Beatles

THE BEATLES. English rock band first formed in Liverpool in 1960. The most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the history of popular music. Their cultural impact during the 1960s (along with their enormous popularity) helped coin the term "Beatlemania" for the hysteria that was generated at concerts and public appearances. Originally they had an early five-piece line-up of John Lennon / Paul McCartney / George Harrison / Stuart Sutcliffe (bass) and Pete Best (drums), The Beatles built their reputation in Liverpool at The Cavern and Hamburg clubs over a three-year period from 1960. Sutcliffe left the group in 1961 and Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr the following year. They were then moulded into a professional outfit by music store owner Brian Epstein after he offered to act as the group's manager. John Lennon and Paul McCartney developed into pop musics most successful ever song-writing partnership and the groups musical potential was further enhanced by the hands-on creativity of production genius George Martin. The group achieved UK mainstream success in late 1962 with their first single "Love Me Do", then gaining international popularity over the course of the next year with a succession of brilliant innovative hit singles and LPs. They toured extensively until 1966, then retreated to the recording studio until their breakup in 1970. During these studio years, The Beatles produced what critics consider some of their finest material including the album ; "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Band" (1967)widely regarded as a masterpiece. Each group member then found future success in their own independent musical careers. Cultural icon John Lennon was sadly shot dead (aged just 40) in New York in 1980 by madman Mark Chapman and George Harrison lost his battle with cancer in 2001. As of  2010, Paul McCartney is still releasing new music and touring regularily and Ringo Starr remains much in the public eye. Incredibly four decades after their breakup, The Beatles remain household names and their influential music portfolio continues to be popular worldwide, a trend that is likely to continue for the decades to come. To date it is estimated that they have sold over One Billion records...............