Following the assassination of John Lennon, The Beatles maintained a strong cultural presence, but their reputation began to decline during the 1980s and early 1990s. With the loss of the ‘cool one,’ the band was primarily assessed through Paul McCartney’s less successful projects ('Give My Regards to Broad Street', 'The Frog Chorus'), Ringo Starr's battles with alcoholism, and George Harrison's turn towards mainstream rock with The Traveling Wilburys.
Nevertheless, the inconsistent contributions from the surviving members did not diminish The Beatles' undeniable legacy, even as they started to be taken for granted. In 1992, Apple Corps revived a previously shelved 1971 documentary project, ‘The Long and Winding Road’. This film, initially a 90-minute presentation put together by Apple manager Neil Aspinall, included interviews, concert footage, and television clips, though it did not feature direct involvement from any of the Beatles.
In 1980, just days before his death, Lennon had reportedly shown renewed interest in the project, imagining a reunion concert as its grand finale. Tragically, his murder by Mark Chapman brought those plans to an abrupt end, leading to the project's abandonment.
A decade later, McCartney, Harrison, Starr, press officer Derek Taylor, and producer George Martin decided to revive it, with Jools Holland conducting new interviews alongside archival footage of Lennon. Renamed ‘The Beatles Anthology’ (a title Harrison initially opposed, believing that a McCartney song should not encompass the entirety of the Beatles' career), the project represented a significant re-examination of the band's legacy.
By the mid-1990s, The Beatles’ influence had once again surged. Britpop was thriving, with artists like Oasis, Blur, and a revitalized Paul Weller eagerly paying homage to their Liverpool icons.
The Anthology project evolved into a comprehensive multimedia event: three double albums accompanied the documentary from late 1995 to early 1996, followed by a companion book four years later. Over six CDs, fans uncovered alternate takes, unreleased songs, and snippets of studio conversations that spanned the entirety of the band's recording career.
The highlight was the release of two 'new' songs: ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’, crafted by McCartney, Harrison, and Starr utilizing Lennon’s home demos from 1977. While neither single reached No. 1, they both charted well, as did the albums, marking a moment when, a quarter-century after their split, The Beatles reclaimed their status as the biggest band in the world.
The box sets were a treasure, outlining the band's progression from their earliest recordings, like McCartney's 1958 song ‘In Spite of All the Danger,’ to late ’60s tracks that later became solo work, including ‘Teddy Boy’ and ‘All Things Must Pass.’
True to their legacy, The Beatles set a new standard: ‘Anthology’ pioneered the now-common format of archival ‘deluxe editions’ that revisit classic albums with alternate takes, outtakes, and live performances. This project not only opened a profitable new avenue for legacy artists but also reinforced the group's mythology, paving the way for future endeavors like Get Back, Peter Jackson’s significant 2021 documentary.
Now, 30 years later, ‘Anthology Part 4’ is set to be released, featuring 36 additional tracks from their career, including updated versions of ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love,’ enhanced with modern technology that sharpens Lennon’s vocals, especially on ‘Now and Then’. However, its cultural impact will likely not match that of the original edition, which was a moment when The Beatles not only celebrated their history but reaffirmed their dominance in contemporary music—a position they have held since.
‘Anthology’ will be available on Disney+ starting November 26th.
Words: Richard Bowes
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Following John Lennon’s assassination, The Beatles' cultural significance continued to be strong; however, their reputation started to decline during the 1980s and early 1990s. With