The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group’s core lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in popular music and played a central role in the development of 1960s counterculture. The Beatles’ music incorporated elements of skiffle, beat, 1950s rock and roll, classical music and traditional pop, and they explored styles including folk, Indian music, psychedelia and hard rock. They were also noted for innovations in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, and were frequently associated with youth culture and social movements of the era.
The band evolved from John Lennon’s previous group, the Quarrymen, and gained experience performing in clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany, beginning in 1960. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison had performed together since 1958 and invited Starr to join the group in 1962 after a series of earlier drummers. Manager Brian Epstein helped shape the band into a professional act, while producer George Martin expanded their recorded sound. The Beatles signed with EMI and achieved their first hit with "Love Me Do" in late 1962. As their popularity surged, a phenomenon known as "Beatlemania" emerged and they were nicknamed "the Fab Four". By early 1964, the band had become international stars and were instrumental in the British Invasion of the United States pop market. Their first film, "A Hard Day’s Night" (1964), was released during this period.
In 1966 the Beatles stopped performing live, seeking to focus on studio work. During this period they produced albums such as "Rubber Soul" (1965), "Revolver" (1966) and "Sgt.
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