On This Day in 1963, The Beatles’ Debut Album Reached the Top of the Charts and Would Remain on That List for 30 Weeks
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A New Sound Takes Over
On May 5, 1963, The Beatles’ first album, Please Please Me, climbed to the top of the UK’s Record Retailer Chart. This success was largely due to the popularity of the songs “Please Please Me” and “Love Me Do.” The album stayed at number one for 30 weeks, which was unusual for a pop album at that time. Before this, charts were mostly led by film soundtracks and easy-listening music. This record run of consecutive weeks in the top ten for a debut album stood until April 2013, when Emeli Sandé’s Our Version of Events achieved a 63rd consecutive week.
The album was mostly recorded in one day at Abbey Road Studios. The Beatles’ energy and charm were evident in songs like “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Twist and Shout.” The cover photo, showing the band looking down a stairwell, was taken inside EMI’s London headquarters. This image became iconic and was later recreated in 1969.
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Critical Recognition
In 2012, Please Please Me was ranked 39th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album’s mix of original songs and covers showcased The Beatles’ early style and set the stage for their future success. The album’s 2009 remaster attracted a number of reviewers. Pitchfork’s Tom Ewing described the album as “a raw, high-energy run-through of their early live set” that acts as “the sound of rock’n’roll finding a suddenly large, new audience.” He praised the album’s cohesiveness, where the “evening with the band” mood sets it apart from the band’s other cover-heavy works, creating a non-filler track experience with great covers and originals and, above all, great vocal performances.
The success of Please Please Me helped launch The Beatles into stardom. Their ability to write and perform their own songs inspired many other musicians. The album’s long stay at the top of the charts showed that pop music could be both popular and meaningful. It remains a significant release in music history.
