On October 5, 1962, The Beatles's first single, "Love Me Do" was released in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 17 on the UK charts after its release.
The second single released in the UK, "Please Please Me", would hit number two. "From Me to You" would be their first single to hit number one and set off a string of number one hits in the UK. The Beatles' US record company would refuse to issue their singles in the country for over a year, creating a lag in Billboard hits for the band. Nevertheless, some resourceful American fans did import copies from Canada to hear the English band.
In late 1963, Capitol Records agreed to allow singles to be released in America. The first song to hit American shores was "I Want to Hold Your Hand". By 1964, Beatlemania fully hit the United States, ushering in a musical and cultural revolution.
The Beatles also set new trends in the way the music industry viewed songwriting. They were among the first to write their own music, opening the door for other pop musicians and songwriters who preferred to pen their own tunes—something previously dismissed by most studios and producers. Over the next 10 years, the band would become increasingly experimental, changing pop and rock music forever. But many of their most beloved songs harken back to their early days, like "Love Me Do".
Feature photo via Wikimedia Commons
