by The Cowl Editor on October 10, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
by Daniel O’Neill ’21 A&E Staff
While Abbey Road first came out on Sept. 26, 1969, the album now tops the UK charts again after the release of its expanded anniversary edition.
This accomplishment sets a new record for the UK charts. According to BBC News, the longest gap between when an album tops the charts and then re-reis 49 years and 252 days, thanks to Abbey Road. Back in 2017, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison made the previous record when they topped the charts with the re-release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely-Hearts Club Band. Sgt. Pepper topped the charts in the UK after 49 years and 125 days.
According to Rolling Stone, the re-release of Abbey Road features all 17 of the original tracks such as “Octopus’ Garden” and “Something,” as well as new mixes, home demos, alternate takes, and instrumental recordings. Abbey Road was the last album that the band recorded together, although “Let it Be” was released after Abbey Road. Abbey Road is one of the most popular albums of all time, not only because of the hits “Come Together” and “Here Comes the Sun,” but also because of the second side of the album.
The second side of the album, from “You Never Give Me Your Money” all the way to “The End,” is the Fab Four’s masterpiece as artists. The entire second side of the album flows like one song, never taking a single moment to stop and breathe. This concept of a singular, united side of an album is one of the reasons that the Beatles are so popular, even today.
Every year during the week that Abbey Road was released, fans of the Beatles travel from all over the world to visit the studio where the album was recorded, as well as recreate the cover art of the album. The cover features all four of the Beatles crossing Abbey Road, which is located in St. John’s Wood, West London. On the cover, the Fab Four cross the street: John Lennon in front clad in all white, Ringo Starr behind him dressed in a black suit, then Paul McCartney with bare feet, and ending with George Harrison in all denim.
The music of Abbey Road is important to many people around the world, and its cultural significance prevails as shown by yet another chart-topping run. By setting this unprecedented record for longest gap topping the charts, Abbey Road solidifies itself as one of the greatest works of art of all time.