The Beatles' latest No.1 extends Liverpool’s Guinness World Record

The Beatles made history when they topped the UK singles charts 54 years after their last number one and in doing so also extended Liverpool’s Guinness World Record of 'most number one hits from a city'.

Liverpool has now provided the nation with 58 chart-topping songs and the city’s Pop Wall of Fame on Mathew Street, which documents them all, will soon be updated with the latest edition.

The Beatles newest and final track, Now and Then, earned top spot just eight days after it was released and maintains Liverpool’s record of having a No.1 single in every decade since the charts began.

The run of success began in 1953, with Lita Rosa’s (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window and continued through Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Beatles, Cilla Black, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Lightning Seeds, Sugababes and many more.

Now and Then was released at 2pm on 2 November 2023 and we joined Fab Four fans at The Beatles Story on the Royal Albert Dock for a first listen. It received an emotional reception, including applause and tears.

The track’s demo was originally written and sung by John Lennon at his New York home and later developed alongside the other band members including George Harrison. Almost 50 years after the demo was originally recorded, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr, with a little help from AI, completed the track.

McCartney said taking the No.1 spot once again was ‘mind-boggling’, adding: “It’s blown my socks off. It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!”

The last time the Beatles topped the UK charts was in 1969 with The Ballad of John and Yoko. Now and Then becomes the Fab Four's eighteenth UK No.1, keeping them well ahead of West Life (14) and Take That (12).