THE BEATLES ARE STILL NO. 1
Subscribe: $1.50/weekSign In
FORBESBUSINESSHOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
The Beatles Are Back At No. 1 After More Than Half A Century
Senior ContributorFollow
Nov 10, 2023,02:35pm EST
Updated Nov 10, 2023, 02:39pm EST
It’s been more than half a century since The Beatles last claimed a No. 1 hit in their home country of the U.K., but now that dry spell is officially over. The band’s new single, “Now and Then,” shoots to the top spot on the U.K. songs chart, bringing the beloved group back to the summit.
“Now and Then” lifts from just outside the top 40, where it debuted last week, to No. 1. The tune launched at No. 42 last time around after less than half a day of availability. The Beatles’ single was so popular upon its arrival that it sold and streamed well enough to make the main chart, but now it’s rocketed up the ranking.
The Beatles chart their eighteenth No. 1 hit in the U.K. with “Now and Then.” The cut is also their twenty-ninth top 10 smash in the country.
The last time The Beatles sat at No. 1 on the U.K. songs chart was in 1969. That year, their single “The Ballad of John and Yoko” ruled the ranking. Since then, they have sent other tracks to the tally, but they haven’t climbed to the throne.
PROMOTED
According to the Official Charts Company, “Now and Then” was a massive hit, which isn’t too surprising, as that’s par for the course for The Beatles. The tune moved 78,200 equivalent units, between actual purchases and streaming equivalents. Of that sum, 48,600 copies were pure sales, both digitally and physically.
“Now and Then” helps The Beatles extend their record as the group with the most No. 1 hits in U.K. history. They already held this honor, but now they’re putting more distance between themselves and almost all other acts. Elvis Presley continues to lead, as he managed 21 leaders. The Beatles do claim the most No. 1s among British names, a special distinction for them.
MORE FROMFORBES ADVISOR
Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of September 2023
Best 5% Interest Savings Accounts of September 2023
FORBESDid The Beatles Just Get Nominated For A Grammy?By Hugh McIntyre
Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up
By signing up, you agree to receive this newsletter, other updates about Forbes and its affiliates’ offerings, our Terms of Service (including resolving disputes on an individual basis via arbitration), and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Hugh McIntyreFollow
I am a music journalist based in New York City. My byline has appeared in The Huffington Post, Billboard, Mashable, Noisey, The Hollywood… Read More
Air Pollution Has To Decrease In Order For The World’s Health To Thrive Again
00:00
/
01:07
Join The Conversation
Comments 0
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. Read our community guidelines here
.Log in
No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first.