The Beatles have topped the UK charts with their new observe Now And Then – 54 years since their final primary.
The tune is derived from a personal recording made by John Lennon within the Nineteen Seventies, and was solely accomplished earlier this yr by the surviving Beatles – Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr.
Their final primary was The Ballad of John And Yoko in 1969, which is a niche of 52 years – the longest in British chart historical past.
It was a report beforehand held by Kate Bush, who waited 44 years between her first primary in 1978 with Wuthering Heights and her second final yr, with Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God), because of its use within the fourth season of Stranger Things.
Sir Paul mentioned it was “mind-boggling”, telling the Official Charts Company: “It’s blown my socks off. It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”
It’s the 18th primary hit for the Fab Four, essentially the most adorned artists in British chart historical past, who’re adopted by Westlife, with 14 quantity ones, and Take That, with 12.
They have additionally drawn degree with Elvis Presley on the variety of completely different tracks to succeed in the highest of the UK chart.
Now And Then was began with a house recording by Lennon within the late Nineteen Seventies, earlier than he was shot useless in 1980 on the age of 40.
His spouse Yoko Ono then gave the tape to the remainder of the band, together with tough recordings of Free As A Bird and Real Love, which have been reworked and launched within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.
During this time, the surviving Beatles members – together with George Harrison who died in 2001 – additionally developed Now And Then however didn’t launch it. They blamed the restricted expertise that induced issues clearly extracting Lennon’s vocals.
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But new audio restoration expertise has allowed Lennon’s authentic demo to be cleaned up and used, alongside Harrison’s electrical and acoustic guitar recordings for the tune from 1995, whereas Sir Ringo and Sir Paul additionally contributed to the observe.
The Beatles’ first primary was From Me To You in April 1963, with their run of chart-toppers together with Hey Jude, Help! and All You Need Is Love.
Other artists with lengthy gaps between quantity ones embrace Wham! (35 years between The Edge Of Heaven in 1986 and Last Christmas in 2021), Tom Jones, (42 years from Green, Green Grass of Home in 1967 to Islands In The Stream – with Rob Brydon, Robin Gibb and Ruth Jones – in 2009), and Cher (26 years between I Got You Babe – with Sonny Bono – in 1965 and The Shoop Shoop Song in 1991).
Last Christmas can also be again within the UK chart this week, coming into at quantity 37, and marking the earliest a Christmas tune has ever appeared there.
Taylor Swift stays atop the album charts with 1989 (Taylor’s Version), whereas Oasis sits in second place, with the reissue of the 1998 album The Masterplan.
The Rolling Stones’ newest launch Hackney Diamonds is at quantity 4.
The Official Charts Company compiles the UK singles and album charts.
Source: information.sky.com”