The Beatles

The Beatles formed in Liverpool in 1960: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, who joined officially in 1962. They sharpened their act in Liverpool clubs and in Hamburg, then signed with EMI, and with manager Brian Epstein and producer George Martin they scored their first hit, "Love Me Do", in late 1962. Beatlemania followed, and by early 1964 they were international stars, leading the British Invasion of America.

Their sound grew from skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll into folk, Indian music, psychedelia and hard rock. After they stopped playing live in 1966, the studio became their focus, producing Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, then The Beatles (the White Album) and Abbey Road. Let It Be arrived in 1970, the year they split. Revolver and Rubber Soul remain the ideal places to start.