The Beatles' American releases
Encyclopedia
The Beatles
experienced huge popularity on the British record charts in early 1963, but record companies in the United States
did not immediately follow up The Beatles' successes in the United Kingdom
with North American releases, and even once they began to do so, The Beatles' commercial success in the US continued to be hampered by other obstacles including issues with royalties and public derision at the Beatle haircut.
It was nearly a year before a 5-minute news shot about Beatlemania in the UK, shown on the CBS Evening News
on 10 December 1963, led to a teenage girl making an airplay request to a local radio station, which in turn sparked a sequence of events leading to the rush-release of the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and the long-awaited commercial breakthrough.
's American operation, Capitol Records
, declined to issue the singles "Please Please Me" and "From Me to You", their first official number one hit in the UK. Vee-Jay Records
, an independent (mostly R&B) Chicago label, issued the two singles as part of a deal for the rights to another performer's masters. Art Roberts, music director of popular Chicago radio station WLS
, placed "Please Please Me" into radio rotation in late February 1963, arguably the first time a Beatles record was heard on American radio. Vee-Jay's rights to The Beatles were later cancelled for non-payment of royalties.
In August 1963, Philadelphia-based Swan Records
released "She Loves You
", which also failed to receive airplay. A testing of the song on Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand
produced laughter from American teenagers when they saw the group's distinctive hairstyles. In early November 1963, Brian Epstein persuaded Ed Sullivan
to present The Beatles on three editions of his show in February, and parlayed this guaranteed exposure into a record deal with Capitol Records. Capitol committed to a mid-January release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand
". On 10 December 1963, a 5-minute story shot in England about the phenomenon of Beatlemania was shown on the CBS Evening News. The segment first aired on the CBS Morning News
on 22 November and had originally been scheduled to be repeated on that day's Evening News, but regular programming was cancelled following the assassination
of John F. Kennedy
earlier that day.
, Maryland
to write to Carroll James, a disc jockey at Washington DC's WWDC radio station, requesting that he play records by The Beatles. Carroll James had seen the same news story and arranged through a friend to have a copy of The Beatles' new single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" sent over to him in Washington DC. Immediately after debuting the record on 17 December, the station received overwhelming positive audience reaction, with the station escalating airplay of the record. Made aware of the overwhelming listener response, Capitol Records president Alan W. Livingston
decided a few days later to take advantage of the response and rush-release the already-prepared single three weeks ahead of schedule on 26 December 1963.
Several New York radio stations began playing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on its release day. The positive response to the record that had started in Washington was duplicated in New York and quickly spread to other markets. The record sold one million copies in just ten days, and by 16 January 1964, Cashbox magazine had certified the record number one for the week ending 25 January, in the edition datelined 23 January, after just three weeks in their Top 100 chart.
It was around this time that Brian Epstein was besieged by merchandising offers and, completely underestimating this relatively new market within the pop industry, chose to effectively give it away. Seltaeb
was a company set up in 1963 by Nicky Byrne exclusively to look after The Beatles merchandising
rights on a 90 /10 basis in Byrne’s favour. This quickly led to contractual disputes and lawsuits which eventually cost NEMS an estimated $100 million in licensing fees.
and Swan Records
took advantage of their previously secured rights to the group's early recordings and reissued the songs; all the songs reached the top ten this time. Three singles released by Capitol Records of Canada (which began issuing Beatles records in February 1963) were imported into the United States and sold enough quantities to make the American charts. One of them, "Love Me Do
", was then issued by Vee-Jay on the Tollie label
and made it to #1. (MGM and Atco also secured rights to The Beatles' early Tony Sheridan-era recordings and had minor hits with "My Bonnie
" and "Ain't She Sweet
", the latter featuring John Lennon on lead vocal.)
These Beatle record releases led to a new dimension of chart success for The Beatles. On 4 April 1964, The Beatles monopolised the top 5 positions on the Billboard magazine Hot 100 chart and the Cashbox magazine Top 100 chart. The following week, a record 14 Beatle records were on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In addition to Introducing... The Beatles
(1964), which was essentially The Beatles' debut British album with some minor alterations, Vee-Jay also issued an unusual LP called The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons. This 2-LP set paired Introducing... The Beatles and The Golden Hits Of The Four Seasons, another successful act that Vee-Jay had under contract, in a 'contest' (the back cover featured a 'score card'). Another unusual release was the Hear The Beatles Tell All album, which consisted of two lengthy interviews with Los Angeles radio disc jockeys (side one was titled "Dave Hull interviews John Lennon", while side two was titled "Jim Steck interviews John, Paul, George, Ringo"). No Beatles music was included on this interview album, which turned out to be the only Vee-Jay Beatles album Capitol Records could not reclaim.
