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The Beatles debut in Hamburg, West Germany, with Stu Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums.
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Richard “Ringo” Starkey, the popular drummer for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, joins the Beatles.
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The Beatles hold their first recording sessions at EMI Studios in London, with George Martin as producer.
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The Beatles’ first album, Please Please Me, is released in England.
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“I Want to Hold Your Hand,” by the Beatles, is released. It is their first release on Capitol Records.
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The Beatles arrive in America and hold a quip-filled press conference that sets the antic tone for their two-week stay.
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After performing at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, the Beatles announce that they will no longer be touring.
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The Beatles launch Apple Corps, Ltd., a business venture that includes Apple Records, in London.
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The Beatles make their final live performance with an impromptu, five-song set on the rooftop of Apple headquarters, on London’s Savile Row, during the filming of Let It Be.
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The Beatles’ formal legal dissolution takes place in London.