The Beatles

Diddy, Yoko Ono And More Remember John Lennon

08 Dec 2010 19:45:21 EST

Music icon's fans and contemporaries commemorate legacy on 30th anniversary of death.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

John Lennon
Photo: Chris Walter/ Getty Images

Decades after his passing, John Lennon remains one of the most influential artists in pop music, with the Beatles catalog getting snapped up on iTunes and fans as protective of his legacy as ever. On the 30th anniversary of his death Wednesday (December 8), fans participated in Lennon tributes across the globe — including a diverse lineup of Lennon's high-profile acolytes and members of his family who shared their thoughts about the game-changing activist and musician.

"RIP JOHN LENNON. ONE OF MUSICS GREATEST," Bad Boy mogul Diddy tweeted. Fellow British musician and Kinks frontman Ray Davies recalled learning of Lennon's death from a reporter just days after running into the superstar's widow, Yoko Ono, on the streets of New York. Davies said Lennon's sound had always inspired him to pursue his own career. "I thought back to when I was a 17-year-old student in the recreation room at art college and heard John sing 'Twist and Shout' on the record player, and how I was blown away by his directness," Davis wrote in an op-ed piece for The New York Times. "How his voice cut through all the nonsense and sent a message to me that said, 'If I can do it then so can you, so get up off your backside and play some rock 'n' roll,' as if to throw down a musical gauntlet." In her own tribute to Lennon, Ono blogged about an intimate moment she and her husband shared laughing about the fact that he had been preparing their tea incorrectly for years. "On this day, the day he was assassinated for being a truth seeker and a communicator, what I remember is the night we both cracked up drinking tea," she wrote on her website, ImaginePeace.com."They say teenagers laugh with a drop of a hat. But nowadays I see many teenagers angry and sad at each other. John and I were hardly teenagers. But my memory of us is that we were a couple who laughed." Lennon's son with Ono, Sean, tweeted his appreciation for the messages of support from fans. "Thank you for all the kind words. Let's all just pray for peace on earth," he wrote. "That's what he cared about most." Ono echoed a similar sentiment in her letter, reminding fans that Lennon's ongoing efforts to effect change were central to his mission while he was still alive. "The most important gift we received from him was not words, but deeds. He believed in Truth, and had dared to speak up. We all knew that he upset certain powerful people with it. But that was John. He couldn't have been in any other way," she wrote. "If he were here now, I think he would have shouted so we can all hear it. That truth was important. Because without knowing all the truth of what we did, we could not achieve world peace." Share your memories of John Lennon in the comments.

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John Lennon Fans Celebrate His Legacy At Strawberry Fields

08 Dec 2010 19:45:21 EST

'He had one common message: to spread love through music,' one supporter tells MTV News of the late music icon.
By Vaughn Trudeau Schoonmaker, with additional reporting by Matt Harper

Fans pay tribute to John Lennon in Strawberry Fields in New York City
Photo: Getty Images

Thirty years after John Lennon's death, fans and curious bystanders made their way to Central Park's Strawberry Fields on Wednesday (December 8) to pay their respects to the late Beatle. Despite the cold weather, hundreds were gathered at any given moment to leave gifts, sing his songs and remember the music icon whose message of peace and unity still burns strong today.

"I think it's very spiritual," Flora Bromley said. "Everybody is just singing the songs. It's just a good feeling coming here." "You can see what Lennon did with all the people," Carlos Rivera noticed. "You feel at home." Some people just happened to discover the event by chance. Tara Heilingoetter was out to take pictures of the park when she noticed the commotion coming from Strawberry Fields. "I walked over and enjoyed the music and the singing and just the reflection on his life," Tara said. "I thought it was really beautiful." Emily Vannorstrand said she has been a Beatles fan for her whole life, being raised by parents who were fans. "He had one common message: to spread love through music," Emily said. "And this is what I saw today." The atmosphere, though recognizing a tragic event, brought a sense of hope and peace among the attendants. "Everybody is just in a good mood today!" observed second-generation Lennon fan Connie Solos. Dressed up as a member of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Raymond Brisson ventured all the way from Rhode Island to celebrate Lennon's legacy. "There will always be a Strawberry Fields in everybody's heart," he declared. "John Lennon will always be there, no matter where we are or where we go." Share your thoughts on John Lennon in our comments section below.

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Beatles Top 2 Million Songs Sold In iTunes Debut Week

24 Nov 2010 09:08:42 EST

Legendary band also moved 450,000 albums in their first week on iTunes.
By Gil Kaufman

Photo: Apple Corps Ltd.