Following litigation between Capitol and Vee-Jay, a legal settlement was reached giving Vee-Jay the rights to market Beatle recordings they possessed until 10 October 1964 at which point all rights to all EMI Beatle recordings in the United States were assigned to Capitol Records.
The Vee-Jay/Swan-issued recordings eventually ended up with Capitol, which issued most of the Vee-Jay material on the American-only Capitol release The Early Beatles
, with three songs left off this final US version of the album. ("I Saw Her Standing There" was issued as the American B-side of "I Want to Hold Your Hand", and also appeared on the Capitol Records album Meet The Beatles. "Misery" and "There's a Place" were issued as a Capitol "Starline" reissue single in 1964, and reappeared on Capitol's 1980 US version of the Rarities
compilation album.) The early Vee-Jay and Swan Beatles records command a high price on the record collectors' market today, and all have been copiously bootlegged. The Swan tracks "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" were issued on the Capitol LP The Beatles' Second Album. Swan also issued the German-language version of "She Loves You", called "Sie Liebt Dich". This song later appeared (in stereo) on Capitol's Rarities album.
.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
experienced huge popularity on the British record charts in early 1963, but record companies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
did not immediately follow up The Beatles' successes in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with North American releases, and even once they began to do so, The Beatles' commercial success in the US continued to be hampered by other obstacles including issues with royalties and public derision at the Beatle haircut.
It was nearly a year before a 5-minute news shot about Beatlemania in the UK, shown on the CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
on 10 December 1963, led to a teenage girl making an airplay request to a local radio station, which in turn sparked a sequence of events leading to the rush-release of the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and the long-awaited commercial breakthrough.
Initial obstacles
Despite The Beatles' huge popularity on the British charts, EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
's American operation, Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, declined to issue the singles "Please Please Me" and "From Me to You", their first official number one hit in the UK. Vee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.-History:...
, an independent (mostly R&B) Chicago label, issued the two singles as part of a deal for the rights to another performer's masters. Art Roberts, music director of popular Chicago radio station WLS
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
, placed "Please Please Me" into radio rotation in late February 1963, arguably the first time a Beatles record was heard on American radio. Vee-Jay's rights to The Beatles were later cancelled for non-payment of royalties.
In August 1963, Philadelphia-based Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
released "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
", which also failed to receive airplay. A testing of the song on Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
produced laughter from American teenagers when they saw the group's distinctive hairstyles. In early November 1963, Brian Epstein persuaded Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
to present The Beatles on three editions of his show in February, and parlayed this guaranteed exposure into a record deal with Capitol Records. Capitol committed to a mid-January release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
". On 10 December 1963, a 5-minute story shot in England about the phenomenon of Beatlemania was shown on the CBS Evening News. The segment first aired on the CBS Morning News
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
on 22 November and had originally been scheduled to be repeated on that day's Evening News, but regular programming was cancelled following the assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
earlier that day.
Impact of "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
The CBS Evening News segment inspired a teenage girl named Marsha Albert living in Silver SpringSilver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to write to Carroll James, a disc jockey at Washington DC's WWDC radio station, requesting that he play records by The Beatles. Carroll James had seen the same news story and arranged through a friend to have a copy of The Beatles' new single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" sent over to him in Washington DC. Immediately after debuting the record on 17 December, the station received overwhelming positive audience reaction, with the station escalating airplay of the record. Made aware of the overwhelming listener response, Capitol Records president Alan W. Livingston
Alan W. Livingston
Alan Wendell Livingston , born Alan Wendell Levison, was an American businessman best known for his tenures at Capitol Records, first as a writer/producer best-known for creating Bozo the Clown for a series of record-album and illustrative read-along children's book sets, then as the executive who...
decided a few days later to take advantage of the response and rush-release the already-prepared single three weeks ahead of schedule on 26 December 1963.
Several New York radio stations began playing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on its release day. The positive response to the record that had started in Washington was duplicated in New York and quickly spread to other markets. The record sold one million copies in just ten days, and by 16 January 1964, Cashbox magazine had certified the record number one for the week ending 25 January, in the edition datelined 23 January, after just three weeks in their Top 100 chart.
