The Beatles were one of the most famous rock and pop groups in history. The “Fab Four”, as the Beatles were called, came from Liverpool, England. Most of the songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. George Harrison played the lead guitar and Ringo Starr played drums. In the past 50 years the Beatles have sold over a billion records and CDs. They had more number one hits than any other British pop group.

Towards the end of the 1950s John Lennon formed a group called the “Quarrymen”. Up to 1960 they changed their names a few times but finally called themselves the Beatles. In the early phase the Beatles were influenced by American rock and roll musicians like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. In 1961 a Liverpool record store owner, Brian Epstein, became their manager. The first hit single Love Me Do became an immediate success. Teenagers all over England went crazy when they saw and heard the new stars, not only because of the music but because of their personality and new hairstyle.