The Beatles Win Eighth Grammy 55 Years After Their Breakup
The Beatles’ legacy continues to shine, even more than five decades after they disbanded. On Sunday, the band won their eighth Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance with their song “Now and Then.” The track, released last year, marked the first time the Fab Four had been recognized by the Recording Academy since 1997.
A Historic Grammy Win for The Beatles
“Now and Then,” which McCartney calls “the last Beatles song,” was written by the late John Lennon and features his original vocals recorded in 1970, the year the band split. Lennon’s vocals were preserved using artificial intelligence technology. The song was completed and released by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the surviving members of the iconic band.
The win came 55 years after The Beatles officially broke up in 1970, cementing their enduring impact on the music world.
Sean Ono Lennon Accepts Award
At the Grammys Premiere Ceremony, which takes place before the televised Grammy show, Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, accepted the award on behalf of The Beatles. He expressed his admiration for the band and their lasting influence:
“The Beatles have done such incredible work and they’re still in the culture. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the greatest band of all time. The world can’t afford to forget about people like The Beatles. We need this music in this world. We need peace and love and we need the music of the ‘60s to stay alive.”
A Group Effort Despite the Losses
Although both John Lennon and George Harrison passed away before the release of “Now and Then,” the song still stands as a collective Beatles effort. The track features:
- Lennon’s resurrected vocals from 1970
- McCartney’s and Starr’s new instrumentation
- Harrison’s guitar recordings from the 1990s
A Long Road to the Grammy
The Beatles’ first Grammy wins came in 1965, when they took home Best New Artist and Best Performance by a Vocal Group for their legendary song “A Hard Day’s Night.” Over the years, their accomplishments continued to pile up, including:
- 1967: Best Contemporary Album and Album of the Year for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
- 1997: Three Grammy wins, including Best Long Form Music Video for The Beatles Anthology and two awards for the song “Free As a Bird”
“Now and Then” Nominated for Record of the Year
While “Now and Then” didn’t win Record of the Year (the award went to Kendrick Lamar for “Not Like Us”), the nomination was another testament to the band’s lasting influence on the music industry, even decades after their breakup.
The Beatles’ musical influence is undeniable, and this latest Grammy win serves as a reminder that their legacy is still as impactful as ever.
