Pick a Day

John Lennon, 40 years old, is shot and killed outside his apartment in New York City.More

The Beatles' hometown of Liverpool, England, renames some streets in honor of the band members. There is John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close, Ringo Starr Drive, and even Sutcliffe Street (in honor of original bass player Stu Sutcliffe).

Ford licenses The Beatles "Help!" for a commercial, marking the first time one of their songs is used in a TV ad.

Three years after their duet "The Girl Is Mine," Paul McCartney advises Michael Jackson to invest in publishing. Jackson makes a winning bid of $47.5 million for the rights to over 250 Lennon-McCartney Beatles songs owned by ATV publishing, which turns out to be a great investment, but kills their friendship.More

Ringo Starr becomes the first Beatles grandfather when his son Zak's child is born.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off his theaters. When Matthew Broderick leads a parade through downtown Chicago to The Beatles "Twist And Shout," it renews interest in the group, and the song soon returns to the charts.

The Beatles' re-released version of "Twist And Shout" peaks at #23 thanks to its use in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Ringo becomes the first Beatle to turn pitchman with the announcement that he'll be shilling for Sun Country wine coolers.

Nike begins airing a commercial using the Beatles song "Revolution," marking the first time an original version of a Beatles song is used in an ad.More

Sam Cooke, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Carole King & Gerry Goffin, and Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil are all inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The first four Beatles albums are released on compact disc: Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale. This marks the first time the band's official UK albums have been available as standard Beatles albums in the US, many being presented for the first time in America in their original mono mixes.

The Beatles, along with Yoko Ono, sue Nike for using "Revolution" in TV commercials. Nike authorized the song through the group's US label, Capitol, and Michael Jackson, who owns the publishing. Nike doesn't back down and continues running the ads, which anger many Beatles fans but sell a lot of sneakers. The suit is later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Rolling Stone magazine declares The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band the best album of the last 20 years.

Nike takes out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times responding to the controversy over their use of The Beatles' song "Revolution" in a commercial.More

The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan, and The Supremes are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the third class. Mike Love of The Beach Boys gives a Ricky Gervais-at-the-Golden Globes-style speech, insulting many in attendance. Diana Ross skips the ceremony over a spat with fellow Supreme Mary Wilson.

Apple Computers reaches an agreement with The Beatles' Apple Corps, paying $26.5 million for the rights to run music software - an update to their 1981 deal that prohibited the computer maker from selling anything music-related. The deal is revised from time to time as Apple Computer makes music a major part of their business.

The Sunday Times of London breaks the story that a welder in Liverpool named Peter Hodgson found a reel of Beatles material in his attic. The recordings turn out to be legit, as Hodgson's father had loaned the recorder to Paul McCartney. After hearing the recordings, McCartney buys the reel and uses some of it on the Anthology collection. Songs include the Lennon/McCartney original "Hello Little Girl" and the Ray Charles cover "Hallelujah, I Love Her So."

The Beatles' Anthology I sets a first-week sales record of 1.2 million copies.

The Beatles release Anthology I (including the previously unreleased track "Free As A Bird," and sell 450,000 copies the first day).

The first installment of The Beatles Anthology documentary airs on ABC.

Sony gets control of the publishing rights to many Beatles songs when Michael Jackson merges his ATV Music Publishing with Sony Music Publishing in a deal estimated at $600 million. Jackson purchased the Beatles catalog in 1985 for $47.5 million.

The Beatles song "Real Love," compiled from a John Lennon demo recording, is released in the UK.

Beatles producer George Martin is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

The Beatles become the first act with three #1 albums the same year in America when their Anthology 3 compilation goes to the top.

Perhaps trying to make amends for giving them just four awards when they were still together, The Grammys give The Beatles three awards: two for "Free As A Bird" and another for their Anthology video.More

The Beatles are named "Favourite Recording Artist Of All Time" in a poll conducted by the UK music magazine Mojo, beating out Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Queen, and Elton John in that order.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announces the biggest-selling artists of the century in the United States: The Beatles have sold the most albums (106 million), Garth Brooks is the best-selling male solo act, and Barbra Streisand the best-selling female. Elton John's 1997 "Candle In The Wind" is the best-selling single of the century, and the best-selling album is the Eagles' Greatest Hits 1971-1975.

The Beatles' official autobiography Anthology hits #1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list.

The Beatles have the #1 album in America with a collection of their 27 chart-topping hits, appropriately titled 1, proving that their appeal spans generations.More

The Beatles sanction their first official website at thebeatles.com.