It was around this time that Brian Epstein was besieged by merchandising offers and, completely underestimating this relatively new market within the pop industry, chose to effectively give it away. Seltaeb
Seltaeb
Seltaeb was a company set up in 1963, by Nicky Byrne to exclusively look after merchandising interests on behalf of Brian Epstein, who managed NEMS Enterprises and The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.Directly prior to The Beatles' first American visit, Brian...
was a company set up in 1963 by Nicky Byrne exclusively to look after The Beatles merchandising
Merchandising
Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer...
rights on a 90 /10 basis in Byrne’s favour. This quickly led to contractual disputes and lawsuits which eventually cost NEMS an estimated $100 million in licensing fees.
Impact of The Beatles' arrival in America
After The Beatles' success in 1964, Vee-Jay RecordsVee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.-History:...
and Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
took advantage of their previously secured rights to the group's early recordings and reissued the songs; all the songs reached the top ten this time. Three singles released by Capitol Records of Canada (which began issuing Beatles records in February 1963) were imported into the United States and sold enough quantities to make the American charts. One of them, "Love Me Do
Love Me Do
"Love Me Do" is The Beatles' first single, backed by "P.S. I Love You" and released on 5 October 1962. When the single was originally released in the United Kingdom, it peaked at number seventeen; in 1982 it was re-issued and reached number four...
", was then issued by Vee-Jay on the Tollie label
Tollie Records
Tollie Records was a record label formed in February 1964, as a subsidiary label of Vee-Jay Records. It closed in May 1965.The label distributed two of The Beatles' singles in the United States before Capitol Records eventually took over...
and made it to #1. (MGM and Atco also secured rights to The Beatles' early Tony Sheridan-era recordings and had minor hits with "My Bonnie
My Bonnie
My Bonnie is the name of a 1961 single, a 1962 album and a 1963 EP by Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers, better known as The Beatles.-History:...
" and "Ain't She Sweet
Ain't She Sweet
Ain't She Sweet was an American album featuring four tracks recorded in Hamburg in 1961 by The Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan and cover versions of Beatles and British Invasion-era songs recorded by the Swallows...
", the latter featuring John Lennon on lead vocal.)
These Beatle record releases led to a new dimension of chart success for The Beatles. On 4 April 1964, The Beatles monopolised the top 5 positions on the Billboard magazine Hot 100 chart and the Cashbox magazine Top 100 chart. The following week, a record 14 Beatle records were on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In addition to Introducing... The Beatles
Introducing... The Beatles
Introducing... The Beatles is the first Beatles album released in the United States. Originally scheduled for a July 1963 release, the LP came out on 10 January 1964, on Vee-Jay Records, ten days before Capitol's Meet The Beatles!...
(1964), which was essentially The Beatles' debut British album with some minor alterations, Vee-Jay also issued an unusual LP called The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons. This 2-LP set paired Introducing... The Beatles and The Golden Hits Of The Four Seasons, another successful act that Vee-Jay had under contract, in a 'contest' (the back cover featured a 'score card'). Another unusual release was the Hear The Beatles Tell All album, which consisted of two lengthy interviews with Los Angeles radio disc jockeys (side one was titled "Dave Hull interviews John Lennon", while side two was titled "Jim Steck interviews John, Paul, George, Ringo"). No Beatles music was included on this interview album, which turned out to be the only Vee-Jay Beatles album Capitol Records could not reclaim.
Following litigation between Capitol and Vee-Jay, a legal settlement was reached giving Vee-Jay the rights to market Beatle recordings they possessed until 10 October 1964 at which point all rights to all EMI Beatle recordings in the United States were assigned to Capitol Records.
The Vee-Jay/Swan-issued recordings eventually ended up with Capitol, which issued most of the Vee-Jay material on the American-only Capitol release The Early Beatles
The Early Beatles
The Early Beatles is The Beatles' sixth release on Capitol Records, and their eighth album for the American market. The album resembles more of an early compilation because all of the tracks had previously been featured on the early 1964 Vee-Jay release Introducing... The Beatles...
, with three songs left off this final US version of the album. ("I Saw Her Standing There" was issued as the American B-side of "I Want to Hold Your Hand", and also appeared on the Capitol Records album Meet The Beatles. "Misery" and "There's a Place" were issued as a Capitol "Starline" reissue single in 1964, and reappeared on Capitol's 1980 US version of the Rarities
Rarities (American Beatles compilation)
Rarities is a compilation album released by Capitol Records featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles. The album was inspired by an earlier compilation of the same name which was released as part of The Beatles Collection box set. Most of the tracks on The Beatles Collection album called...
compilation album.) The early Vee-Jay and Swan Beatles records command a high price on the record collectors' market today, and all have been copiously bootlegged. The Swan tracks "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" were issued on the Capitol LP The Beatles' Second Album. Swan also issued the German-language version of "She Loves You", called "Sie Liebt Dich". This song later appeared (in stereo) on Capitol's Rarities album.
