It’s not just The Beatles’ musical brilliance That highlights their success; it’s also their significant and unmatched cultural influence on the global music scene. However, when words fall short, it’s the figures that convey their achievements.
This quartet of musicians is considered the most successful band in history, having sold an astounding 600 million records globally. The group boasts 20 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and their innovative music completely changed the landscape of the industry and left an indelible mark on musical chronicles.
Without a doubt, it's The Beatles. , stand among the most influential and successful groups in history, dominating the musical landscape of the 1960s and leaving an indelible mark on music culture for subsequent generations. Nonetheless, much of their fame was established during the pre-digital streaming era. The Beatles were virtuosos when it came to vinyl records. Cassette tapes, compact discs, and radio broadcasting were once the dominant methods for enjoying music long before modern streaming services emerged as the main means of accessing tunes.
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Even so, as expected, The Beatles keep thriving in today’s streaming landscape, amassing hundreds of millions – and in certain instances, over a billion – streams for their tracks.
According to Spotify—one of the premier music streaming services globally—the Beatles have one track that boasts an impressive 1.5 billion streams, solidifying its position as their most-streamed song. Interestingly enough, this particular hit does not include vocals from lead singer John Lennon.
With an impressive 1.549 billion streams (you read correctly), "Here Comes The Sun" claims the position of The Beatles' most-streamed track. Composed and sung by George Harrison, this song came into being in the gardens of none other than legendary musician Eric Clapton.
Throughout the decades, "Here Comes the Sun" has received significant acclaim from music reviewers. Together with another classic from Abbey Road titled "Something," this song helped elevate George Harrison’s status as a composer to be on par with his fellow members of The Beatles, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. In May 2023, it created history by becoming the inaugural Beatles tune to amass over one billion plays on Spotify.
The song wasn't released as a single in the UK, similar to how Paul McCartney’s creation Yesterday remained un-released as a single there too. This track debuted as the opening piece on the B-side of The Beatles' 1969 album "Abbey Road," and stands out among the group's works for not including John Lennon at all.
During the initial part of 1969, George found himself navigating a challenging phase, as he had briefly left The Beatles, undergone surgery to have his tonsils taken out, and additionally faced arrest due to marijuana charges.
In his memoir "I, Me, Mine," George shared insights into the environment enveloping The Beatles during that period, prompting him to compose the song: "Here Comes the Sun" was created when Apple began resembling a school system, with us having to navigate bureaucratic tasks such as signing various documents. Additionally, it felt as though winters in England persisted endlessly; thus, by the arrival of spring, one genuinely appreciates the change.
So one day I chose to skip work at Apple and headed over to Eric Clapton's place instead. The joy of avoiding my usual meetings with those tedious accountants was immense, so I wandered through his gardens strumming an acoustic guitar of his and composed 'Here Comes the Sun.'
In Martin Scorsese's 2011 documentary titled "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," Eric Clapton recounted their friendship and George Harrison’s approach to writing music: “He was an incredibly enchanting person, and when he arrived, he’d step out of the car with his guitar, walk in, and begin playing... It was mesmerizing to see this unfold. I felt deeply honored that my garden had sparked such creativity.”