60 Years Ago This Week The Beatles Conquered America! But How?  

I'm not sure why, but the U.K. has always led the way when it comes to groups/bands, whereas the U.S. has always had the edge when it comes to solo artists. Even today, arguably the most popular band is Coldplay (British), even though I personally find them a bit boring now. Even the most successful U.S. bands have some British input, e.g. Guns N' Roses (Slash is British born), Fleetwood Mac (originally British, then 50% U.S.) Even Metallica, Lars Ulrich started his career in the British music industry.

As far as music was concerned back then in the U.S., The Beatles brought rock back to America.

I was 12 when they arrived on our shores. They were the biggest thing musically to happen here, around the world, and in my life. The song writing, the overall musicianship, the hooks, they were on another level and everyone loved them.

My main memory of the time was my dad stomping around the house blaming everything wrong in the world on "those damn Beatles!" After that the absolute magic of buying the albums and hearing them the first time on my little record player.

I was a mere 5 years old and my wife was birthed in "64" But I remember the time quite well. Beatlemania was everywhere, in ever store, on every radio, and as a child I wanted all things Beatles!

I remember watching them on Ed Sullivan. To this day I can remember sitting in a living room of a family friend listening to all four of her Beatle albums. Which she still has to this day. What an epic time.

I was 12 & already playing drums. At school everyone asked, “Have you heard the Beatles?” I had not. After school I went home. The tv was on in the corner but I was facing the opposite way messing with something on my dresser. As the tv show went to commercial, I heard this sound… it was INSTANT!! Like 1 second, literally. I froze dead in my tracks. It was the coolest, most amazing sound tgat had ever entered my ears. I turned to face the tv where that unreal sound was coming from. There… in black and white, was a photo of 4 guys, cigarettes in hand, collarless jackets, hi heel boots, & the longest hair I’d ever seen on any men. Then the tv announcer said, “This Sunday, in the Ed Sullivan Shiw, THE BEATLES!!” I be said out loud even though I was alone, “THAT’S the Beatles!” The song, that coolest sound I’d ever heard, was “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” I ran to the record store & bought every Beatles record they had. ONE WEEK LATER… every news stand on Queens Blvd. in NYC had the Beatles. The cover of Life, Looj, Newsweek & Time, & something I’d never seen, magazines devoted solely to them! By the end of the month, they had the top 5 songs on the charts, & 7 of the top 10. The shoe stores had Beatle Boots, & even the beauty parlors were selling Beatle Wifs. They changed the world in one week. It has never gone back. There will never be another group, or solo artist, tgat will even come close to doing what they did. Their music is as amazing now as it was then.

And a year later, "The Scorpions" formed. And they are still together. Btw, we love you, Ringo, and "Octopus'Garden."

I can't imagine a world without them😮

My mom was a senior in High School in 1964 and she loves telling me the stories about how she saw them on Ed Sullivan and how they took over the country. She worked in Woolworth at the restaurant counter then and she said the store would play their album on repeat. I remember my mom playing The Beatles albums when I was a kid, and to this day we are both still big Beatles fans. They will always be the greatest band ever. Great video brother and hope all is well with you family. ♥

The Beatles were a phenomenon that will never happen again. I became a Beatles fan back in 1974. I became a guitar player, bass player and singer primarily because of them.

My brother’s wife saw the lads at Olympia Stadium in Detroit. I remember being 4 years old, sitting on the bottom step of our staircase singing I wanna Hold Your Hand while I tried to figure out how to tie my shoes. I actually remember that shit! Prolly the oldest memory I have. I tell ya, those were the days! Detroit was boppin to Motown, then the Beatles took over the world!

I was a 1 year-old baby when the Beatles first arrived here in February, 1964, so I don't remember anything about them. When I was 4-5 years old, I watched the Monkees with my parents. One evening in late 1967 or '68, Mom was watching "Help!" on TV (probably the 1st time the movie was shown on network TV). I asked if that was the Monkees, and she said, no, it's the Beatles. I thought to myself, "These groups have funny names," and I watched for awhile. I remember seeing Ringo mailing a letter, and the lady inside the mailbox grabbing his hand. I finally started getting into the Beatles late in 1972: our 4th grade teacher was cool and let kids bring records to class, to be played during a couple of periods of free time during the day, and someone brought his older sister's copy of "Yesterday and Today" (no butcher cover), and I heard it a lot. Then, for Christmas, 1973, I got the Red album, and from then on, the Beatles have been #1 for me in music.

