If all goes according to plan, she is on track to become only the 2nd artist to have 3 different albums be the bestselling release from 3 different years (06 Taylor Swift, 08 Fearless, 12 Red).

peigan68 should have fun with "the new Beatles" comment.

I'll leave the commentary to him ;)

[Nick]

Hell no. Not even in the same league as The Beatles.

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2012 1:30:46 GMT -5 fridayteenage said:

Obviously the new Beatles is actually Goddess Taylor Swift.

If all goes according to plan, she is on track to become only the 2nd artist to have 3 different albums be the bestselling release from 3 different years (06 Taylor Swift, 08 Fearless, 12 Red).

This thread is about 50 years having passed since the Beatles released their first single in Britain. I have no idea what Taylor Swift (or any other contemporary artist) has to do with that.

As for what you said Nick, I concur.

[Deleted]

I listened to a 1972 broadcast of AT40 today (the 10th anniversary of Love Me Do) and their was a listener question about the Beatles first chart hit. (Answer was depending on what chart you look at UK or US)

Many chart stats established by the Beatles could eventually be matched by <insert your favorite diva> at some point.

You could invent a random stat the Beatles never accomplished but there will likely never be an equal. The #2 best selling artist of the most recently completed decade, for example(with no new material)

I look forward to the September 2056 thread and articles discussing the 50th anniversary of Taylor Swift's ode to 'Tim McGraw'

[fridayteenage]

Well the Beatles records I definitely know are most #1 singles, most #1 albums, most albums sold, and bestselling albums from the most years.

Besides collaborations, the others' runners-up are Elvis, Elvis, and possibly Elvis. So those have been cemented for a long, long time. It's amazing that someone decades and decades later might well become the runner-up in one of their achievements.

[Deleted]

Today, Oct 9th, 2012, would have been John Lennon's 72nd birthday.

Happy Birthday John.

[Deleted]

As we know, The legacy of John, Paul, George & Ringo and the song 'Love Me Do' (the thread topic) will continue to live on through Taylor Swift

[Deleted]

I thought mentioning John's birthday in this thread would make more sense than starting a whole new one, but you're right, I broke my own rule.

Shame on me.