Essay: The Beatles prospered greatly despite their hardships

“… We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections …”  John Lennon spoke these words after his success with The Beatles, but it shows that he had figured out how important failures and self-love can be on the road to success.  We are all familiar with songs like “Hey Jude”, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”, and “Twist And Shout” but you might not be aware of some of the stumbling blocks The Beatles experienced on the way to becoming super stars.  I’m going to show you how The Beatles turned their obstacles into an extremely successful career.
It’s hard to imagine that such a world-class band had some members who, by most people’s standards, wouldn’t be considered “successful”.  Although a founding member of what would eventually become The Beatles, John Lennon had a troubled childhood.  Lennon didn’t have a stable family life, his parents split up, and at age 5, his father forced him to choose between his mother or father.  Other children’s parents warned them to stay away from Lennon, as he had gained a reputation for being a troublemaker when he was young.  John Lennon wasn’t the only member to have a rough start. Richard Starkey, professionally known as Ringo Starr, was afflicted twice by life-threatening illnesses as a child. Due to extended hospital stays, Starr fell behind in school and had to enter the workforce as a school dropout.  Eventually, the men we now know as the “Fab Four” formed The Beatles in Liverpool, 1960.  They auditioned for a recording contract with Decca Records in 1962 but didn’t get it.  The band members were told by Decca, “We don’t like their sound, guitar music is on the way out.” and, “The Beatles have no future in the show business.”(pitt.edu).  By the time this happened, the band had been together for nearly five years.  These rejections and shortcomings almost caused the band to split, but The Beatles kept trying.
The Beatles prospered greatly despite their hardships.  They have more number one albums than any other group in the U.S. or UK.  The Beatles hold hold a record for six diamond-selling albums like Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road, The Beatles 1962-1966, The Beatles 1967-1970, and The Beatles 1.  1964 was a huge year for The Beatles.  According to Billboard, they had the most songs in the Top 40 at one time (12), and the most #1 hits in one year (6).  With their performance at Shea Stadium in 1965, The Beatles set a world record for concert attendance of 55,600 and revenue.  This was the first time in history of popular music that anyone played in a proper stadium versus a concert hall or theatre.  The Beatles and their music made a long-lasting impact on the history of modern music.
The Beatles not only broke all kinds of sales records, but they also identified with people across the world.  I learned that one’s upbringing and childhood experiences don’t necessarily dictate how your future will turn out.  The band members grew up in a mostly poor community where dreams of stardom were traded for work in the real world.  I also learned that hard work really does pay off.  The group worked in the red-light district of Hamburg, Germany. Six hours a day, five days a week, these men played music for months at a time (Rolling Stone).  The Beatles were definitely true pop stars.  History.com says that they created an epidemic known as “Beatlemania”.  This was a term used to describe how their fanbase (mostly teenage girls) reacted.  Though hard work did eventually pay off, all good things must come to an end.  The band officially broke up around 1970, but left a legacy that still endures today.
As you can see, the obstacles The Beatles faced in life led them to the success that teaches us to persevere and never give up.  You can also be successful if you follow your dreams even in the midst of adversity.  “Sometimes you gotta break the rules to get ahead”.  In other words, take risks and live life in the present, not the past.  As John Lennon said, “… We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and imperfections…” The Beatles were not perfect, but they pressed on and achieved their dreams.