You said it all Michael. I was there in front of the TV watching The Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964. I had just turned 8 years old. I sat in joyful awe, my sister screamed the whole time and took photos of the TV with her Brownie camera, and my mom was just utterly confused. My Dad sat in the corner, arm-crossed, frowning, and swearing at them. What a great night to remember!

This should be remembered as the time our pioneers Elvis,Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Bill Hailey. Were forgotten.

I was in first grade and heard some girls talking about this band in the restroom. I asked them about it and they said they were the Beatles and were going on Ed Sullivan that Sunday. I told my mom we needed to watch them and my brother and I were right in front of our little black and white tv and saw them that Sunday. I was lucky. My parents did not care if we listened to top 40 radio and rock. My brother and I lived with our little transistors for years until we moved in 1972 to another state for my dad's job. My mom bought us Beatles records. And we listened over and over on the. family stereo. They changed music. It was all British Invasion for several years. Most of the music was from England. There was one band as the 60s wore on that I loved. They were the Yardbirds. I did not know at the time that this group would have a big impact on me in that the ashes of the group when they called it a day rose a band that greatly influenced me from Teen years onwards. The mighty Zeppelin. But they would not be possible without the Beatles and the innovations and creativity of them. They were always ahead of everyone else in the 60s and influenced the music we heard afterwards. Until the might Zeppelin arose to take over after the Beatles split.

I remember I was 10 years old and we got our Beatles wigs at Zode's store and with my sister and two nextdoor neighbors were playing as the Beatles in the garage using whatever we had to mimic the instruments. It was a great time in our worlds history. BEATLES FOREVER

Was 10 years old in '64...Gratefully included with the literally millions who were influenced to pursue musicianship which continues to this day. We were fortunate to have experienced living in what I call a "Musical Renaissance."

The Beatles were a massive influence on me as a child. They made me love music ever since then. I'm in my late 60's now and still music is a passion of mine, thanks to the Beatles.

I was four years old and I remember. I loved The Beatles from the start. It was a phenomenon. I remember when She Loves You was on the radio. I was so little and remember standing up in the backseat of my dad's ford jumping up and down and getting all excited when it came on the radio. Dad abruptly changed the station "That isn't singing. That's screaming."

The Beatles are one of the greatest gifts to the world and it’s a gift that just keeps on giving. 🎁🙌

I was 14 yrs old ? What a beautiful time it was ? When the Beatles came it changed everything ? I say this if i was to go back to the 60s i would in a blink What a Decade for music.

I come from a small city in England called Exeter. In 1963, when I was nine years old, I saw the Beatles. My mother took me to one of the local cinemas where they played. I have to be honest and say that I can remember very little of it, apart from the fact that it was very short, I think about half an hour and very very loud! (Not the band, the screaming). I have a brother, who is six years older than me, so it’s probably through his music, his records, that my mother knew I absolutely loved the Beatles. And I followed them through my young life until they broke up when I was 16. Like a lot of others, I think, I have the Beatles to think for a lifetime, loving music.

I'm an original Beatlemaniac 🎉 The first time I heard them was 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' on a classmate's transistor radio in high school. That was Nov 1963 just a couple weeks before Pres Kennedy's assassination. That was a very dark period of time in America. But when the Beatles arrived in early 1964 and performed live on the Sunday night Ed Sullivan show the tide had turned and rest is history.....All the way to 'Now and Then' that came out last Nov. For sixty years, the Beatles have been the songbook of my life. Note: Saw 'A Hard Day's Night' this past Aug 20, 2023 at The Penn theatre in Plymouth, MI. It was amazing to see it on a full movie screen with music in stereo. The closing scene of the fans in the balcony in the 'Now and Then' video is from the concert at the end 'A Hard's Day Night' including the final bow by the Beatles😊 Memories😢

