Beatles In America Success

It is well known that the people of Britain, especially Liverpudlians, idolized American music. American music inspired Liverpudilians, even the Beatles themselves, to new genres and styles of music. Given all this, it is understandable that the “success in America would solidify the position of the Beatles as Britain’s greatest exponents of pop music” (Michael Frontani, 20). However, even with the recognized achievement of optimal success in Britain, once success in America was reached, the Beatles still had their apprehensions to ‘cross seas’ and essentially give America something they already had. Nonetheless, with or without their own apprehension, the US had their own hesitations themselves upon their acceptance of the Beatles in America

Martin “sent the single to Alan Livington, the senior Capitol executive in New York, who replied: “We don’t think the Beatles will do anything in this market”” (Frontani, 21). Martin’s employer, EMI, was affiliated with Capitol Records, the industry in which had denied the Beatles upon sampling their single. Nevertheless, Martin took initiative and “shop[ed] the single around to other American record companies in competition with Capitol’s parent company” (Frontani, 21). Given that the US’s record companies’ apprehensions towards the Beatles was predominantly influenced by prior exposure and failure to Britain’s music in the US, it is understandable why barriers had developed. However, the Beatles were able to break through these obstructions once Ed Sullivan noticed Beatlemania at an airport and immediately wanted the Beatles to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. Moreover, Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager, seized an opportunity and opted for the Beatles to perform three separate times for the show. The mass popularity of the Beatles successful appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was illustrated in the masses who watched, “the 50,000 requests for tickets to the show, [of which] only 728 could be granted, and the apparent crime drop of that night (Cantrell; Frontani, 31). Through the efforts of “Epstein, Martin and the [adoring] fans, Capitol’s publicity machine had at least cleared the path for the Beatles to take their best shot at success in America” (Frontani, 30). Though the masses surrounded the Beatles upon arrival to US soil, for The Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles were, nevertheless, payed the minimum allowed for their appearance (Frontani, 32). The mass influx of US popularity for the Beatles upon arrival of the show compared to that of when they had first commenced their contract for The Ed Sullivan Show exemplified the speed at which