Presently, The Beatles’ latest and final single, “Now And Then,” has soared to the top spot on the British charts, shattering numerous hit parade records for the legendary group.
The Beatles’ journey on the British hit parade commenced on October 11, 1962, with the release of “Love Me Do.” However, their initial success was modest, reaching only the 17th position in 1963. It wasn’t until May 8 that same year that The Beatles secured their first number one hit with “From Me To You.” Remarkably, their subsequent 10 singles consecutively claimed the top spot in the British hit file, with only two reissued old songs marring this streak due to another record company. Even considering these two singles, The Beatles achieved an unprecedented series of seven consecutive number 1 hits, a feat etched in the annals of British music history.
The span between The Beatles’ first and last hit marked a significant milestone in the music industry, encompassing 17 number 1 hits until 1969. “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” held the distinction of being their last number one hit in the UK for years, and even after the group disbanded, re-releases of their songs made their way into the top 10. However, it wasn’t until December 1995 that The Beatles came close to another number one hit with “Free As A Bird,” reaching second place behind Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song.” The title of the last Beatle number one hit now belongs to “Now And Then,” creating a span of 60 1/2 years between their first and last chart-topper. This surpasses the record previously held by Elvis Presley, who experienced a 471 to 2-year gap between his first and last British number one hits.
Notably, The Beatles also claim the record for the lengthiest period between two number 1 hits, with 54 years elapsing between “The Ballad Of John And Yoko” and “Now And Then.” This achievement surpasses Kate Bush’s record, who had a gap of 44 years between her first number one hit, “Wuthering Heights” (1978), and her second, “Running Up That Hill” (1985), which claimed the top spot in 2022 after gaining popularity through the Netflix series “Stranger Things.”