I was a young teenager in Liverpool when my cousin brought the brand new 'Please, Please Me' album to our house. Put the needle on the record and, "One Two, Three, Four", McCartney calls out .musical history. I was convinced that this was an American song. From then on, I was hooked. The albums which followed simply got stronger and when 'A Hard Day's Night' was released, we knew that this was really special. Great albums followed and then ... 'Rubber Soul'. What on earth was happening? As if that wasn't earth shattering enough, then came, 'Revolver'. The Beatles were spoiling us. We weren't surprised at Sgt Pepper. We were getting used to the fact that the Beatles were colossus in the music world. I always remember my big sister hearing the Beatles cover of 'Mr Postman' and saying that they do everything better than the originals. And she's correct. When you think of the session musicians behind the Motown songs, and the compare the Beatles, four people doing EVERYTHING!!!!. You are so correct when you say that they moved at light speed. As other great bands were inspired and were catching up, off went the Beatles into another stratosphere. Now, as a 75 year old, I can put an early album on and be amazed at how fresh it sounds. Just the other day, I was listening to 'Revolver' and had to check the label for the date!

I’m 62 and am blessed with older siblings who played The Beatles a lot on phonographs. When I was a young Dad my kids learned all the lyrics to Eight Days a Week. What fun it was singing and dancing to the song at full volume! Precious memories that I and they will always have.

And the face of Rock and Roll forever was changed. It sure has never broke my heart ❤️. Great commentary Michael!!!!! It made this old boy get his first guitar. My neighbors know when the weather is good here in western New York lol. They blew my mind back then. They still do today. It was a changer in my life for certain Michael. I love their music just as much as when I first heard them way back then. Keep it coming brother!❤❤

Even though they never came to Puerto Rico I still remember the crazynest and thrill in the atmosphere. And I can say they really changed my way of life. Even today I still feel that enthusiasm I felt 60 years ago. Amazing

I was 9 years old. I remember watching them that 1st night and liking their sound. Couldn't believe how long their hair was lol. I remember parents, school teachers, aunts uncles and such talking about them like they were a joke and how in a few months we'd never hear of them again. Meanwhile 60 years later. . .😂

Michael, The Beatles had exactly the same effect here in Australia on their tour in June 1964. In my hometown of Adelaide, 350,000 people came out to see The Beatles!! This was a world record that would stand for many decades. My auntie was absolutely smitten with them, & i remember my mum & grandmother talking about them many times. I remember "Ticket To Ride" on the radio as a little boy & i remember both my mothers love & my love for Hey Jude. She always called it Hey June!!

I was born in 1963. I probably became aware of them when I was five. I remember my mother had the Help! OST. The American version. I also remember watching the cartoon. It’s funny to think that 60 years on here I am a hardcore Beatles addict. It just goes to show how great they are. There’s a ton of stuff on the Beatles. There are a lot of young people that like the Beatles as well. I always love listening to younger people obsess over them. Some of these youngsters have done their homework too. It’s comforting to know that the Beatles endure.

I was 6 years old when the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show which I saw. I remember all day long everyone was talking about the Beatles appearance to be aired that night. It was like Neal Armstrong landing on the moon later in the "60's also on TV. I kept asking my dad, "what are they like?" to which he responded, "they're a lot like Laurel and Hardy", who were my favorites at the time. Needless to say, after seeing the Beatles for the first time on Ed Sullivan I was disappointed and said "they're nothing like Laurel and Hardy, they just sing about teenage love." Years later in 1970 just when they broke up, I became a teenager and bought Meet The Beatles because I thought it would be a collectors items, since it was an ancient 6 years old relic of the past. I wasn't even going to remove the plastic, just keep and let it go up in value. But I decided to open it and play it. The rest is history, at least for me. I went nuts! I went out and eventually bought every American, British and German Beatle album I could. And the 2 years later I bought a guitar, started taking guitar lessons just like so many other boys my age. I wanted to sing like Paul, but I'm a baritone and I actually wanted to play like Eric Clapton. But the Beatles were and still are my inspiration, along with Frank Sinatra, once I started taking voice lessons. So that's my story, sad but true about a band that I once knew.

Feb 9 1964 800 pm EST. Channel 2 in New York. I was 13. It changed my life . Within 2 weeks i had a guitar, haven’t stopped since

I first heard The Beatles early January of 64. I was 6yrs old and this song came on the radio and I jumped up, and ran to the radio because I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. It sounded like it came from another planet! I had no idea who it was but the song was I want to hold your hand.

You tell the best Beatles stories. I am a Gen 2 Beatles fan. I was born just in time, 1970. The Beatles music was still being played on the radio. I need to get Hard Days Night in my collection and Yesterday and Today as well. I am grateful for Beatles music 🎶 ❤

I was 11 years old when I saw them on Ed Sullivan. Instant fan!

