The Beatles Origins

British rock and roll pioneers

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as one of the most influential bands of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and popular music's recognition as an art form. The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, including Pete Best, before asking Starr to join them in 1962.