It's only fitting that the biggest band in the world had one of the biggest iTunes debuts in history. Beatles fans waited nearly a decade for the Fab Four's tunes to appear at Apple's digital store, and despite having nearly 50 years to stock up on "Love Me Do" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" in every musical format known to man, they gorged themselves on the band's music over the past week. According to a Reuters report, the legendary rock group sold more than 2 million individual songs and 450,000 albums worldwide during their first week on iTunes. iTunes does not provide breakout figures on sales, but Abbey Road came out as the top-selling digital album in the store, coming in at #6 for the week ending November 22. The iTunes-only Beatles Box Set collection was the next-highest-charting collection, landing at #10 on the iTunes albums chart. Among the many charting singles, "Here Comes the Sun" landed highest but failed to crack the top 10 during a week when nearly 60 Beatles songs found their way onto the iTunes singles tally. After years of holding out and exchanging lawsuits with Apple Computer, the Beatles became one of the last major holdouts to join the iTunes store, until the big announcement on November 16. Though they easily bested the November 2007 debut of Led Zeppelin on iTunes, which generated U.S. digital album sales of 47,000 and 300,000 songs, the Beatles weren't able to best some contemporary acts, including Rihanna, whose Loud was the best-selling iTunes album in the U.S. last week, followed by the "Glee" Christmas album.

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Beatles Explode Onto iTunes Charts

17 Nov 2010 10:22:27 EST

Five classic Fab Four LPs move into top 20 on iTunes albums chart after becoming available for download.
By Gil Kaufman

Photo: BIPs/ Getty Images

It should come as no surprise that in the first 24 hours that the Beatles catalog was available on iTunes, Fab Four fans went on a bender. After nearly a decade of waiting for official digital copies of the group's music on the leading download site, Beatle maniacs helped push five of the band's classic studio albums — Abbey Road (#7), The White Album (#8), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (#10), Rubber Soul (#18) and Revolver (#20) — into the top 20 tally on the iTunes albums chart. In all, eight Beatles titles crashed the top 20, including The Beatles 1967-1970 (#13), The Beatles 1962-1966 (#17) and the all-encompassing Beatles Box Set (#11). That wasn't all, as Magical Mystery Tour came in at #21, Let It Be was just behind at #22, A Hard Day's Night charted at #27, followed by Please Please Me and Help!, With the Beatles (#31), Past Masters, Vols. 1 & 2 (#34), Beatles for Sale (#37) and Yellow Submarine (#46). Though iTunes does not reveal sales figures, the news was pretty good on the singles chart as well, as a number of classic songs made their debut on that list, including "Here Comes the Sun," (#22), "Let It Be" (#27), "In My Life" (#31), "Blackbird" (#32), "Come Together" (#38), "With a Little Help From My Friends" (#53) and "Hey Jude" (#55). The parade continued outside the top 60, with nearly a dozen more songs charting at press time, including "Twist and Shout" (#66), "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (#69), "Let It Be" again (#71), "Eleanor Rigby" (#75), "A Day in the Life" (#76), "Twist and Shout" (#77), "I Saw Her Standing There" (#78), "Yesterday" (#83), "Help!" (#89), "Something" (#90) and "A Hard Day's Night" (#96). With more than two dozen more songs landing outside the top 100, in all 59 Beatles singles charted in the first 24 hours, paving the way for the group to smash all previous records for chart debuts on the iTunes tally. More detailed download figures will be available next week from Nielsen SoundScan.

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Apple Announcement: 'The Beatles. Now On iTunes'

16 Nov 2010 11:57:55 EST

The Fab Four were one of the digital download service's longest major holdouts.
By Gil Kaufman