About to turn 8 years old and my whole family, all 7 of us, watched Ed Sullivan. Our lives were forever changed! For me and my 4 siblings anyway. My father? That’s a different story although he respected what they did but would never admit it.

My brain wants to say Spring semester, 2nd grade, but that would put it in 1965. So in 1st grade, in the Spring of 1964, after school I remember talking to a classmate(?), a schoolmate (?) or one of the students I walked home with (?), about The Beatles.

I was just 5 but remember it as my dad proclaimed "What a bunch of noise" and "They'll never last". Something he said about every artist I liked in my teens. He was from Wales so his music was Welsh choir music, Mario Lanza and Caruso. LOL

I was about 8 years old back then, and like you it changed my life and my world. I remember hearing Meet the Beatles at a friend's house; his older brother had bought it and played it for us. I was so inspired, that, again like you, I went on to become a musician and played in bands for 30+ years, starting when I was 15 years old. I can't say it became a "career" per se, since I always had to have a job, but I was in bands that had signed record contracts and was on about 5 albums over the years. Lots of gigs, lots of great memories, and it all hearkens back to 1964 and hearing The Beatles.

Watched "The Ed Sullivan Show" in '64...wanted to be A Beatle. It was a "Happening"!! It was something different for this 9 year old!

I was a 12-year-old, sitting in front of our TV, watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. My parents were HORRIFIED by their hair! ...But before you knew it, guys in my elementary school started growing their hair out

I remember them being on Ed Sullivan fairly well. I was 7 years old, didn't really want to watch them. my older sister won, so she got to see The Beatles. I wanted to watch the Scarecrow on the Wonderful World of Disney (on the only other station), we had yep, just two stations. since Disney was a two-parter my mom said: you can watch the second part next week and catch up with it. the Beatles ended up on Ed Sullivan the following week as I recall (in Florida), where Ed was doing a special. So once again no Scarecrow. I eventually fell in love with the Beatles and still play their music today.

Saw them in '64 age 13. My father took me and was fun at the time. 🤩

I'm gen 2 Beatles and they're the reason I became a musician too. ✌️

Micheal! What a beautiful spot on history tribute to the Beatles !

Amazing video Michael. You really captured the spirit of the moment. All of our lives are better and changed by their arrival !! Beatles forever!! The Beatles “tribe” forever! Cheers 🍻 Matt

We know it was special because nothing like it has ever happened again.

After President Kennedy's assassination, the #1 songs were "Dominique" by the Singing Nun (4 weeks) and "There! I've Said It Again" by Bobby Vinton (4 weeks). Imagine that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was the next #1. In England and Europe it was a steady climb to the top for a year. Here in the States, the Beatles were the Big Bang. Of course it became so because of their staying power. Oh boy did the Beatles have staying power! Gen 2 fan here.

I have to add to my comments after reading the comments on here. I do not understand the parents being upset or angry about the Beatles after Ed Sullivan. I was 6 and my brother was 8. We watched on tv and my parents were fine with the Beatles. Mom got us Beatle albums in the beginning until we could earn our own money to buy albums. We also listened to the radio all the time and grew up hearing the 60s. My parents were not upset and did not care. They thought it fine. Part of growing up. In my teens and listening to and buying all of Led Zeppelin albums my parents were okay with it. As long as I play it loud with my headphones on.

The Rutles landed a week later to a somewhat less ecstatic welcome, as legend has it.

The ⭐aligned and our ears perked up and were blessed.☮️ Stellar video, Michael.

I was 9 years old in 1964 when The Beatles came to the USA.They started the british invasion like a hurricane.Their influence spread around the world in a short time.

I’m sure you agree..you just had to have lived thru it to really understand how big an impact the Beatles had..plus..timing was absolutely perfect and credit to a large degree has to go to Brian Epstein and his determination to get them on Sullivan..and dear old ed..to have the fortitude to sign them up in nov 63..what a chance he took doing so..next to classical music and Elvis..nothing will ever top them and Presley is second because he wasn’t a songwriter..I haven’t ever heard anything close from any genre of music that can touch them..and..I am so glad they never reunited for a tour..it makes their legend even larger..thx Michael…doug

I can tell you from an early age, that I wanted to play left handed bass like Paul Mccartney. And with a violin bass. I managed to play through the years, without a Hofner, but but I did play with a few basses. And I always would try to learn Paul's style. I think I did a good job 👏

My Favorite Beatle Album Is!!!! A Hard Days Night/Rubber Soul/Revolver/Abby Road!

