On This Day in 1969: The Beatles Released Their 11th Album, Which Debuted at #1 for 11 Weeks on the U.S. Charts and Sold 31 Million Copies
via The Beatles / YouTube
Release and Chart Domination
On September 26, 1969, The Beatles released Abbey Road in the United Kingdom. It entered the U.K. chart at #1 when sales were counted beginning October 4, and held that top position for eleven straight weeks, before being briefly displaced and then returning to the summit for six more weeks.
In the United States, the album was released a week later, on October 1. After debuting on Billboard’s Top LPs chart, it climbed to #1 in its third week and remained there for eleven weeks. Over time, Abbey Road would amass massive sales around the world, solidifying its place in music history.
View this post on Instagram
Sales and Legacy
During its first six weeks on sale, Abbey Road moved about four million units globally. By the end of 1969, total sales topped five million. Later, it would reach sales well above 30 million, with many estimates placing worldwide sales around 31 million copies.
The album’s official disc number was issued only in stereo, continuing the trend of The Beatles’ later releases, which abandoned mono formats. As for chart longevity, Abbey Road held a place on the U.K. albums chart for 92 weeks in the top 75 and remained on the U.S. charts for many months—129 weeks in some listings.
The Iconic Album Cover
One of the most recognizable elements of Abbey Road is its cover photo, which shows the four Beatles walking across a zebra crossing just outside the London recording studio. Over the decades, that image has been imitated, parodied, and paid tribute to by countless artists and fans. The crossing itself has become something of a shrine: it now even has a webcam that streams fans visiting it.
That visual became inseparable from the record, turning a simple street scene into a cultural symbol. It reinforced the album’s identity and helped it become a lasting touchstone for Beatles lore.
Artistic Notes
Musically, Abbey Road showcased a mix of polished production and bold musical contrasts. Tracks like “Come Together” and “Something” were released as a double A-side single in the U.S., with “Come Together” reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its 16-week chart run.
The album is often called the last proper Beatles work, even though Let It Be would be released later. Recording tensions in the group were strong, but on Abbey Road, the band managed to present a unified artistic statement. Across time, Abbey Road has been reissued, remastered, and celebrated repeatedly. Its chart performance, sales, and iconic cover continue to draw new listeners, making it one of the cornerstones not only of The Beatles’ catalog, but of popular music overall.
