Wednesday 25th June is celebrated as Global Beatles Day, an occasion for Beatles fans around the world to honour this iconic band. In this blog post, we will highlight some of the records which shaped the Beatles' musical journey, and find out why they are still enjoyed by so many today.
The First Album - Please Please Me:
This debut album was released in 1963, following the band's first single 'Love Me Do' in the October prior. Please Please Me remained in the UK top 10 chart for over a year, and gave the Beatles a solid grounding for making more music. The album was not initially released in the US. It was released as a later, abridged version - 'Introducing The Beatles'.
First pressings of this album are highly sought after. They have an alternate label design to the usual Parlophone labels, and we see them very rarely here at Atlas Records. Finding one preserved in excellent condition is a rarity.
A Favouring For Black And White - With The Beatles
This was the second studio album for The Beatles, this showed how The Beatles were evolving both musically and aesthetically. It sold over a million copies when it was released, as it was highly anticipated after the success of Please Please Me. The band also wanted to make the album cover eye catching. They favoured the black and white palette, making an album cover which was easy to recreate by fans and the media alike. Even recently, Doctor Who recreated this iconic album cover as advertisement for their upcoming 1960s episode.
Continuing The Black and White Theme - Revolver
Revolver was the seventh studio album that the Beatles released. It contained hits such as Eleanor Rigby, Taxman and Yellow Submarine. Like all other Beatles albums, there have been many reissues and rereleases, some later pressings being remastered. Often for Beatles records, this is done at Abbey Road studios, where they have half speed mastering technology. This enhances the sound quality, allowing you to enjoy your favourite hits at their best. You can find these pressings on our website under 'Audiophile Pressings'.
A Reputation So Influential The Album Is Named After The Band? - The Beatles
Commonly referred to as 'The White Album', 'The Beatles' was released in December 1968, in a pure white, gatefold sleeve. It was the only double album released by the band, containing 30 tracks spanning two LPs. This album debuted at number 1 on the UK chart, spending a total of seven consecutive weeks there, beating all of it's festive competition.
Here at Atlas Records, we commonly see represses of this record, as the original pressings have aged poorly due to their colour. Pictures of this record faintly show the embossed lettering on the front of the plain white sleeve, reading 'The Beatles'.
The Famous Zebra Crossing - Abbey Road
Released in 1969, this album denotes arguably the most iconic album cover The Beatles ever made. Even today, this album cover has people flocking to the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road studios to recreate this album cover. It was the first Beatles album that was not released as a mono pressing, instead being released as a stereo pressing right from its release date. Pressings of this album vary greatly in rarity, with the most obvious factor of rarity being the misalignment of the apple on the back of the sleeve.
Thinking of expanding your Beatles collection?
Here at Atlas Records, we see countless Beatles records every day, ranging in age, condition and rarity. If you would like to widen your collection of Beatles records, you'll always be able to find one on our website.
