On 9 February 1964, the Beatles, who had arrived in New York two days earlier to be met by thousands of screaming fans, performed five songs on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS, watched by an estimated 73 million Americans, about 40 per cent of the population. Their records, including 'I Want to Hold Your Hand', had topped the charts in the previous weeks. The performance opened the 'British Invasion' of American popular music, with groups like the Rolling Stones, the Kinks and the Who. The Beatles disbanded in 1970, having changed the sound, the style and the ambitions of rock music.
Before and after
- 12 January 1964Birth of Jeff Bezos
- 12 January 1964Zanzibar Revolution
- 17 January 1964Birth of Michelle Obama
- 25 January 1964Founding of Nike
- 9 February 1964The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show
- 11 February 1964Birth of Sarah Palin
- 19 February 1964Birth of Jennifer Doudna
- 25 February 1964Muhammad Ali beats Sonny Liston
- 9 March 1964Birth of Juliette Binoche
More in Art, literature & culture
- 1946First edition of Cannes Film Festival
- 1955Publication of Guinness World Records
- from 25 August 1966 to 11 September 2001Construction of World Trade Center
- from 31 March 1997 to 11 November 2022Premiere of Teletubbies
- 2003Construction of Three Gorges Dam
- 2009Premiere of As Aventuras de Gui & Estopa
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.