My aunts had to babysit me the night they were on TV and my main memory is them going "cmon cmon Steven the Beeeeeeeatles are going to be in the Ed Sullivan Show move move....cmon!" But I saw them and thank my aunts for it till this day. The Beatles are the model for Boy Bands which are pale imitations. I think Little Richard and The Jackson 5 were as influential in Rock as far as presentation and the work it takes, the hours out in. And we all pick up a guitar to get chicks, being an artist comes later!

My fave Beatle bass was the Rick my fave Paul bass was the Wal bass starting on Flowers in the dirt. Top 5 Macca album that Gilmour also played on We Got Married and the tour I saw him on for $30.25

Hi Michael, I got into the Beatles in the 80's (born late 70s) my dad played me Abbey Road and the rest is history, only the Kinks come close for me. I also became a drummer because of Ringo, John was absolutely correct, He's the greatest, not sure I want to Boogaloo though😅

Mike's excited as if they just landed today..lol Just teasin ya buddy. ✌️

To sum up, here in SW England, they were a big deal as in everything... Cheers Michael.

I turn 60 this year.

I was born in 1981. I'm assuming The Beatles coming to America was like Nirvana in the 90's. The two bands got compared to each back then, although Nirvana wouldn't of happened without them. I didn't get into The Beatles until "Free As A Bird" was released. Also, The Monkeys were the original boy band, but again, the were great too.

Every album they did had a different sound unlike other bands aka beach boys and boston

BRUTAL attack on the BBs😊

I am not sure if my Mother, my siblings and I went to a theater and watched the movie, “A Hard Days Night”. We did see “Yellow Submarine” when it first came out.

Hey Michael, As I mentioned once before, Boy Band my ass! Peace my friend, DrRick

Boy bands don’t write their own songs, play their own instruments, or have the staying power that The Beatles do. A hundred years from now people will still be listening to The Beatles. Boy bands, not so much.

Michael, what did you do? The only videos of yours that show up in my feed are "Shorts". It wasn't like that a month or 2 ago!

To me the original "Boy Band" was The Monkees.

Townsend nailed it in 5 15: "Girls of 15 ($@xually knowing). Ushers are sniffing (eau de cologne)." It was BEATLEMANIA! Girls passing out and loosing themselves! And all genders of today are on TikTok singing to The Beatles. Remember John Lennon wrote "catch you with another man, that's the end, little girl." And Ringo, "you're sixteen, you're beautiful, and you're mineTh," when he was 34 LMAO! I was backstage with a few groups as young as 16. I think it was just that time. And nothing's really changed. They're just online now.

The Beatles were outs and making hit albums by the time I was born. No one or else around me parents, brother and sisters led me to the Beatles music no one I grew up here in the Beatles music on the radio and always like what I heard but I didn’t pay that much attention. I was a kid it wasn’t until after the movie, Sergeant peppers, lonely hearts club band with Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. Did I become a big Beatle fan as funny as it is.. for a kid, the movie wasn’t all that bad I see it nowadays and I am I have second thoughts about that to be nice.. but I had that Sergeant Pepper’s lonely hearts club band album that they made from that movie. I like the album a lot. Until one of my siblings got mad and broke the records so I so about a week after that I asked my mom to go buy me the record and she asked me do you want me to get you the original or the same one that you had and I was like I’m not sure what she meant so I just said the original… that’s how clueless I was… she came back with the Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s lonely hearts club band. I put that album on. And I was forever changed that amazing mind blowing album. That was my entry into the Beatles realm of who the Beatles are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and their brilliance together and that was in 1975 or 77. Whatever the movie came out that had the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton in it and nothing against any of those musicians, but I would much rather hear the Beatles version of each one of those songs and someways their versions of that movie. I really don’t like all that much some of my do but the Beatles did everything so much better than everybody else.

There's a dark feeling to this album compared Sgt. Pepper's.

I remember watching a televised movie called, "Birth of The Beatles" in the early eighties. The Beatles were blessed to have Brian Epstein as a manager. Otherwise, why weren't The Kinks just as important?

They still weren't as good as The Rutles. Ouch!