The Beatles have broken a number of records after their new single Now And Then stormed to number one in the UK charts on Friday.
Now And Then is based on a demo John Lennon recorded in his apartment in 1977, and – after the use of AI restoration technology to clean it up – has become the band’s first number one in 50 years.
Upon reaching the top spot, the Official Charts Company confirmed Now And Then had become the fastest-selling single of the year so far with 78,200 combined sales units, the fastest-selling vinyl single of the century so far and had achieved the biggest one-week physical sales since the release of The X Factor 2014 winner Ben Haenow’s Something I Need.
But the record breaking doesn’t stop there. Oh no.
The Beatles are now the act with the longest gap ever between number one singles – they last topped the chart with The Ballad Of John And Yoko in 1969.
Because of this feat, they’ve overtaken the record of 44 years previously set by Kate Bush last year when Running Up That Hill hit the top spot thanks to a featured spot on Netflix’s Stranger Things.
The Beatles also now boast the longest time span between an artist’s first and last number one single, with the 60 year-gap between From Me to You and their latest track overtaking a record previously set by Elvis in 2005.
What’s more – they have also become the British act with the most number one singles ever, with 18 chart toppers in their back catalogue. The only other artist in the world with more UK number ones is Elvis, with 21.
The Beatles are now also the oldest band ever to score a UK number one single (and second and third oldest chart-topping artists ever after Sir Captain Tom Moore, who was 99 when he released his cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone). The average age of surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr is 82.
Celebrating the news, Paul said: “It’s mind boggling. It’s blown my socks off. It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”
While Now And Then has been a huge chart success, it debuted to a more mixed reception from critics, with some hailing the track as “a 2023 pop odyssey” with “harmonies [that] swell to the heavens”, while others dismissed it is “a dreary ballad”.
