Beatles News
It's not at all easy to choose favorites, as there are just so many to choose from. What makes it a bit simpler would be the albums Band on the Run and Venus and Mars, which in this writer's opinion are McCartney's post-Beatles masterpieces. Material from those two records take up the majority of this list, but it's still difficult to pin down which of those tracks to put here. "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)" is a lovely anthem that also serves as an intricate and unpredictable callback to "Jet" (which is great in itself). "Rock Show" is fun, but also has a terrific mini-jam at the end that's driven by a piano riff worthy of the gods. There are also more easy-going songs like "Listen to What the Man Said" and "Bluebird," but anyone can choose their favorites and not be wrong. Ranked by complexity, cohesion, and catchiness, here are McCartney's ten best post-Beatles songs.
10 "Mrs. Vanderbilt"
'Band on the Run' (1973)
The bassline in "Mrs. Vanderbilt" is just as exciting as the acoustic guitar; together they create an excellent foundation for a song that is relatively simple in structure and avoids being over-produced. McCartney's playfully hurried vocals in the first verse are the perfect start to the song. Interestingly, that unique delivery isn't repeated in any other part of the song, yet the transition to the normal melody doesn't feel jarring whatsoever.
9 "Spirits of Ancient Egypt"
'Venus and Mars' (1975)
Transitioning out of "Venus and Mars (Reprise)" is a song that proves you can fit a surprising amount of material into a tight three minutes. It's a little number called "Spirits of Ancient Egypt," and it's one of the best examples of this album rocking as hard as any other exemplary record of its time. The song begins softly, priming us for something that's going to get heavy soon. When the whole band picks things up, we know we're on for another fun ride.
This is another killer bassline, not to mention how Wings could have such memorable main vocals without them even being sung by McCartney. Though it's hard to describe why, it just feels like the right call to have Denny Laine sing lead in the verse. The former Beatle's voice does feature prominently in the chorus, however, which offers a nice brief suspension from the hustle and bustle of the verse. Venus and Mars is just one banger after another, and "Spirits of Ancient Egypt" ranks among the best of them.
Source: J.S. Gornael/collider.com
The world is extremely familiar with the Fab Four–four musicians from Liverpool formally known as the Beatles, who emerged in the 1960s and changed the course of rock ‘n’ roll forever with their innovative songwriting, varied discography, and hit-after-hit reputation. The Beatles set the standard for every artist who followed in their footsteps, which is why the upcoming biopics must showcase the group’s legacy with the utmost respect – but is Hollywood up for the job?
Sam Mendes, the director of Hamnet (2025), 1917 (2019), and American Beauty (1999), is set to direct a series of four separate Beatles films to be released in April 2028. The cinema extravaganza will retell the band’s compelling history, with each film dedicated to the unique perspective of each member. This past January, the first pictures from the biopics were released to the public, showing the cast’s “transformation” into the iconic rock stars.
Casting was announced back in March 2025, featuring Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and none other than Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. Well-known actors Mia McKenna-Bruce, Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, and Aimee Lou Wood have also been confirmed to star as the spouses of The Beatles. Even so, it is not the female cast that fans are critiquing.
Looking back, the eternal rock band is no stranger to the world of film and TV. The Beatles have been featured in countless documentaries and biopics; they’ve even been parodied in several movies. The film Nowhere Boy (2009), starring Aaron-Taylor Johnson as John Lennon, zoomed in on Lennon’s hardships during young adulthood and the formation of the band that would remain relevant decades later. In 2021, the documentary The Beatles: Get Back (2021) premiered on Disney+, displaying real-time footage of the band throughout the making of their last record. Even with the recognition they garnered over the years, no one had ventured to create a proper biopic for the Fab Four—similar to Bohemian Rhapsody or A Complete Unknown—until now.
Source: Strike Tallahassee
The announcement that Farhan Akhtar will play Ravi Shankar comes with an image most people already recognise: Shankar on stage at The Concert for Bangladesh, quietly changing the rules of what popular music could be used for. That moment in 1971, when George Harrison helped organise the first major charity concert in rock history at Shankar’s urging, was not a late-career footnote. It was the culmination of an influence that had begun years earlier, when a sitar entered the Beatles’ world and refused to behave like a pop instrument.Ravi Shankar did not merely lend the Beatles a sound. He introduced them to discipline, to seriousness, and to the idea that music could carry moral weight without becoming spectacle. The sitar was not a prop
When the sitar entered Beatles music, it was immediately treated in the West as a symbol. But to Ravi Shankar, it was never symbolic. It was a demanding classical instrument rooted in lineage, years of apprenticeship, and a relationship between teacher and student that left no room for shortcuts.That difference in attitude created an early tension. Shankar would later say of the first sitar-heavy Beatles track, “I was very shocked. I didn’t like it at all.” He added, with characteristic bluntness, that it sounded “so terrible” to him.
