The Beatles Members: Who Are They, and How Did They Get So Popular?

Believe it or not, The Beatles have had more Number One singles than any other band.

With just a few years of good music, The Beatles left an undeniable impact on culture and left a lasting legacy. They have written some of the best-loved classic rock songs of all time. Famous songs by the Beatles include Hey Jude, Let It Be, and Come Together.

Who were the Beatles members, and why were they so significant?

Let’s take a look.

John Lennon

John Lennon is one of the most popular rock musicians of all time. His parents split when he was only four years old and he was raised by his Aunt Mimi.

John Lennon’s mother visited him often and taught him the banjo and piano. However, she died when he was only 18 years old and the event had a profound impact on his life.

John Lennon started a guitar “skiffle” band in 1957 when he was only 17. Skiffle is a combination of blues, jazz, and American folks music.

Lennon met Paul McCartney that same year and invited him to join the band, then called The Quarry Men. They became one of the best-known songwriting teams in history.

After the group became known as The Beatles, they were discovered by manager Brian Epstein at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1961. They got a record contract with EMA. Lennon married his first wife, Cynthia, and they had a son named Julian.

Throughout the 1960s, The Beatles became the most popular band in the world. Their record sales were outstanding, with over 75 million albums sold from 1964-to 1985, and 57 million sold between 1991 and 2008.

The Beatles continued to tour together until 1966 when a concert in Candlestick Park saw the band running off the stage because they couldn’t hear themselves sing due to the hordes of screaming fans. The phenomenon was known as Beatlemania and continues to be part of the legacy they leave behind.

John Lennon married his second wife, Yoko Ono, in 1969, and The Beatles broke up in 1970. He was deeply involved in the anti-war movement at the time. Lennon continued making music but got killed by a crazed fan in 1980.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney was born in 1942 in Liverpool, England. He is known for lifting pop music from a commercial business into a highly creative art form.

McCartney was born to working-class parents and his mother died when he was only 14 years old. When he was 15, Paul McCartney met John Lennon and they began to play together in a group that eventually would become known as The Beatles.

The Beatles produced many hit albums together, including A Hard Day’s Night, Please Please Me, and Rubber Soul. They also made movies together that contributed to the success of a stunning career. After they broke up, McCartney continued making music with The Wings and as a soloist.

McCartney continues to tour with a band that plays old hits and new compositions. In fact, you can purchase tickets to see them this year at ticketsonsale.com.

George Harrison

George Harrison was the youngest of the Beatles band members. He met Paul McCartney when he was only 14 years old.

George Harrison was the band’s lead guitarist who also sang lead vocals on tracks like While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Here Comes the Sun. His original compositions were quite popular.

Harrison studied the Indian instrument known as the sitar with Ravi Shankar. He continued making music throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He died from lung cancer in 2001 at the age of 58.

Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr was the Beatles’ drummer, known for his easygoing personality. His original name was Richard Starkey. He sang lead on Beatles’ tracks like With A Little Help From My Friends and Octopus’s Garden.

Starkey was born in Liverpool in 1940. He started his own band while recovering from tuberculosis at a sanatorium, using a wooden mallet to strike the cabinets next to his bed.

Richard Starkey changed his name to Ringo Starr in 1957 when he was playing with a band called Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He met John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison in Hamburg, and officially joined The Beatles in 1962.

Starr continued to make music after the band broke up. He collaborated with Paul McCartney and George Harrison for the Beatles Anthology project in 1994.

As one of the two surviving Beatles members, Ringo continues to make music. In fact, in 2017, he was the first Beatle to become a great-grandfather.

The Beatles Legacy

The Beatles continue to be popular 50 years after they began making music. The moving lyrics, catchy hooks, and soul in their songs touch the lives of those in every generation.

The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. They have received seven Grammies, a Billboard Music Award, and Brit awards.

Many of their songs and albums were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame due to their endurance and historical significance. These include Yesterday, I Want To Hold Your Hand, and Hey Jude.

The Beatles have influenced many popular rock acts that followed them, including Jimmy Hendrix, David Bowie, and Oasis. They had a tremendous impact on both American and British popular music.