The Beatles' Abbey Road
Photo: Capitol

After a cryptic tease, Apple confirmed Tuesday morning (November 16) the news that music fans have been waiting nearly eight years to hear: "The Beatles. Now on iTunes." The long-awaited arrival of the Fab Four's music on the leading digital-music retailer came after a report on Monday by The Wall Street Journal that the long-simmering, lawsuit-filled feud between the Beatles' Apple Corps organization and Steve Jobs' Apple Computer might finally be put to rest with the arrival of the group's music on the iTunes store. A click into the Beatles iTunes store reveals that fans can now download songs from all 13 of the group's original studio albums, as well as the Past Masters singles-and-rarities collection and the 1973 "Red" and "Blue" hits compilations. Also available is the $149 Beatles Box Set, which contains all of the band's remastered studio efforts, Past Masters, an iTunes LP with mini-documentary features on each of the studio albums, photos and an exclusive video of the band's first U.S. concert — which took place in 1964 in Washington, D.C. Footage from the Washington show also is being streamed at iTunes for free through the end of the year. "We're really excited to bring the Beatles' music to iTunes," said Sir Paul McCartney in a statement announcing the deal. "It's fantastic to see the songs we originally released on vinyl receive as much love in the digital world as they did the first time around." Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr added, "I am particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes ... At last, if you want it — you can get it now — the Beatles from Liverpool to now!" The Beatles were long one of the most prominent holdouts to iTunes, which sparked frequent speculation that they were intent on launching their own branded download site. But with their arrival iTunes, fans can now download such hits as "A Hard Day's Night" for $1.29 apiece, or full albums for $12.99 each ($19.99 for the double-album sets) with special album-only additional documentary features on the studio releases. "We love the Beatles and are honored and thrilled to welcome them to iTunes," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said. "It has been a long and winding road to get here. Thanks to the Beatles and EMI, we are now realizing a dream we've had since we launched iTunes 10 years ago." The deal promises to be lucrative for both sides considering that in 2009, 39 years after their breakup, the Beatles were the third-highest-selling album act in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, moving 3.3 million copies. It also plugs one of the biggest holes in the iTunes universe, which is still missing music from acts such as AC/DC and Kid Rock, after finally convincing holdouts such as Metallica and Led Zeppelin to come on board in recent years. Are you excited about the Beatles' music finally being available at iTunes. Tell us in the comments.

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Apple Expected To Announce Beatles Catalog Coming To iTunes

16 Nov 2010 08:47:58 EST

Cryptic message on Apple website leads many to speculate about the Fab Four.
By Gil Kaufman

The Beatles' Abbey Road
Photo: Capitol

After nearly a decade of waiting, Beatles fans will finally have their wish on Tuesday (November 16) at 10 a.m. ET. That's when, according to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is expected to announce that it has finally secured the rights to sell the Fab Four's music on its iTunes service. Long the most high-profile holdouts on iTunes, the paper reported on Monday that unnamed "people familiar with the situation" confirmed the deal for the Beatles to join iTunes, which apparently was just completed last week. Apple is notorious for its closely held announcements, often teasing them with viral campaigns before the launch of such revolutionary products as the iPhone and iPad. This time around it was no different, as the Apple homepage has been given over to the cryptic message, "Tomorrow is just another day. That you'll never forget," above four clocks set to the time of Tuesday's announcement. Though no mention is made of the Beatles in the tease, clever fanatics have also noted that the positions of the minute and hour hands on the four clocks roughly correspond with the hand positions the band's members modeled on the cover of their Help album. The sources told the Journal that even though talks were concluded last week between Apple, the Beatles and their label, the troubled EMI Group Ltd., it was still possible Apple could change its plans at the last minute if there is a snag in the deal. Terms of the pact were not revealed, and it was unclear at press time if it would entail the rights to offer single-song downloads of Beatles tunes or album-only downloads. The deal could be lucrative for both sides considering that in 2009, 39 years after their breakup, the Beatles were the third-highest-selling album act in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, moving 3.3 million copies. It would also plug one of the biggest holes in the iTunes universe, which is still missing music from acts such as AC/DC and Kid Rock, after finally convincing holdouts such as Metallica and Led Zeppelin to come onboard in recent years. If true, the deal would end decades of feuding between the pioneering computer company co-founded by Steve Jobs and the most beloved rock act in history, which dates back to the first lawsuit between them in 1978 over the Apple computer logo, an homage to the Beatles' own Apple Records image. That suit was settled in 1981 with the caveat that Apple Computer could not compete by getting into the music business. Another suit landed in 1989 when Apple Corps charged that the computer maker had violated the earlier agreement by giving its computers more powerful music-making abilities, such as controlling synthesizers. Apple Computer settled that case in 1991 by paying $29 million to the band. But things got testy again in 2003, when Apple Corps objected to the launch of iTunes, saying the computer maker violated the terms of 1991 agreement. But, in a rare victory, a court sided with Apple in 2006 in dismissing the band's claims, saying the Apple logo on the iTunes store didn't have anything to do with the music being sold, but was simply an icon for the store itself. Then again, considering how many times the Beatles-to-iTunes rumor has been sparked, this could all be much ado about nothing, as some tech blogs have speculated that the real announcement will be about a "cloud" service that will allow you to stream your iTunes library to any Internet-connected device.

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'Glee' Tops Beatles Chart Record

06 Oct 2010 15:18:54 EDT

Show's cast has racked up 75 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
By Gil Kaufman

"Glee" cast
Photo: FOX

There are some records nobody ever expects to beat, like Pete Rose's 4,256 hits crown or Kevin Fast's mark for pulling a 188-ton Globemaster II transport aircraft nearly 30 feet. Or, until Wednesday (October 6), the Beatles' mark for the most appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 by a non-solo act.

