The Beatles Return to Number One in UK charts with their “Last” Song
In a historic turn of events, The Beatles have made an unprecedented return to number one in the UK charts with their latest and “last” song, “Now and Then”, becoming the country’s biggest single. The melancholic melody debuted on the Official UK Singles Chart at number 42 and in just a little over a week, it reached the top spot.
This achievement marks a new record for The Beatles, 60 years and six months after their first UK number one, “From Me To You,” in May 1963, according to Official Charts. The band has also broken a record with a 54-year gap between their previous No. 1 hit, “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” in 1969.
Officials from Official Charts and The Beatles jointly wrote on social media, “BEATLEMANIA IS BACK,” as they celebrated the band’s achievement. Paul McCartney, the band’s bassist, expressed his amazement and emotion regarding the song’s success, saying, “It’s amazing. It has left me speechless. It is also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”
“Now and Then” features the sound of each member of the British rock group, including vocals from the late John Lennon and a guitar solo by the late George Harrison. The song was written and recorded by Lennon in the late 1970s, and after nearly 30 years and the help of AI, it was finally completed and released.
At ages 81 and 83 respectively, McCartney and drummer Ringo Starr have made The Beatles the oldest band to score a number one single in the UK, according to the official charts. “Now and Then” is also the biggest-selling single of the year so far in the UK, with 48,600 physical and download sales in its first week, as well as 78,200 combined units in the UK charts between sales and streaming.
The Beatles have continued to solidify their place in music history, with the most number one singles in the UK, and only Elvis Presley in the US has more. This latest achievement cements The Beatles’ legendary status in the music industry.