1962 The first record by The Beatles, "My Bonnie" with Tony Sheridan, is released by Polydor.
1963 The Beatles release the album ''Please Please Me''.
1964 The Beatles vault to the #1 spot on the U.S. singles charts for the first time, with "I Want to Hold Your Hand," forever changing the way rock-and-roll music sounds.
1964 The Beatles land in New York City.
1964 The Beatles and Richard Terrance McDermott, U.S.A. gold medalist and world record-breaker, make their first appearances on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''.
1964 The Beatles hold the top five positions in the Billboard Top 40 singles in America, an unprecedented accomplishment. Owing mostly to the explosive growth, fragmentation, and marketing of popular music since, this is certain to never happen again. The top songs in America as listed on April 4, in order, are: "Can't Buy Me Love," "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and "Please Please Me."
1966 The Beatles: In an interview published in The London ''Evening Standard'', John Lennon comments, "We're more popular than Jesus now," eventually sparking a controversy in the United States.
1966 The Beatles release ''Revolver (album)'' in the United Kingdom.
1966 The Beatles release ''Revolver (album)'' in the United States.
1966 The Beatles hold a press conference in Chicago, during which John Lennon apologizes for his "more popular than Jesus" remark, saying, "I didn't mean it as a lousy anti-religious thing."
1966 The British rock band The Beatles play their very last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.
1967 The Beatles release ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'', one of rock's most acclaimed albums.
1969 The Beatles give their last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records. The impromptu concert is broken up by the poli
1969 The Beatles release what would be their final album (''Abbey Road'') recorded together.
1970 Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded, while at the same press conference, announcing the release of his new solo album.
1970 Paul McCartney sues in Great Britain to dissolve the Beatles's legal partnership.
1999 Former Beatle George Harrison is stabbed several times in the chest by Michael Anram, who had broken into his home. Harrison's wife wrestles the knife out of the assailant's hand before the police arrive. The man apparently believes that Harrison is the devil. He is later charged with attempted murder.
2001 The British musician George Harrison, best remembered for being a member of The Beatles, dies of cancer aged 58.