The Beatles

The Beatles were a rock and pop band from Liverpool, England that formed in 1960. During their career, the group primarily consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Although their initial musical style was rooted in 1950s rock and roll and skiffle, the group worked with different musical genres, ranging from Tin Pan Alley to psychedelic rock. Their clothes, style and statements made them trend-setters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. After the band broke up in 1970, all four members embarked upon successful solo careers.

The Beatles were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music, selling over one billion records internationally.[1] In the United Kingdom, The Beatles released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one, earning more number one albums (15) than any other group in UK chart history. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries; their record company, EMI, estimated that by 1985 they had sold over one billion records worldwide.[2] According to the Recording Industry Association of America, The Beatles have sold more albums in the United States than any other band.[3] In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Beatles number one on its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[4] According to that same magazine, The Beatles' innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture is still evident today. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of top-selling Hot 100 artists to celebrate the chart's fiftieth anniversary; The Beatles topped it.

Studio albums

Please Please Me (Parlophone, 1963)
With The Beatles (Parlophone, 1963)
A Hard Day's Night (Parlophone, 1964)
Beatles for Sale (Parlophone, 1964)
Help! (Parlophone, 1965)
Rubber Soul (Parlophone, 1965)
Revolver (Parlophone, 1966)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Parlophone, 1967)
Magical Mystery Tour (U.S./Canada only. Released as a Double EP in the UK) (Capitol, 1967)
The Beatles ("The White Album") (Apple, 1968)
Yellow Submarine (Apple, 1969)
Abbey Road (Apple, 1969)
Let It Be (Apple, 1970)

CD releases

In 1987, EMI released all of The Beatles' studio albums on CD worldwide. Apple Corps decided to standardise The Beatles catalogue throughout the world. They chose to release the twelve original studio albums as released in the United Kingdom, as well as the Magical Mystery Tour U.S. album, which had been released as a shorter Double EP in the UK. All of the remaining Beatles material from the singles and EPs from 1962–1970 which had not been issued on the original British studio albums were gathered on the Past Masters double album compilation:
Past Masters, Volume One (1988)
Past Masters, Volume Two (1988)

The U.S. album configurations from 1964-65 were released as box sets in 2004 and 2006 (The Capitol Albums Volume 1 and Volume 2 respectively); these included both stereo and mono versions based on the mixes that were prepared for vinyl at the time of their original 1960s releases in the United States.

2009 CD remasters

All 12 original UK studio albums by The Beatles are currently expected to be released on Compact Disc in newly remastered versions on 9 September 2009, along with Magical Mystery Tour and a combined 2-CD set of Past Masters plus stereo and mono box set collections.[128] The expected 2009 remasters will replace the infamously poor quality 1987 remasters.[129][130] Mojo magazine's Mat Snow was invited to hear 10 remastered tracks from the 1968 album The Beatles and stated that they were "better even than we'd hoped."[131] On 7 April 2009 it was announced through The Beatles website and email newsletter that their entire back catalog is to be re-released in remastered form on the 9 September 2009, following an extensive remastering process that lasted four years.[132]

Dhani Harrison recently stated that The Beatles are losing money every day by not having a digital outlet for sales and that he does not feel that the iTunes Store's 99 cent charge is a fair price for The Beatles songs. Harrison, who was an integral part in pushing for The Beatles: Rock Band video game, also announced that the remaining members of The Beatles are looking into creating their own website for digital downloads of The Beatles remastered catalogue, and expects it to be available in the near future.