1 by The Beatles

1

by The Beatles

Released: November 13, 2000

Rock, pop

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Breakthrough.

01

The Album

"1" is a greatest hits album by The Beatles, released on November 13, 2000, to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's breakup. It became the best-selling album of the 2000s in the US and remains one of the top-selling albums of the 21st century. The success of 1 led to the release of similar "number one" compilation albums by other artists, including Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and the Bee Gees.

02

Inside the Recording

The album was curated by producer George Martin, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. 1 was initially remastered in 2000, and later remastered and remixed again in 2011 and 2015, with Giles Martin, son of George Martin, overseeing the remixing process to make the audio "more immersive." The album’s packaging features a pop art-style design by Rick Ward, with the iconic "1" logo.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

Notably, it includes tracks like "Hey Jude" in…

Notably, it includes tracks like "Hey Jude" in its full-length version, which had previously been shortened in other compilations.

It includes a 32-page booklet with details about…

It includes a 32-page booklet with details about each single and the Beatles' history.

A vinyl version was released in the UK…

A vinyl version was released in the UK, while the CD version was available globally, with a special fold-out poster in the vinyl packaging.

Then

Reception

The compilation includes 27 of the band's number-one singles from 1962 to 1970, covering both the UK and US charts. It was a major commercial success, topping charts worldwide and selling over 31 million copies.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"1" is a greatest hits album by The Beatles, released on November 13, 2000, to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's breakup. The compilation includes 27 of the band's number-one singles from 1962 to 1970, covering both the UK and US charts. It was a major commercial success, topping charts worldwide and selling over 31 million copies. It became the best-selling album of the 2000s in the US and remains one of the top-selling albums of the 21st century.

The album was curated by producer George Martin, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Notably, it includes tracks like "Hey Jude" in its full-length version, which had previously been shortened in other compilations. 1 was initially remastered in 2000, and later remastered and remixed again in 2011 and 2015, with Giles Martin, son of George Martin, overseeing the remixing process to make the audio "more immersive."

The album’s packaging features a pop art-style design by Rick Ward, with the iconic "1" logo. It includes a 32-page booklet with details about each single and the Beatles' history. A vinyl version was released in the UK, while the CD version was available globally, with a special fold-out poster in the vinyl packaging.

The success of 1 led to the release of similar "number one" compilation albums by other artists, including Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and the Bee Gees.

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