The undeniable most influential band of all time is back on the charts this month with a new hit single. The band’s first release since 1995. This is without mentioning that the band officially broke up in 1970. Music would not be where it is today if it wasn’t for the Beatles. John, Paul, George, and Ringo are four of the most iconic men in all of popular culture. They have made some of the greatest musical albums ever, with classics like: “Rubber Soul”, “Revolver”, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, and “Abbey Road”. The Beatles final two albums, “Abbey Road” and “Let it Be”, were both recorded in 1969 and released in 1969 and 1970 respectfully. After the release of “Let it Be”, the band officially called it quits with each member embarking on solo careers. All was going great for each of the guys until John Lennon was tragically killed in 1980. Lennon’s sudden passing at age 40 was one of the most tragic moments in music and the whole world was in shock. I’ve never been a big Beatles fan but I have always respected what they have done for music, and when I found out that they have a new single out, I had to check it out.
In 1995, Paul, George, and Ringo discovered old demo tapes of John singing and playing piano. The track was called “Free as a Bird” and after the they put some work into it, the song became the first Beatles release since “Let it Be” in 1970, twenty-five years later. Fast forward to 2023, and Paul McCartney and Ringo Star are both still releasing solo work. George Harrison tragically passed in 2001. Along with “Free as a Bird”, the demo titled “Now and Then” was also discovered. However, it was recored on only one track with Lennon’s vocals attached to the piano track. This past year, with the use of AI, they were able successfully separate the vocals from the piano and record the supporting bass, drums, and backing vocal tracks. The Beatles were actually working on “Now and Then” during the 1990s when they were working on “Free as a Bird”. So, this new song not only features the late John Lennon, but it also features the late George Harrison which is pretty cool. Again, I’m not a massive Beatles fan, especially the songs sung by John. But with that being said, I thought that “Now and Then” was a pretty cool tune. I think that it has a mysterious tone with beautiful instrumentals and melodies, as per every Beatles song. But the main reason why this song is good is because it is just so cool listening to a new Beatles song in 2023. There will never be another Beatles. There will never be another John and Paul writing duo. There will never be a music group as influential as the Beatles, so it is pretty cool seeing them release new music 50 plus years after their breakup.