In less than two years, though, the cast of "Glee" has eclipsed the Fab Four. According to Billboard magazine, with the debut this week of six new "Glee" songs on the Hot 100 tally, the show's cast has racked up 75 songs on the chart, outpacing the Beatles' 71 to set the new high-water mark for non-solo acts in the chart's 52-year history. The landmark was achieved thanks to five covers of Britney Spears songs from last week's much-praised episode, as well as the "Glee" cast's rendition on Paramore's "The Only Exception." The highest debut among the bunch is the "Glee" take on "Toxic," which will hit #16 thanks to 109,000 downloads. How impressive is the new "Glee" standard? The show's cast hit the mark in just over 16 months, while the Beatles hit 71 thanks to singles released between 1964 and 1996. Since the Hot 100 chart launched in August 1958, the only acts with more charted titles are all solo acts, including Elvis Presley (108) and James Brown (91), with Ray Charles (74) and Aretha Franklin (73) now also in the rear view. And while viewership was down nearly 25 percent from last week's record-setting Britney episode, according to Variety magazine's "TV Morning Report," preliminary ratings data suggest that the show will also continue its ratings domination as well. Tuesday night's religion-themed "Glee" had a narrow victory, with 10.9 million viewers, a 4.5 rating and a 13 share, which was enough to beat out second-place "NCIS" (a 3.7 rating and an 11 share). Do you think "Glee" will overtake Elvis' record too? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Lady Gaga Upsets Beatles Fans By Playing John Lennon's Piano

13 Jul 2010 11:33:33 EDT

Lennon's son Sean posted a photo of Gaga playing the piano, later removing it after fans complained.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Lady Gaga plays John Lennon's white piano
Photo: Sean Lennon/ Twitpic

Lady Gaga has once again stirred up fans with another one of her unique performances. However, this time, it's not her little monsters who are getting riled up but rather fans of John Lennon, who are upset that Gaga played the late Beatles legend's white piano. The brouhaha began when Lennon's son Sean posted a picture of Lady Gaga tinkling the ivories — in a skimpy bodysuit and fishnet stockings — on his Twitter page, accompanied by the caption, "With gaga at mom's house, she's belting on the white piano." Sean later removed the picture after fans complained that Gaga shouldn't have been allowed to jam on the instrument, which was a gift to Lennon's wife and Sean's mother, Yoko Ono. One tweeter in particular blasted Sean, writing, "WHY WOULD YOU LET LADY GAGA PLAY ON JOHN'S PIANO? I'm disappointed," capping off the tweet with a frowning emoticon. The tweeter insisted Gaga was not up to snuff and later added, "Would you let just anyone play it? I mean geez, c'mon." Although he removed the offending pic, Sean defended Gaga from the haters. "Pianos meant are to be played. Why is everyone so uptight? What should we do, lock it away in a dusty room? So judgmental," Sean tweeted. The musician also replied to another fan, insisting that John wouldn't be bothered by Gaga taking to the keys. "Firstly, he gave that piano to my mother for her birthday, it is hers, secondly, he was not uptight the way you seem to be," Sean tweeted. Ultimately, the musician called for the offended fans to calm down and focus on other issues. "Come on, lighten up ... life's too short, there're enough real problems in the world." Are John Lennon's fans being "uptight," or is the piano too sacred to be played by current pop stars? Sound off in the comments.

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Paul McCartney Joins Ringo Starr At Radio City Birthday Concert

08 Jul 2010 11:44:49 EDT

Duo fittingly sang the Beatles' 'Birthday,' following an all-star rendition of 'With a Little Help From My Friends.'
By James Montgomery

Ringo Starr performs while celebrating his 70th birthday with his All Starr Band at Radio City Music Hall on July 7, 2010 in New York City.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Getty Images

In honor of his 70th birthday, Ringo Starr threw himself a party on Wednesday at New York City's iconic Radio City Music Hall ... with a little help from all his famous friends. It was, more correctly, a concert, one that saw Starr (backed by the latest incarnation of his All Starr Band) tear through more than two hours of Beatles tunes, covers, and even a solo hit or two, and, at the very end of the night, nearly bring the house down when he was joined onstage by his fellow former Beatle, Paul McCartney, according to RollingStone.com. Somewhat fittingly, the two remaining members of the Fab Four took on the White Album cut "Birthday," with McCartney singing lead and Starr on drums (just like the good old days), as the sold-out Radio City crowd justifiably went nuts. And at the song's conclusion, with the late John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono looking on from the side of the stage, McCartney and Starr embraced and walked off the stage to a standing ovation. It was the first time the duo shared the stage since another Radio City gig, a benefit show headlined by McCartney in 2009. The Macca/Starr duet occurred just moments after an entire army of Starr's famous friends — including Ono, Joe Walsh, Steve Van Zandt, Angus Young and Max Weinberg — joined him for another rather appropriate song, "With a Little Help From My Friends." It was, in theory, the de facto finale, until McCartney sprinted onstage, much to the delight of everyone in the house. What can we say? When Ringo Starr throws a party, he really throws a party.