List of US album releases
This is a list of albums released in America whilst the band were still active. Albums starting with 'The Beatles' were released Worldwide on Apple RecordsApple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
.
- Introducing... The BeatlesIntroducing... The BeatlesIntroducing... The Beatles is the first Beatles album released in the United States. Originally scheduled for a July 1963 release, the LP came out on 10 January 1964, on Vee-Jay Records, ten days before Capitol's Meet The Beatles!...
(1964), Vee-JayVee-Jay RecordsVee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.-History:... - Meet The Beatles!Meet the Beatles!-External links:*Bruce Spizer's *Bruce Spizer's *...
(1964), CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... - The Beatles with Tony Sheridan & GuestsThe Beatles with Tony Sheridan & GuestsThe Beatles with Tony Sheridan & Guests was an American album featuring "Cry for a Shadow," a track recorded by The Beatles in Hamburg in 1961, with five tracks recorded in Hamburg in 1961 in which The Beatles provided backing music for vocalist Tony Sheridan, some of which had been released in...
(1964), MGMMGM RecordsMGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s... - The Beatles' Second Album (1964), Capitol
- A Hard Day's Night (1964), United ArtistsUnited Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
- Something NewSomething New (album)Something New is The Beatles' third Capitol LP release, but fifth American album following the United Artists release of A Hard Day's Night. This album includes eight songs from the original British release of A Hard Day's Night, as well as the remaining tracks "Slow Down" and "Matchbox" from the...
(1964), Capitol - Hear The Beatles Tell All (1964) (Interview album), Vee-Jay
- Ain't She Sweet (1964), AtcoAtco RecordsATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
- The Beatles vs. The Four Seasons (1964), Vee-Jay
- Songs, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous Beatles (1964), Vee-Jay
- The Beatles' StoryThe Beatles' StoryThe Beatles' Story a documentary double album featuring interviews, press conferences, and songs by The Beatles. It was the Beatles' fourth release by Capitol and sixth American album, released in both mono and stereo. The LP was also released in Canada...
(1964), Capitol - Beatles '65Beatles '65Beatles '65 is The Beatles' fifth Capitol release, but seventh American album. It was released in mono and stereo versions. The album was also issued in Germany on the Odeon label....
(1964), Capitol - The Early BeatlesThe Early BeatlesThe Early Beatles is The Beatles' sixth release on Capitol Records, and their eighth album for the American market. The album resembles more of an early compilation because all of the tracks had previously been featured on the early 1964 Vee-Jay release Introducing... The Beatles...
(1965), Capitol - Beatles VIBeatles VIBeatles VI is The Beatles' seventh Capitol Records release in the United States . It was the ninth album released into that market in less than one and a half years...
(1965), Capitol - Help! (1965), Capitol
- Rubber Soul (1965), Capitol
- Yesterday and TodayYesterday and TodayYesterday and Today is the ninth Capitol release by The Beatles and the eleventh overall American release. It was issued only in the United States and Canada...
(1966), Capitol - Revolver (1966), Capitol
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
(1967), Capitol - Magical Mystery Tour (1967), Capitol
- The BeatlesThe Beatles (album)The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
(1968), AppleApple RecordsApple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston... - Yellow SubmarineYellow Submarine (album)Yellow Submarine is the tenth studio album by The Beatles in the United Kingdom, released on Apple Records. It was issued as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, which premiered in the United Kingdom seven months prior to the album's release....
(1969), Apple - Abbey RoadAbbey Road (album)Abbey Road is the eleventh studio album released by the English rock band The Beatles and their last recorded. Though Let It Be was the last album released before the band's dissolution in 1970, work on Abbey Road began in April 1969...
(1969), Apple - Hey JudeHey Jude (album)Hey Jude is a 1970 collection of non-album Beatles singles and B-sides, as well as "I Should Have Known Better" and "Can't Buy Me Love", two singles released by Capitol Records whose only previous American album appearance had been on the A Hard Day's Night soundtrack album which had been released...
(1970), Apple - In the Beginning (Circa 1960)In The Beginning (Circa 1960)In the Beginning is the first consolidated American packaging of the 1962 German album by Tony Sheridan, The Beatles, and The Beat Brothers called My Bonnie. In the Beginning was released by Polydor Records in 1970 It was recorded in Hamburg in 1961...
(1970), PolydorPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... - Let It Be (1970), Apple