At the start of 1964, the Beatles were already dominating the UK charts. Songs from Please Please Me and With the Beatles had filled British airwaves for months. But across the Atlantic, they were still a curiosity. That changed in a matter of weeks when U.S. radio stations began playing their singles on heavy rotation.
By January, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was climbing American charts faster than any British act before them. Capitol Records launched a marketing blitz—posters, TV spots, and press coverage that built a sense of urgency. Fans bought records by the thousands, creating stock shortages in some stores.
On February 7, 1964, the band arrived at New York’s JFK Airport to a crowd of more than 3,000 screaming fans. Police held back the mass of teenagers, some waving homemade signs, others holding cameras. The press conference that followed introduced America to the Beatles’ quick wit, matching their music with humor and personality.
Two days later, they performed live on The Ed Sullivan Show. An estimated 73 million people tuned in—roughly one-third of the U.S. population. Viewers saw four young men in sharp suits, playing guitars with a mix of precision and energy. The audience’s screams nearly drowned out the music.
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Their American tour launched soon after. In Washington, D.C., they played to a sports arena packed with fans on all sides. The band physically rotated their stage setup between songs so everyone could see them. Concerts in New York, Miami, and other cities drew similar frenzies, with police escorts required at nearly every stop.
Television appearances and press interviews became daily events. The Beatles balanced their public schedule with recording sessions, producing songs that would fill their next albums. Photographs from the year show them in hotel rooms surrounded by piles of fan mail, or dashing between cars as fans reached out from the crowd.
In Britain, their popularity didn’t fade while they toured abroad. Fans at home followed their every move through newspapers and newsreels. Merchandise—from wigs to lunchboxes—hit store shelves, cementing their visibility beyond the music charts.
By the end of 1964, the term “Beatlemania” had been used in headlines across the world. The year’s photographs and footage capture a rare moment when music, media, and mass culture aligned to create something louder, faster, and more overwhelming than anything before it.
