The Beatles were a British rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. During their years of international stardom, the group 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 later 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.
With an early five-piece line-up of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe (bass) and Pete Best (drums), The Beatles built their reputation in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs over a three-year period from 1960. Sutcliffe died from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1962, and Best was replaced by Starr the same year. Moulded into a professional outfit by music store owner Brian Epstein after he offered to act as the group's manager, and with their musical potential enhanced by the hands-on creativity of producer George Martin, The Beatles achieved a UK mainstream hit in late 1962 with the single “Love Me Do”. Gaining worldwide popularity over the course of the next year, they reinforced their success with extensive touring until 1966, then retreated to the recording studio until their breakup in 1970. Each then found success in an independent musical career. McCartney and Starr remain active; Lennon was shot and killed in 1980, and Harrison died of cancer in 2001.
The Beatles est un groupe musical britannique né à Liverpool. Composé de John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison et Ringo Starr, il demeure, en dépit de la séparation de ses membres en 1970, l'un des groupes de rock les plus populaires au monde. En dix ans d'existence, et seulement huit ans de carrière discographique (de 1962 à 1970), les Beatles ont sorti treize albums et ont composé plus de 200 chansons.
Les chansons des Beatles ont marqué les années 1960 - elles sont même considérées comme la « bande-son » de cette décennie - et les générations suivantes, et leurs mélodies ont été adaptées à de nombreux genres musicaux, notamment le jazz, la salsa, le reggae ou la musique classique (symphonique) et baroque. Au XXIe siècle, le groupe jouit toujours d'une grande popularité ; ses chansons sont jouées et reprises dans le monde entier. Le duo d'auteurs-compositeurs Lennon/McCartney reste célèbre comme créateur de standards qui ont fait l'objet de milliers d'adaptations dans les décennies suivantes.
Jeff Beck - A Day In The Life (extract)
Studio albums
* Please Please Me (1963)
* With The Beatles (1963)
* A Hard Day's Night (1964)
* Beatles for Sale (1964)
* Help! (1965)
* Rubber Soul (1965)
* Revolver (1966)
* Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
* Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
* The Beatles (”The White Album”) (1968)
* Yellow Submarine (1969)
* Abbey Road (1969)
* Let It Be (1970)
Singles
* Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You (1962)
* Please Please Me / Ask Me Why (1963)
* From Me to You / Thank You Girl (1963)
* She Loves You / I'll Get You (1963)
* I Want to Hold Your Hand / This Boy (1963)
* Can't Buy Me Love / You Can't Do That (1964)
* A Hard Day's Night / Things We Said Today (1964)
* I Feel Fine / She's a Woman (1964)
* Ticket to Ride / Yes It Is (1965)
* Help! / I'm Down (1965)
* We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper (1965)
* Paperback Writer / Rain (1966)
* Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby (1966)
* Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (1967)
* All You Need Is Love / Baby You're a Rich Man (1967)
* Hello Goodbye / I Am the Walrus (1967)
* Lady Madonna / The Inner Light (1968)
* Hey Jude / Revolution (1968)
* Get Back / Don't Let Me Down (1969)
* Ballad of John and Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (1969)
* Something / Come Together (1969)
* Let It Be / You Know My Name (Look up the Number) (1970)