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'American Idol' And The Beatles: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

06 Apr 2010 15:49:00 EDT

We look back on the best and the worst of previous Lennon/McCartney covers.
By Eric Ditzian

Photo: Fox

In choosing their John Lennon and Paul McCartney-penned tunes for Tuesday night's (April 6) live show, did the "American Idol" hopefuls of season nine look back at the history of Lennon/McCartney renditions on the reality show? From Clay Aiken's inaugural Beatles performance up through this season's top 24, the "Idol" past offers success stories and cautionary tales. Let's take a gaze back at the good, the bad and the ugly of the Beatles songbook on "Idol." The Good
Brooke White, "Let It Be" (season seven): White's simple, breathy take on the final Beatles' single was a perfect example of a true "Idol" breakout performance: the point at which we forget you're a contestant on a reality show and start to envision you as a professional recording artist. Backed by a simple arrangement that slowly added complexity — first piano, then strings, then choral-like exhortations of her backup singers, finally the entire band — White didn't attempt to refashion this classic. Rather, she introduced subtle variations in tone and phrasings, making the song her own until we saw the teary-eyed wild child within White for the very first time. Carly Smithson, "Come Together" (season seven): Smithson took this Abbey Road opener and seriously funked it up with a fat bass line and some fierce rocker-chick vocal runs. It was a brilliant example that, if executed well, any song, no matter how familiar, can be made fresh and original. It was enough to make both the judges and the voters think Smithson was going to be a potential champ. Of course, that didn't come close to happening. But at least for one night, it seemed possible. As Simon Cowell told her, "This reminds me, six years ago, exactly the same week — Kelly Clarkson." Lilly Scott, "Fixing a Hole" (season nine): With this Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band track, Scott proved that you don't need to pick a current top 40 song to show you're a relevant, contemporary recording artist. Instead, she brought a current sensibility — that quirky, jazzy, singer/songwriter vibe — and delivered ear-pleasing, toe-tapping tuneage. The performance gave us hope that the snoozapalooza that has been watching season nine might be turning into an exercise more exciting than picking your bellybutton lint. So much for hope. Scott was sent packing just two weeks after this stunning performance. The Bad
Clay Aiken, "Here, There and Everywhere" (season two): Back in 2002, Randy called him "the bomb," Paula called the performance haunting, and Simon called the whole thing "very pretty." Time has not been kind to this live rendition. The harp? The lullaby-like pace? We should have known Aiken was headed to Broadway. The vocals may have been spot on, but he took this melodious-yet-haunting Revolver tune and squeezed out every single drop of vitality from it, revealing a gooey cheeseball center neither Lennon nor McCartney ever imagined existed there. Kris Allen, "Come Together" (season eight): The eventual champ tried to go hard rock with this take on "Come Together," which makes sense, considering the week's mentor was guitar-shredding guru Slash. The instrumentation ended up overwhelming Allen's vocals and leaving his brow soaked in a marathon run's worth of sweat. All that work wasn't worth it, nor did his rendition come anywhere close to the one Smithson pulled off a season earlier. The Ugly
David Archuleta, "We Can Work It Out" (season seven): Where to begin? Archie's take on this 1965 hit veered off course almost immediately, as he started "umm"-ing and "nah"-ing instead of actually, er, singing words. What's rule #1 of "Idol"? Don't forget the lyrics! Bungling the words was bad enough ... until you consider the arrangement, which, combined with the there's-no-problem smile frozen on his mug, was so creepily upbeat it bordered on "American Psycho" territory. After this one, Archie owed the greatest songwriting team in music history a sincere apology. Kristy Lee Cook, "Eight Days a Week" (season seven): Now it's our turn to apologize for reintroducing you to this county hoedown from hell. Kristy Lee Cook's speedy, twangy mauling of the 1964 chart-topper sounded, as Simon declared, like "Dolly Parton on helium." That might be putting it kindly. The performance landed Cook in the bottom three, a spot from which she managed to climb out only to bungle another Lennon/McCartney tune the next week. Did we miss anything? Share your favorite Beatles covers (and train wrecks) in the comments below. Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.