The honesty matters. This was not a guru indulging a pop experiment. It was a classical musician refusing to flatter fame.What changed his mind was not the sound, but the sincerity behind it.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
It appears likely that 2026 will be a busy year for Paul McCartney, who may tour again as well as release a new album for the first time in years.
During a Q&A following a screening of the new Prime Video documentary, Man on the Run, in New Orleans, Louisiana, McCartney's longtime manager, Scott Rodger, provided updates on the former Beatles member (via Calico Skies Radio).
According to Rodger, McCartney is planning on touring later in the year. While the full list of countries he will visit was not revealed, Rodger said he would visit Japan. If this is true, this will mark McCartney's first concerts in Japan since the 2018 leg of the Freshen Up Tour.
Additionally, Rodger mentioned that McCartney's next album is complete. What's holding it up from being released is the cover artwork. It sounds like McCartney is taking his time organizing it.
When will Paul McCartney tour in 2026?
If McCartney tours in 2026, it will likely occur late in the year. Over the last two years, McCartney has only performed from September to December. The 2022 leg of the Got Back Tour did start in the spring, but it may be too close to announce spring tour dates.
In 2025, he announced his 2025 slate of shows in July. The tour began on Sept. 29, 2025, with a show in Palm Desert, California. He similarly began teasing his 2024 leg of shows in June 2024.
All of this to say — expect McCartney to begin teasing his next tour over the next couple of months. It's unclear if McCartney intends to continue the Got Back Tour, which began in 2022. With a new album on the way, is it possible he begins a new tour in support of his next album?
It's also unknown when his new album will come out. His last proper studio album, McCartney III, was released on Dec. 18, 2020. It has been a half-decade since his last album, so fans are eagerly awaiting his next one.
Source: Andrew Korpan/clutchpoints.com
Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best as The Beatles' drummer in 1962. Rumors cited jealousy, but Lennon insisted Best was fired for poor drumming. Best's popularity with female fans fueled speculation about his departure.
Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing drums for The Beatles except for Ringo Starr.
While Starr may not have been in the band’s original lineup when the group was first starting off, he nevertheless lived up to his position within the Fab Four, pairing remarkable well to the musical talents of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Yet to this day, most music fans can’t help but wonder what history might have been like if Starr’s predecessor, Pete Best, had remained in The Beatles as the group achieved increasing popularity the world over.
Among the founding members of The Beatles, Best served as the band’s drummer from 1960 to 1962. Though a decent enough performer, Best’s fellow bandmates apparently viewed Best’s abilities as a drummer with indifference, believing he lacked the proper talent to be a member of The Beatles.
Over the years, many hypothesized that The Beatles’ firing of Best owed largely due to his female fanbase, with some claiming Paul McCartney was “jealous” of Best’s natural good lucks and remarkable connection to their audiences.
“Pete had been an extremely popular Beatle, despite his ex-band mates’ misgivings about his drumming ability and his personality,” Starr recalled in Ringo: With a Little Help (via Far Out Magazine). “The group’s female fans, in particular, dug Pete’s brooding good looks.”
Source: Richard Chachowski/parade.com
Director Sam Mendes is rounding out the call sheet for “The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event,” his upcoming cinematic extravaganza about the wildly popular British band.
“Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” star Farhan Akhtar will portray influential Indian composer Ravi Shankar, “Bohemian Rhapsody” actor Lucy Boynton is joining as British actress and girlfriend of Paul McCartney Jane Asher, “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” breakout Morfydd Clark will play John Lennon’s first wife Cynthia Lennon, and “Industry’s” Harry Lawtey has been cast as the band’s original bass guitarist Stuart Sutcliffe. They’ll star alongside Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harrison Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison in “The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event.”
As the title suggests, Mendes is making four separate movies — one from each Beatles member’s point of view — that will intersect to capture the band’s improbable journey from Liverpool to the center of global culture, leading to their 1970 breakup. This marks the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film. All four installments will debut on the big screen in April 2028.
As previously announced, Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, Aimee Lou Wood and Mia McKenna-Bruce are playing Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, Pattie Boyd and Maureen Starkey, respectively. Meanwhile, James Norton will play the band’s influential manager Brian Epstein and Harry Lloyd will portray the legendary producer George Martin.
Source:Rebecca Rubin/variety.com
The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, born Richard Starkey, married hairdresser Maureen Cox at Caxton Hall in London.
Beatles manager Brian Epstein served as Ringo’s best man, with John Lennon and George Harrison both acting as witnesses.
The couple had three children, future drummer Zak Starkey, born in 1965, Jason Starkey, born in 1967, and Lee Starkey, born in 1970.
