It’s hard to escape the Beatles. Their music still gets consistent radio play, new documentaries are put out regularly, and the pop culture references are numerous. In the 60s, Beatlemania was in full swing in the United States. The absolute obsession with this group was unbelievable, undeniable, and (perhaps) unparalleled.
Fifty-nine years ago, the Beatles made their first of three consecutive appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing to a record-setting 73 million viewers across the United States. They performed “All My Loving”; “Till There Was You”; and “She Loves You”. After a break, they returned to the stage to perform “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. This performance is often noted, in the United States, as the beginning of Beatlemania and the beginning of the British Invasion in music.
If you’re still feeling Beatlemania all these years later or you want to dive into the mayhem, we’ve got the books for you!
150 Glimpses of the Beatles by Craig Brown
The Story of Music: From Babylon to the Beatles: How Music Has Shaped Civilization by Howard Goodall
And in the End: The Last Days of the Beatles by Ken McNab
-Linnea
Read it or Weep 