The Beatles

This article is about the band. For the self-titled album, see The Beatles (album).

The Beatles were an English rock band from Liverpool whose members were John Lennon, Paul

McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are amongst the most commercially

successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music.

The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time in the United States of America, according

to the Recording Industry Association of America, which certified them as the highest selling

band of all time based on American sales of singles and albums.In the United Kingdom, The

Beatles released more than 40 different singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one. This commercial success was repeated in many other countries: their record company, EMI, estimated that by 1985 they had sold over

one billion discs and tapes worldwide. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked the Beatles #1 on their list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.According to that same magazine, their innovative music and cultural impact helped define the 1960s, and their influence on pop culture can still be felt today.

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 genres ranging from Tin Pan Alley to psychedelic rock. Their clothes, styles, and statements made them trend-setters, while their growing social awareness saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s.