April 4, 1964 was indeed FIFTY years ago. And on that day, the Beatles did something no other musical act has ever done again– they had the top 5 singles on the Billboard charts. They also had seven more singles in the top 80.
This amazing accomplishment came just two months after their arrival in the U.S. and appearances on Ed Sullivan and at Carnegie Hall. This wasn’t just a fluke. Aside from the Beatles’ enormous popularity, their success was in no small part thanks to their late manager Brian Epstein. He is finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next week after eligibility since 1986.
To thank him properly, Epstein’s family was offered two free tickets to the induction ceremony, and the opportunity to buy more for the Barclays Center event. (They’ve declined since tickets cost thousands of dollars.) Luckily, Peter Asher, Beatle devotee and someone who actually knew Epstein, will induct both the Beatles’ manager and Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of the Rolling Stones.
Oldham won’t be attending the ceremony either (he’s alive and well). Asher, I’m told, will have a total of five minutes to make some remarks about the two managers of the world’s most important rock groups.
April 4, 1964
THE TOP FIVE – ALL BEATLES
1: Can’t Buy Me Love (Capitol)
2: Twist And Shout (Tollie)
3: She Loves You (Swan)
4: I Want To Hold Your Hand (Capitol)
5: Please Please Me (Vee Jay)
SEVEN OTHER BEATLES SINGLES IN THE TOP 80
31: Saw Her Standing There (Capitol)
41: From Me To You (Vee Jay)
46: Do You Want To Know A Secret (Vee Jay)
58: All My Loving (Capitol)
65: You Can’t Do That (Capitol)
68: Roll Over Beethoven (Capitol)
79: Thank You Girl (Vee Jay)
