The Beatles

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The Beatles were an iconic rock group from Liverpool, England. They are frequently cited as the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in modern history, with innovative music, a cultural impact that helped define the 1960s and an enormous influence on music that is still felt today. Currently, The Beatles are one of the two musical acts to sell more than 1 billion records, with only Elvis Presley having been able to achieve the same feat. After conquering Europe, with successful tours to Germany and Sweden, the Beatles led the mid-1960s musical 'British Invasion' into the United States. Although their initial musical style was rooted in 1950s rock and roll and homegrown skiffle, the group explored a great variety of musical styles including Psychedelic Rock, Experimental, Ballads, Western and Indian Classical among others. Their clothes, hairstyles, and statements made them trend-setters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. Early on, the band consisted of George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best. The band got its first major break playing in Hamburg, Germany, at some rather seedy nightclubs, beginning in 1960. While in Germany, they also met Klaus Voormann, who would later design the cover of the group's 1966 album Revolver. Sutcliffe remained in Germany when the others returned to England and became engaged to fellow artist Astrid Kirchherr, only to die a few years later of a brain hemorrhage. In 1961, Brian Epstein heard their sound and was thrilled enough to sign on as their manager, even though he had no previous experience in that field. After Decca Records rejected the band with the famous comment "guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein", his efforts eventually led, in 1962, to an audition with EMI producer George Martin, who signed them to EMI's Parlaphone label. Later, due in part to Martin's refusal to use him on recordings, Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr, the drummer from another big Liverpool band known as Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Ringo was supposed to play on their first single, "Love Me Do", but George Martin had Andy White, a session drummer, play instead (Ringo can be heard on the album version of the song). In 1963, The Beatles initiated a craze known as "Beatlemania" in the UK with the song "Please Please Me". Their first album of the same title was recorded ...