The legendary British rock band, The Beatles, is back at the No. 1 spot in the UK's singles chart on Friday thanks to their "last" song, "Now and Then." This recent achievement is riddled with record-breaking stats.
According to the Official Charts Company, the song debuted at the No. 42 spot in just 10 hours of availability following the track's release on November 2, and it swiftly jumped to its current top spot in a week.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 3: Supporters hold a banner picturing The Beatles wearing the Everton's scarf during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on April 3, 2023.
Unbelievable Achievements of The Beatles' 'Now and Then'
Based on the track's first seven days, it reportedly moved 78,200 equivalent units between actual purchases and streaming equivalents. Of that total, 48,600 copies were pure digital and physical sales, making it the fastest-selling single of the year to date.
It took the Fab Four a lengthy 54 years to hit No. 1 again, with their last UK top single being "The Ballad of John and Yoko" in 1969. They are now the act with the longest gap ever between No. 1 singles after overtaking Kate Bush's 44 years between "Wuthering Heights" in 1978 and "Running Up That Hill" in 2022.
Although not unfamiliar with momentous successes, The Beatles member Paul McCartney told the Official Chart Company how "mind-boggling" the reception to their song has been, saying, "It's blown my socks off. It's also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!"
'The Beat Goes On'
The birth of the song itself had taken a long and arduous journey with riveting developments at each turn; most notable is the fact that AI was the one that made The Beatles' "Now and Then" possible.
After taking more than five decades to release the single, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison's "final" song together officially makes the band with the longest time span between an artist's first and last No. 1 single.
According to Official Charts Company, The Beatles' first No. 1 single was "From Me to You" in May 1963, 60 years and six months ago. The rock band overtook Elvis Presley, with 47 years and six months between "All Shook Up" in 1957 and a reissue of "It's Now or Never" in 2005.
These achievements prove that The Beatles' music transcends generations and that the famous "Beatlemania" fever that swept across the nation so many years ago is still here to stay.
Related Article: The Beatles' Last' Song 'Now and Then' Tops iTunes Chart Thanks to AI