The couple divorced in 1975. Cox died from leukemia in December of 1994.
Cox will be portrayed by British actress Mia McKenna-Bruce in Sam Mendes’ four Beatles films, The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event, which will hit theaters in April 2028. Starr will be played by Barry Keoghan.
In April 1981, Starr married actress Barbara Bach, who he met on the set of the film Caveman. They are still married to this day.
Source: Jill Lances/1430wcmy.com
From Liverpool to the world, The Beatles sang across nearly every genre and explored countless corners of the globe. The quintessential British quartet — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — started out as a working-class band, juggling their music with blue-collar jobs. By the latter half of their careers, however, they had seen much of what the world had to offer, providing more than enough inspiration to write over 200 songs in just eight active years. One of those songs would later find an unexpected home with one of this generation's most influential pillars of pop culture: Marvel Comics. "The White Album" Jumped from British Blues to Country Tales Like "Rocky Raccoon". Surrounded by press, The Beatles wave at fans as they arrive in New York City in 1964.
"Rocky Raccoon" is far more narrative than introspective, telling the story of a young, feisty boy named Rocky Raccoon. Set in the "black mining hills of Dakota," the song follows Rocky after his woman runs off with another man, leaving him humiliated and nursing a black eye. Refusing to let the slight go, Rocky checks into a local saloon, armed with a gun, and storms into the room next to his. When he bursts through the door, he finds his woman and the other man in hiding. The man, known as Dan, becomes Rocky's opponent in a tense showdown. Although Rocky initiates the challenge, Dan draws first, and Rocky meets a tragic end.
"When you're sitting around with an acoustic guitar, often the natural thing to do is to get a bit folky. I was doing a bit of a spoof on records I'd heard, kind of talking blues songs. Bob Dylan was doing that kind of thing...I just started imagining this little story, and for me, it's like going on a train ride or something — a train ride of the mind. And because I was doing it sort of tongue-in-cheek, it was quite pleasant to write and sing."
Source: Dyah Ayu Larasati/collider.com
Let’s begin today with some trivia. Who is the only performer to receive a separate guest credit on the label of a Beatles single?
You, the one yelling “Billy Preston!” loudly at the screen: You are correct. The 1969 “Get Back/Don’t Let Me Down” single is credited to “The Beatles With Billy Preston,” in honor of the virtuosic keyboardist responsible for that indelible Fender Rhodes solo.
Preston has been on my mind since the 2021 release of Peter Jackson’s docuseries “The Beatles: Get Back,” which served, among other things, as a reminder just how crucial the Texas-born keyboard prodigy was to the “Let It Be” sessions. (Given his effortless playing style and the good-natured way he diffused tension on the studio, John Lennon basically asked him to join the band.) But I’ve been listening to Preston, and specifically his Beatles covers, after catching a preview screening of Paris Barclay’s documentary about his charmed but troubled life, “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It,” which will be playing in New York later this month.
Preston’s covers got me thinking about how many fantastic — and in many cases, radically reworked — covers of Beatles songs have been recorded by Black musicians: Stevie Wonder’s “We Can Work It Out,” Al Green’s “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and Nina Simone’s “Here Comes the Sun,” to just scratch the surface. So in honor of Preston — and of Black History Month — today’s playlist is a baker’s dozen of tracks on which Black artists reinterpret, revise and reimagine the Beatles.
Like just about every other white rock band in history, the Beatles drew upon pre-existing Black musical traditions; they were particularly inspired by the Motown sound and early rock pioneers like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. But as the Beatles built up a formidable songwriting catalog, some of the artists who had inspired their early work, like the Supremes and Ray Charles, started putting their own spin on the Fab Four’s material, too. The result was a rich and reciprocal musical conversation.
Source: Lindsay Zoladz/nytimes.com
Even before the age of social media and the bottomless scroll, musicians were fighting against the general public’s relatively short attention span. (First impressions and all that.) More often than not, a listener would know whether they liked a song within the first few seconds, which made those first few seconds all the more important. And on February 11, 1963, The Beatles recorded a song introduction that would become synonymous with the group, all while calling back to a musical idol.
The Beatles recorded “I Saw Her Standing There” as part of an impressive recording session that saw the Fab Four record Please Please Me in one day. Although undoubtedly a big undertaking for the band and engineers alike, that big day in EMI Studios wasn’t entirely different from what The Beatles were already used to after cutting their teeth at nightclubs that expected them to play for hours on end. And it was just this kind of live feel that producer George Martin was after.
For this reason, Martin advised the band to count in their own numbers like they would if they were on stage. The end result is one of the most iconic intros in The Beatles discography and a subtle homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself.
Source: Melanie Davis/americansongwriter.com
